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32 Seemingly Normal Things About American Schools That Confuse The Hell Out Of Non-Americans
176Kviews
Growing up in a European country and never witnessing what it's like to go to an American school, watching American high school comedies, to me, has always been a pretty surreal experience. I'm sure that most of you fellow non-Americans reading this article could relate to me on this.
There are so many things about American schools that have always seemed utterly fascinating to me. For instance, you get letter grades instead of number ones, schools have swimming pools inside them, there's a club for almost anything, you have to get a hall pass to go to the bathroom during class, and lunch meals are usually pretty bizarre. The list goes on. With that being said, Bored Panda invites you to look through this list of tweets from non-American Twitter users in which they share things that they find the strangest about American schools. Feel free to explain to us the things we don't understand or add your own in the comment section!
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Yes, but the cheerleaders were just normal students, not stuck up and they didn't wear their uniforms in class.
In Sweden it starts in august and ends in june. Nothing odd about it, to me.
They used to have E as a failing grade, but people thought it meant Excellent, so they changed it to an F.
Canadian here. They don't close schools in Canada unless it's been colder than -40C for three days in a row.
Because we put all our budget into our announcements and lockers
Yes, teachers want you in class to learn, not loitering in the bathroom.
yep...at least in the suburbs because most of us start driving at 16
To be very honest, I'm English and I usually do page count rather than word count
So we aren't "distracted". Even rooms with windows usually had the blinds closed.
Not really. We have nearby schools we compete against in sports, but any rivalry is very light-hearted.
Candy was usually a very tiny part, if it was there at all. But it was the most exciting part!
!["Karen Complains To HR About My Body, I Uno-Reverse Her Complaint, [And Now] Everyone Hates Her"](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/coworker-complains-to-hr-about-womans-body-revenge-latest.jpg "\"Karen Complains To HR About My Body, I Uno-Reverse Her Complaint, [And Now] Everyone Hates Her\"")
I'm European and I read each one of these facts thinking "wait... they do *what*??!"
im american and reading these were like: wait other schools dont do that. its pretty cool to read this post and see other people's perspectives
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Doggo good
I think everyone of these would have to be answered with a "depends on". It depends on what grade, what state and what county or parish.
This comment has been deleted.
I have no idea what anyone does outside exactly three countries, one of them US, and I think it's a case of "whatever is unfamiliar is weird" here. BTW, clubs at US schools were a great way to pad your CV to get into college/uni, and to not go home to shi**y circumstances. So I'm for the clubs. That 7 AM thing, eh, I grew up in farm country. We were up anyway!
Some of the questions were odd even to me in the UK. In most instances, in many countries, we all have various versions of similar things. Pools in some schools, water fountains in some, after school activities are common place (but not called clubs), ditto lockers. The only thing that stuck out for me was the time of day lessons started and that has pros and cons. Younger children are (usually) naturally earlier risers but there are studies that show older children benefit from later starts. I like hearing how other countries do things but I'd really like another country to take a turn. Bored Panda - why not take the focus OFF the US, just for a moment, and pick countries that are less known and maybe we can share info from them?
Yes! It would make a change. I have far less knowledge about a lot of countries than I do the US (or my own the UK). I also hate the US bashing that goes on. All countries have things we're not proud off, our share of idiots - let's do more celebrating of what makes our own countries GOOD!
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Lucas haha
There is a growing movement of folks pushing for later starts for high school here though so that’s something. In our school district the times are staggered a bit, elementary starts at 7:50, middle school and 8:00, and high school at 8:30. Still not great but more reasonable than 7 am!
I would like to know more about what other countries do (I'm in the US) The generalization of US is getting old, not all regions are the same, some schools have some things others don't. It's not all the same over here, it's a large country and we have a (wonderful) diversity of culture. Let's expand the list of countries to learn about BP.
Yes, but a lot of other countries were colonized by Europe, so they have school systems based on that.
I didn't realize our schools were SO weird.
but how is having a parking lot wierd ??????????????????
In Germany you are supposed to be finished with school at the age of 18 when you may drive, so no need for a stundent parking lot. Plus students come to school by public transport. There is often one for teachers, but schools here are not as huge so not that many teachers --> small teachers parking lot
Most countries don't rely on cars as badly as the US does. Hence why their fuel prices are higher and their willingness to abandon fossil fuels is greater.
Usually, in my country, they don't park, because everyone comes by bike or with the public transportation...
