Personal Narrative: My Life In Public Schools

My early years were spent in public, co-ed schools. When high school came around, my parents felt that a public school might not prepare me for college as well as a private one might. The final decision was mine, though. I researched all my choice; public, religious, technical, and even boarding. Each had their pros and cons. All of my friends were going to public schools across the state. My family was vaguely Protestant, but I felt no religious calling. I barely knew what profession I wanted to pursue at 18, much less 14! One friend and I talked about attending a boarding school together, but the price of tuition and the fear of being separated from our families so soon killed that plan. In the end, I decided to attend Mercy High School, a private, Catholic, all-girls high school that was about half-an-hour’s drive away. My elder sister Chrissy had attended eight years prior and spoke highly of her experience. Plus, the school offered me a generous scholarship, including money for books and the uniform. None of my friends were going with me. They all made faces when I told them I intended to go to an all-girls school. None of them wanted to give up boys, and almost all agreed that girls in groups turned catty. I didn’t see any logic to their claims, though. …show more content…
Boys were plenty of fun in elementary school, with their own kind of rambunctious games and play styles. Everything changed in middle school, though, because we were all changing ourselves. The boys I had been friends with in elementary school all turned-tail as soon as cooties started catching. They all began posturing and parading their masculinity around for their male peers. Boys would brag nonstop about the imaginary fights, drugs, and girls they got into. I wasn’t able to see it at the time, but now I am able to identify the masculine bravado going down below the