High School Classes example essay topic

A Changing Lifestyle Last August, as a high school senior, I made a big transition in my life. Not only did I pack up my things and move to another city, I moved with the intention of acquiring higher education. I made the next step in my life by beginning college. High school life as I knew it was over, and my life would be new and different upon my arrival at school. My room, schedule, motivation, school life, money availability and parental influence has changed greatly. A major transition to make was that of adjusting to living in a dorm with a roommate.

In high school, my room was decorated and filled with things from my life. The furniture arrangement and room size left plenty of extra room. I had a queen-sized bed as well as a large vanity with a full mirror. The other furniture in my room held trinkets and picture frames. My room had plush carpet and two big windows with curtains. It was not necessary to lock my bedroom door as I left.

To be alone, all I had to do was retreat to my bedroom and turn up my favorite song. College rooms differ greatly from this description. One half of my dorm is full of things to which I cannot relate. Furniture lines the walls of the room and the small rectangle of space in the middle provides room for walking. My bed is twin-sized and is almost six feet in the air. The remainder of my furniture is tucked beneath my bed and holds many books and a few framed pictures of friends.

The carpet is thin and puckered in certain spots. Leaving the door unlocked is not safe because of amount of people who bypass it daily. My window is thin and tall, commonly referred to as "suicide-proof" because it is not big enough for a person to fit through. The curtain rod holding the small fabric cut to be our curtain falls almost daily.

I seldom enter the room when my roommate is not there. When I'm tired, she usually is watching television or is talking loudly on the phone. When I'm in the mood for television or listening to music, she is often asleep. My schedule allows me to sleep more than I did in high school; however it tends to be at random hours of the day. In high school I had a set schedule. School began at the same time every day and I had the same activities after school.

Then I came home, ate dinner, worked on some homework, and went to bed. Staying out late only occurred on weekends when I could sleep late the next day. I had to be at my house by midnight, so my bedtime was not altered greatly. Currently my classes begin at two different times of the day and end in the same way.

Twice a week I have my entire afternoon free for sleeping and the other two days I spend my entire afternoon in classes. I am not as interested in extra-curricular activities, so I spend that time watching movies, exercising, or catching up on homework. I can stay out as late as I please and usually catch up on lost sleep during the next day. Parental supervision is a huge part of high school.

Curfews, chores, and family time seemed to be the worst of it. I always had to ask permission to leave the house and I would have to call home from my destination to assure my safe arrival. Not doing the dishes or neglecting to clean my room would take away my privilege to go out. Arguing happens almost daily because by the time you have lived with someone for eighteen years, their every move can spark an outburst. At school curfews only exist for the opposite sex's time in your room. Chores happen when things get too gross to handle, and family time at school does not exist.

When I leave to go out, I don't have to have anyone's permission or approval. I can come and go as I please. Resident Assistants are the only source of authority and they often are oblivious to the happenings of their hall. I live among my friends, so my decisions are not challenged. I have a new freedom and new responsibilities. Sources of school motivation have changed drastically.

At home, homework was lightly supervised. Not spending adequate time reading or working on projects resulted in questions from my parents. In order to miss class, I had to prove to my parents that I was really sick, and a fever was usually the deciding factor. My mom would wake me up every morning for school and ask me if there was anything I needed for the day.

That way I my brain had to work almost as soon as my eyes opened. My friends rarely missed class "just because" and almost never showed up without their homework. Now if my homework is not done, I get no feedback from anyone except a lower grade on tests and transcripts. If I wake up and am not feeling well, it is up to me to decide whether or not I should attend class. This makes it more difficult because I have to decide for myself. Usually my brain is not in full function until after lunch because no one is around to pick at my brain.

I see a number of students miss class just because they are tired or socializing. Sometimes an almost entire class will show up without their homework. Classes are very different as well. High school days are six-and-a-half hours long. College students rarely have more than four hours a day of class. High school teachers are caring and understanding and often bend rules for "well-behaved" students.

Though college professors can change the rules and often do in extenuating circumstances, your impression on the teacher is rarely a factor. You have the same classes every day in high school, while in college you attend two or three times a week. Most high school classes consist of twenty-five to thirty students. College classrooms can hold up to sixty students. Auditoriums can hold hundreds. Many high school students, particularly girls, spend hours getting ready for school.

Most college students do not even shower until after eleven in the morning. Pajamas are seen frequently in morning classes. Homework is turned in almost daily and tests and quizzes are given periodically throughout high school semesters. The end of a unit usually results in a project of some sort. Students end up with over fifty grades by the end of the semester in one class. College professors usually grade three to four tests or papers and usually no more than ten daily assignments.

Projects are assigned at the beginning of the semester. About five to ten grades factor in to the final semester grade. Money is a big issue to college students. In high school I was able to work set hours every week because my school schedule was always the same. The absence of weekday partying left plenty of time for sleeping so I was not grumpy in the evenings. College class hours are relatively random so it is hard to work with an employer who hires shift workers.

Usually I get to bed late so by the time I'm ready for work, I am tired and miserable. Living at home provides plenty of food and personal items whenever they are needed. Dorm life is expensive because I have to pay for my own groceries and shampoo. In high school my bank account was often very full and I could use my check card freely. I seldom use my check card now for fear of bouncing a purchase because I have minimal amounts of money in the account. If I happened to run out of money, my parents would give me small chores to earn money.

Since I am not home now, I have to beg for money. In order to get it, I have to drive home and spend more money on gas. I am extremely limited on frivolous spending. Overall my move to college has made me very aware of real life.

Parental involvement is a luxury that comes with being at home all the time. Sometimes it seems overwhelming, but having things at my fingertips so often made me take things for granted. College life increases maturity levels drastically and is a baby step to living on my own.