Going to college from an all-girls high school wasn’t weird

Everyone always assumes the worst.

“Oh man, how did you survive?”

“It was a catholic all-girl school? Wow, they must have been strict.”

“What is it like without boys?”

Well, I’m here to tell you that going to an all-girl high school was probably one of the best choices I have made in my life. Not only has it changed my view, my outlook, my mind, but it has also given me amazing skills I would never have guessed I would acquire from going to an all-girl school.

My high school, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Maryland, is a relatively small private Catholic school where we wore a uniform each day and we had about 80 girls in our class whom we called sisters.

Yes, it was strict in some ways with our uniform and some expectations. But, it also bursted with creativity, dedication, enthusiasm for learning, and the motivation that encouraged girls to unlock the power of their minds. My teachers taught their classes with passion and let us lead discussions on all sorts of topics. Our school promoted leadership and gave girls the opportunity to pursue whatever they wanted to do. And our school thrived in volunteering and giving back to our community, which motivated and drove us to serve others.

So coming to a co-ed college from an all-girl school was the opposite of weird. It was relatively the same. I still continue to feel motivated to speak up in class, encouraged to talk to my teacher about environmental clean-ups or volunteer work, and above all, it kept me driven towards my idea to become a nurse and help others, no matter what obstacles I face.

Attending an all-girls high school encouraged me to focus on the important things in life: school and work, of course, but also the value of listening, the amazing gift of friends, and the power of knowledge.

I learned to wake up in the morning and whip my hair in a ponytail rather than worry about impressing people with makeup. I learned to listen to friends whenever they need you, because it’s the best feeling to know that a friend is always there for you. I learned that you should always show off your talents in order to see what the world has to offer. And all these skills I have taken with me to college and used.

So next time I get asked, “Can you talk to guys?” (Yes, I’m not an alien) “Is it weird to be in a co-ed school?” (Nope) “Was it horrible?” or “how did you survive?” (All real questions I have been asked) I’ll just answer: I don’t regret going to an all-girl school.

I got 80 sisters because of it, it motivated me to join a sorority, it encouraged me to pursue my dreams, it inspired my creativity, it helped me look past my insecurities, and above all, it made me the person I am today and I will never change that for the world.