Compare and Contrast High School versus College

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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 ...

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... 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.

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