345Kviews
Teen From The US Reveals What It’s Like For An American To Attend An Aussie School
Lara Fourie is an American TikToker and social media influencer who moved from Texas to Melbourne in 2017. The teen has been attending an Aussie school there since, but the whole experience was like nothing she was used to back in the States.
So she made a series of TikTok videos that have since gone viral, describing the exact culture shocks about the Australian school system. From everyone being totally fine with swearing to being able to go outside during the break, these are some of the differences that shed light on how these two big cultures deviate in profound ways.
Scroll down to see what Lara has discovered there below and to all our beloved Aussie pandas, hit us in the comments with some more cultural differences you have in mind!
This post may include affiliate links.
Bored Panda reached out to Lara, the TikToker and RMIT University student in advertising who’s behind this viral video, who said she moved to Australia four years ago with her family. “My dad was an engineer and his company moved us all around the world. We’ve lived in Texas, New York, and Singapore as well,” she added.
“The culture shock was definitely the hardest thing to become accustomed to. People are simply different in other countries, not good or bad, just different,” Lara recalled and added that “the concept of change for me overall was the hardest.”
When asked what American things she misses the most, Lara said it’s “Chick-Fil-A, a fast food restaurant with the best food in Texas that you can’t find in Australia.”
In some confined very poorly ventilated space without windows...
Load More Replies...
Not after middle school for me. Just a lunch break and (maybe) study hall.
Load More Replies...
When I was in school, we had 15 mins break for every 45 minutes of teaching. And yes we could, and kind of had to go outside. It's good for the brain :).
Had this in Wales, 45 minute lessons, hour lunch and if I recall correctly, two 15 minute breaks. We weren't allowed out the school grounds but you could go outside... My other school was same in England, but hour lessons so minus a lesson per day.
Load More Replies... No way. Recess is a standard part of American school days, up to grade 9 st least.
Recess stopped for me after the 5th grade. Middle school (grades 6 - 8) didn't have recess.
Load More Replies... I’m confused...wasn’t there an American 90s cartoon called Recess which was literally about Recess?
Elementary schools get recess, but middle and high schools do not.
Load More Replies...
Not after elementary school, which typically ends when you're 11.
Load More Replies...
When I went to school in America 20 years ago we had recess and went outside for it. Is that now gone?
No it is not gone. This thread is annoying... lies. Recess still very much exists in America... at least until 9th grade. After 9th, you may not have a class devoted to physical activity but you still get to go outside between classes if you wish. Anyone saying otherwise is full of 💩
Load More Replies...
New Jersey, USA, here. We had recess in elementary and middle school, but not high school. Strange that this girl wouldn't even know what recess is? Do they not have it in Texas?
I had 2 recesses and a lunch hour, the afternoon recess was shorter though, like 15 min, but the morning one was 30 min. It never even occurred to me that people didn't have recess...
We have breaks after every class (classes are 45 mins in elementary school and sometimes 90 mins in higher schools)
Same in Finland. And we had to go out unless it was below -20C.
Load More Replies...
Um, where in Texas did you go to school that the didn't have recess or let you go outside?
Houston kids have recess in elementary for 20 mins . Nothing in middle or high. Just 30 min lunch .
Load More Replies...
in Europe, classes are 45 min long, and you get breaks after each of them. USA sucks a lot
I'm from the U.S. -- when I was young every school at every grade had recesses which were known to make the overall learning process more effective. A certain corrupt political party has long been trying to make school more brutal and less effective in order to prove that it all needs to be put into the hands of private business who by the way is bribing them to do this very thing. At the very same time, they've been making the people who have most of the country's money less and less accountable for paying taxes. Corporations and the very rich became almost exempt from taxes, so the tax base has been shredded. So every minute the kids are in school is costing money and the districts have to pinch every penny. Thus public schools being turned into miserable gulags over time.
I would have recess in elementary school, but my school district doesn’t have it for middle and high school.
Do you know why? Because I find this so confusing.
Load More Replies...
Many schools also do crunch and sip as well. Which is eating fruit and drinking water during class time. And in primary school there is a no hat, no play policy during the warmer months. If you don't have a hat then you have to sit in the shade or library.
I get at least two hours (In total, not per break) here in Australia.
That's total BS. Of course Americans get to go outside during school hours. What kind of nonsense is this girl spreading? It is school... not prison. I've lived in America my whole life and NEVER heard of students not going outside during the school day. Complete BS
Again, safe to go outside because there are no guns allowed in Austtralia
This is sad. It’s like school in the US was like back when I went. Recess, outdoors, no metal detectors…
Wait I literally go to school in the USA and I have had 2 breaks my whole life? Maybe it has to do that I am not in a public school???
In Finland we get a 15 minute break after every 45 minute class. Unless you have a double class, and in that case the teacher might skip the break between those 2 classes.
Same in the UK too, you get 2 breaks during the day. It's split into a double lesson (more common in years 10 & 11) or 2 single lessons before the first break, and then before dinner, and then before home time. :)
Wow... What elementary school in the US doesn't have recess? I don't know of any high school that doesn't allow their students to go outside on breaks between classes and for lunch.
What???? American schools don't have at least one 'play time' during the day where they go outside for a short spell to let off steam? When I was growing up we had one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon, as well as lunch time.
