Before high school, I had attended coed public schools  my entire life. It was what I was used to, and therefore, easy for me. However, rather than following my friends and classmates to our town’s high school, my parents made a decision that could not have been worse in my eighth grade mind. They chose to send me to Regina Dominican—an all-girls Catholic school in the town over.

I walked into the first day of freshman year unable to recognize a single face. I will never forget the feeling of discomfort and the apprehensiveness I felt during the first semester of my freshman year. Whenever I feel it now in other situations, I think about that first day, and how my opinion towards Regina has drastically changed since then.

I know that many Regina girls can empathize with the way I felt walking through the student entrance day one of freshman year. I also know, however, that Regina has become home for all of us, and if we had the option to go to the school of our original choice, we truly wouldn’t.

I can genuinely say that going to high school in an all-girls environment has guided me to be my best possible self.  Regina has taught me how to be confident in my own skin, to never stand on the side lines when I believe something is wrong, and to choose friends who genuinely love me for the person I am.

I didn’t realize the confidence that Regina gave me until people from other schools started pointing it out. They asked me how I’m able to speak up without being shy, how I can talk to anyone and look so comfortable, or how I still look fine when I’m out on the weekends without a drop of makeup. Originally, I just said, “Uhhh.. I don’t know!” and laughed.

Once I started reflecting on it, I realized that I have Regina and the confident beautiful girls I’m surrounded by everyday to thank. When someone wears makeup to school, girls swoon and ask “Oooo, where are you going?” Looking perfect is not the expectation, but rather the exception. Speaking up in class is a gimme. There is no reason not to when you will never feel judged or embarrassed. Furthermore, I love nothing more than throwing my uniform on in the morning and not having to worry about making sure some dude thinks I look good in class.

It’s interesting to think about what I would probably be like if I didn’t go to Regina. Since coming in as a freshman, I can’t help but think about how much more genuine of a person I am, how inspired I am by the people around me, and how Regina shapes me everyday. It’s hard for an eighth grader to choose an all girls’ private school, but it’s well worth it. I took the road less traveled for my high school experience, and I am forever grateful.