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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!

#1

American-Schools-Weird-Things-Non-Americans

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GC
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don’t ever know what A levels etc. are. One of these days I need to look it up.

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#3

American-Schools-Weird-Things-Non-Americans

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Caitlin Davenport
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, but the cheerleaders were just normal students, not stuck up and they didn't wear their uniforms in class.

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#4

American-Schools-Weird-Things-Non-Americans

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Jamziee
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, because if you're in the hall without one, then you MUST be commiting murder (Sarcasm lads)

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#5

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Charlotte A.
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Sweden it starts in august and ends in june. Nothing odd about it, to me.

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#8

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Caitlin Davenport
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They used to have E as a failing grade, but people thought it meant Excellent, so they changed it to an F.

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#10

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Juniper
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait, don't all schools have cafeterias? Where do you eat your lunch?

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#12

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Aunt Messy
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Canadian here. They don't close schools in Canada unless it's been colder than -40C for three days in a row.

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#18

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Eva Bryson
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, teachers want you in class to learn, not loitering in the bathroom.

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#21

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The Zooble
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be very honest, I'm English and I usually do page count rather than word count

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#25

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Caitlin Davenport
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So we aren't "distracted". Even rooms with windows usually had the blinds closed.

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#26

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Caitlin Davenport
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not really. We have nearby schools we compete against in sports, but any rivalry is very light-hearted.

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#29

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Troux
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You've been watching too many movies. We have one homecoming dance, and then one senior dance (only for 1/4 of the school) per year.

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SimplySarcastic40
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it's really not that often....at least when i went to High School there might have been max 2 per year....and they weren't for everyone. They were segmented by year...freshman dance, jr/senior prom etc etc and a few for major holidays

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Mary Peace
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the films - I mean movies - it always seems like there are lots of dances because it's a good way for characters, especially teenagers, to get together romantically.

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John Watson
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Germany there is ONE in 10 or 12 years. Depends on the school you go to after elementary school and usually it's the graduation event.

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LJ Robinson
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have lived all over the U.S., and I can tell you, different areas of the country have different views on this. Some have Halloween, Christmas, Prom, Valentines Day and more, some have none. Depends on where you live.

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Jakub Luberda - pisze
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I got to "why do american schools have balls" and was very confused about gendered schools.

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Angela Jester
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Holiday dances and Proms are formal and others are casual. Some schools have informal dances a lot some schools only have a few formals a year. Because it's fun to get dressed up,hang out with friends,have something social to do,and why not?

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Lauretta Payne
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10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They don’t. When they do have a dance, most students do not - dance,.

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Katherine Russell
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My high school only had three...Homecoming (in October), Winter Ball (in January), and Prom (in May). Prom was only for the Seniors, though.

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Cybele Spanjaard
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have the formals once a year in each class in high school, even the youngsters have a disco dance party for 2 hours from 5 p to 7 and dress up.

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Viv Hart
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our top class is Grade 12, called Matric, toward the end of the Matric year, we have our Matric Dance/Ball. But I don't understand the American Prom.

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elfin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know of any schools that have nearly that many dances. They are more for special occasions, like Senior Prom.

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Kimberly Herbert
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, Usually Homecoming and prom. Where I grew up also had dance club. You took ballroom dancing in 8th grade privately from the Smiths. Then parents organized dance clubs - generally around each high school. My cousin belonged to the one that was the class ahead of meat my high school because her school didn't have people doing this. You paid dues and organized 4 causual and 2 formal dances a year. It started out really the Mom's doing it by senior year we did everything but sign the contract (generally have to be 21 per venue). One of my cousins is in her mid 60s and a core group from her dance club has morphed into a dinner club and they have (currently suspended because 2020) monthly dinner parties.

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Pheebs
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I only know of 2 - homecoming and prom. And prom is only for 11th and 12th graders.

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similarly
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Back in the 80s, I think my HS had dances maybe 6 times a year or so.

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Citizen Josie
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't exagérate. Not every week but you go to middle and high school once in your lifetime. Celebrate every moment. Make friends and enjoy the experience to the max. Do balls, party, bbq, etc after this you will work for the rest of your life. Enjoy your youth!

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Seth Linn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because high school is so unbelievably depressing we need something to take our minds off of it, dances are always used as positive reinforcement. America is always a capitalist hellhole so if there’s a way to make money off of people, someone will figure it out.

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Whitney Anderson
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we dont usually just first day of school dance, halloween dance, christmas dance, valentines day dance, and then an end of school year dance

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Julius Martin
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

my school has one once a year, and most of these posts are just ppl exxagerating what we do

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Horror Hero13
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We don't dances and stuff are actually very rare in some schools, but Prom or Homecoming is a absolute thing for sure

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Dave P
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

never been to a school with any of those or know anyone who went to a school with them. It is a regional thing

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Chik Nuggs
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

my school has one every 2 weeks and they come up with stupid names everytime

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JustAWeirdoGirlChild
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

depends on the school, my old middle school did, but i moved and the new school doesnt

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Gwenda Christenson
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we don't. my school had 1 for all of the high school (homecoming) - and then 1 for prom (11th and 12th grade only)

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Roadkill The Brave
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Balls? Well homecoming or Prom I guess but I never went to those...but not every week. Middle school we had them 4-6 times a year but they weren't like you see in the movies. Most times we got free soda and hung around the room talking instead of dancing.

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Spittnimage
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They don't. You can't believe everything you read or see on TV.

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Noelani Stevens
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most people don't even dance at school dances, except when cupid shuffle is on, then EVERYONE joins in.:D

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Lillian Jimenez
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm in 8th and I've never been to a dance. 6th grade was still elementary for me. 7th grade, I went to a "ghetto" school so they didn't let us have dances in case we were going to be bad. 8th grade. COVID 19 happened

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Imtiredandiwannagotobed
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Halloween dances are fun, there’s usually like 46 people in inflatable dinosaurs fighting each other here

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Sarah
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought that fancy British schools had balls. We have dances.

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Nela Rothenbach
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So cute how you're all commenting "not that often, no" when in Germany there is ONE dance in your whole school life : - DD

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ramen noodle
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and then AFTER the dance, they try to get you to pay them for ANOTHER FREAKING DANCEE

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#32

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Caitlin Davenport
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Candy was usually a very tiny part, if it was there at all. But it was the most exciting part!

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