They meant parking for students probably. In other countries the age for driving may be older so there is no need for a student car park.
In my country you can get driving license at 18, and getting car at 18 is very uncommon. The same goes for teachers, income is not high enough to have two or even one car in a family. And yes, public transportation is way better.
About the nurse...there is usually a room where students can go when they don't feel well. If the issue can be adressed by giving them a cool pad or plaster teachers do. Anything else...student gets send home/picked up by parents or an ambulance is called (just happened today when a student passed out during a math exam).
I wondered that too! Like, where do the teachers and the students park?!
Because you only get your driver's licence when you turn 18, by then you've finished school. We went to school by public bus, train, cycled, or by buzzbike - 50cc.
A parking lot for staff is not weird, but a parking lot for students is. Traffic created for its own sake.
Because other countries aren't so rural or suburban as America. So it is unusual for a school to not be within easy walking distance... and even if it isn't, they have good public transit as an alternative. So, parking is weird because the concept of a student having to drive is weird.
or a nurse?
I'm European and I read each one of these facts thinking "wait... they do *what*??!"
im american and reading these were like: wait other schools dont do that. its pretty cool to read this post and see other people's perspectives
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Doggo good
I think everyone of these would have to be answered with a "depends on". It depends on what grade, what state and what county or parish.
This comment has been deleted.
I have no idea what anyone does outside exactly three countries, one of them US, and I think it's a case of "whatever is unfamiliar is weird" here. BTW, clubs at US schools were a great way to pad your CV to get into college/uni, and to not go home to shi**y circumstances. So I'm for the clubs. That 7 AM thing, eh, I grew up in farm country. We were up anyway!
Some of the questions were odd even to me in the UK. In most instances, in many countries, we all have various versions of similar things. Pools in some schools, water fountains in some, after school activities are common place (but not called clubs), ditto lockers. The only thing that stuck out for me was the time of day lessons started and that has pros and cons. Younger children are (usually) naturally earlier risers but there are studies that show older children benefit from later starts. I like hearing how other countries do things but I'd really like another country to take a turn. Bored Panda - why not take the focus OFF the US, just for a moment, and pick countries that are less known and maybe we can share info from them?
Yes! It would make a change. I have far less knowledge about a lot of countries than I do the US (or my own the UK). I also hate the US bashing that goes on. All countries have things we're not proud off, our share of idiots - let's do more celebrating of what makes our own countries GOOD!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Lucas haha
There is a growing movement of folks pushing for later starts for high school here though so that’s something. In our school district the times are staggered a bit, elementary starts at 7:50, middle school and 8:00, and high school at 8:30. Still not great but more reasonable than 7 am!
I would like to know more about what other countries do (I'm in the US) The generalization of US is getting old, not all regions are the same, some schools have some things others don't. It's not all the same over here, it's a large country and we have a (wonderful) diversity of culture. Let's expand the list of countries to learn about BP.
Yes, but a lot of other countries were colonized by Europe, so they have school systems based on that.
I didn't realize our schools were SO weird.
but how is having a parking lot wierd ??????????????????
In Germany you are supposed to be finished with school at the age of 18 when you may drive, so no need for a stundent parking lot. Plus students come to school by public transport. There is often one for teachers, but schools here are not as huge so not that many teachers --> small teachers parking lot
Most countries don't rely on cars as badly as the US does. Hence why their fuel prices are higher and their willingness to abandon fossil fuels is greater.
Usually, in my country, they don't park, because everyone comes by bike or with the public transportation...
They meant parking for students probably. In other countries the age for driving may be older so there is no need for a student car park.
In my country you can get driving license at 18, and getting car at 18 is very uncommon. The same goes for teachers, income is not high enough to have two or even one car in a family. And yes, public transportation is way better.
About the nurse...there is usually a room where students can go when they don't feel well. If the issue can be adressed by giving them a cool pad or plaster teachers do. Anything else...student gets send home/picked up by parents or an ambulance is called (just happened today when a student passed out during a math exam).
I wondered that too! Like, where do the teachers and the students park?!
Because you only get your driver's licence when you turn 18, by then you've finished school. We went to school by public bus, train, cycled, or by buzzbike - 50cc.
A parking lot for staff is not weird, but a parking lot for students is. Traffic created for its own sake.
Because other countries aren't so rural or suburban as America. So it is unusual for a school to not be within easy walking distance... and even if it isn't, they have good public transit as an alternative. So, parking is weird because the concept of a student having to drive is weird.
or a nurse?