Why college is secondary school’s hipper, cooler older brother

Why college is secondary school’s hipper, cooler older brother

The transition from secondary school to college is a daunting one, but once a student settles in, they quickly cop all the advantages that college life has to offer.

Here are some of the many reasons why college is better than secondary school.

Freedom

The number one reason why people prefer college over secondary school is the freedom. You can make decisions such as what time to wake up and what to eat.

Unlike secondary school, students don’t need to wake up early every morning and be in for 9am.

In college, you’re seen as an adult, so therefore you will be treated like an adult.There are no writing letters home to your parents telling them your homework isn’t done or you were talking in class.

You will even find that your parents will begin treating you like an adult when you begin college.

Image result for lisa kamp krusty letter — **“Bins haven’t been put out again. Down to last fiver. Laptop on brink. Send moolah. x”**

Nightlife
One of the main perks of being a college student is the nightlife.

When in secondary school, it is next to impossible to go out midweek due to the workload or your parents not allowing you to.

That is entirely different in college where you decide when you want to enjoy a pint.

The nightclubs, pubs, and house parties are all part of the college experience.

Image result for nightclub inbetweeners gif

Studying What You Like
In secondary school, students are forced to study subjects that they do not like.

The secondary school curriculum forces people to study a small sample of every subject before being examined on them all.

In college, it is much better with students being able to pick a course based off of their interests.

This means that you can do what you enjoy and not be stuck in a classroom listening to a teacher talking about something that you feel is not relevant to you.

Image result for philosophy college meme — **Apart from philosophy, obviously.**

It Will Never Be As Bad As The Leaving Cert
The Leaving Cert is the most stressful exam you will ever sit. Nothing else comes close.

The endless number of topics to study, the orals, the projects, the aurals, and the constant pressure that you feel is a nightmare.

College exams and assignments are stressful, but some of your modules are continuous assessment which means you don’t have an exam.

The mental and physical toll of the Leaving Cert is not fair on students who are also faced with planning for college.

Image result for less stress more success — **If you know, you know.**

Less Time In Class
Unlike school, college isn’t nine to four, five days a week.

In some cases, you may not have any lectures, labs or tutorials on any specific day.

You could also be in for three hours on a Monday and four on a Tuesday for example.

In secondary school students are in from the same times every day which becomes boring after a while.

There are no such problems in third level.

Image result for ferris bueller's day off — **You may think having a day off college entails having Ferris Bueller style hi-jinks, but really it’s a lot of sleeping in and hoovering the house.**

Better Facilities
If you come from the countryside as I do, then you will understand that there are few facilities near your school or indeed in your local area.

The options available once you enter college are far greater than at home.

You can shop, go for pints, use the gym, enjoy a nice meal and lots more while this wasn’t an option for many when in school Monday to Friday.

There are endless opportunities and things to do when you enter third level.

Image result for rocky 4 training — **Accurate representation of a rural East Galway gym**

Diversity
Attending college allowed me to meet different people from all walks of life.

Secondary schools are located close to home, so everyone knows each other, and often you don’t meet someone from a different culture or walk of life.

If you attend a big college such as UL, then you will meet new people and learn more about others.

Students can make connections everywhere, and this is a vital part of the college experience.

Image result for variety is the spice of life

No Uniform
This one is self-explanatory.

In college, you are regarded as an adult, so there is no need for uniforms.

Students can wear what they want and not be forced to wear the same clothes as everyone else.

There is nothing worse than waking up early on a Monday morning and being forced to wear a uniform.

Image result for awful fashion — **College is the perfect time to get into politics, weird music, or indeed, bad fashion.**

Always Something To Do
With extra free time comes more opportunities to experience college life.

You can meet up with friends, go for a run or enjoy the nightlife as much as you want.

There’s nothing better than having the time to enjoy everything that college has to offer.

Savour it because it will be a different story once you graduate.

Image result for empty cinema — **“A 10 o’clock showing of a foreign film that no one’s heard of? Cool!”**

You are an adult now
Unlike secondary school, you are in control of all aspects of your life.

Being a responsible adult means knowing that you can party 24/7 but not actually following through with a schedule like that because it won’t keep you on budget, in school, or in good health.

The safety net of your parents waking you up or buying food is in the past.

It is equal parts terrifying and liberating.

Embrace your freedom and embrace university – these next few years will be some of the best years of your life.