Yes, we do. Until High school when kids don't play during breaks. Not sure what OP is talking about.
Load More Replies...
In Australia, students can pretty much get away with swearing in class, swearing in front of teachers, that kinda stuff, in America, that was not tolerated at all and it was straight-up detention.
In many schools across the US, metal detectors are something teens and school staff go through every day. They were first used in a Detroit High School during the 1989-1990 school year, so they’re not an entirely new concept as many would like to believe.
However, recently, more and more schools are implementing the use of metal detectors on their sites due to the rise of school shootings. They serve as ugly reminders of the problem of violence in the US, and how sadly, the leaders have failed to ensure safety of their young generation without such extreme measures.
So in America, I woke up at 6 am every morning so I would be picked up by the bus at 6:30 for a 7 am start at school. Whereas in Australia, I start high school at 8:30 in the morning
Buying lunch at a cafeteria is a lot different to Australia as well. The cafeteria usually only makes a meal of the day and they only have a few snack options that are usually are all processed. We also have vending machines at school and a lot of them have soda, whereas in Australia, they have a canteen. They have so many more options and the food is way better overall.
This is the most generic Texas school outfit. And this is pretty much every Australian school outfit for girls
The check dress isn't super common past primary? A lot of secondary schools, especially the private ones, are either blouse and skirt or a generically tailored dress.
At the same time, there isn’t a lot of research about the positive or negative safety or social effects of metal detectors in schools. A study published in the journal of the American School Health Association detected mixed results as one study found that less students carry weapons to schools with metal detectors than the ones without them, though it’s not entirely clear how and if that translated into less violence in those schools.
Moreover, some experts claim that in more severe and lethal cases of mass shootings, metal detectors will do little if any good. Some believe that students in line for the detectors and the operators would likely be the very first victims.
In America it's mandatory to take a second language, a sport, and an art subject. But in Australia you don't have to.
So in American high schools, you have 7 classes a day that are 45-minute periods. At the beginning of the day, in first period, we would say the pledge of allegiance. The whole entire school would do this during morning announcements, we would turn to the flag that was in every classroom and we would go like this: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, individual [sic], with..." blah blah blah blah blah. I can't even remember anymore. So yeah, the whole entire school would do that at the exact same time, and then we would take a moment of silence for one minute where the whole entire school would be dead silent for a whole minute. Whereas in Australia, it's a bit different. In Australia, you have 4 periods a day that are an hour and a half, and at the beginning of the day, we have something called home room. We have houses like in Harry Potter, and pretty much every student from all different grades gets put into a certain home room
In Australia we have a 20-minute recess and an hour-long lunch, both of which you spend outside, whereas in America, we only got a 45-minute lunch and we spent it in a cafeteria
It's not always 20/60. My first highschool was 15/45, and my second flailed around from 15/30 to 30/60 depending on the day.
Another problematic aspect of metal detectors at schools is that they destroy trust between school officials and students. Often, the students are the only ones being screened, which may suggest they are being treated as potential threats.
Also, it’s well known that metal detectors are not foolproof. In September of 2008, in Milwaukee, a 15-year-old female student was stabbed several times in a restroom on the same day a $50,000 metal detector debuted at the school. Even though it’s not entirely clear whether the stabbing suspects had or had not been screened, the question of whether such a deliberate monitoring measure is effective remains open.
One of the biggest differences is the size of the school. Just for a bit of context, I lived in Texas, so our schools were huge. This was our football stadium/makeshift track. This is one of our three gyms. Our water tank. One of the pools. The district football stadium. And part of our performing arts center. Because you can get your license at 16, most of the students drove to school, and because we had around 5000, there was also a 3-tier parking lot. Also a band hall, orchestra hall, and two auditoriums. We also had a softball and a baseball field, and multiple soccer fields as well. We also had a separate cafeteria for every grade. Whereas Australian schools tend to be a lot more open. In America you spend the whole entire day inside, whereas in Australia you get a lot of time outside
I'm getting the sense that when she says "in Australia", she means "at this particular Australian school". In the US, my kids go to an open concept school.
In America, this is what the lockers look like. They're either halfway or full length. We also had the option to bring our backpacks to and from class if we wanted to. Whereas in Australia, at least the high school I went to, this is kind of what the lockers look like. They're a lot smaller
In America we have 7 subjects that we take and we have 7 40-minute periods every day, whereas in Australia, I only take 5 subjects and we have 4 periods every day that are an hour and a half
So in Texas high school, we have homecoming. Homecoming is the start of the football season and we celebrate by having a homecoming dance. These things right here, they're called mums. Basically, if you've been asked to homecoming by a guy, they will give you a mum and you will wear it on the day of homecoming. It looks ridiculous seeing everybody walk around school with these giant things on. And yes, I did wear one on homecoming, and yes, it's still in my closet. We also have prom and Sadie's dance. Sadie's is my favorite because it's the Valentine's Day one and the girl asks the guy out. Whereas in Australia, at least at my school, we have a year 10 formal and a year 12 formal and it's usually organized by the students outside of the school. In America, there are so many options for electives. We have everything from orchestra to flower arrangements
She means a Sadie Hawkins dance.... Americans don't even know their own traditions any more.
In Australia, we don't actually have hallways, so in America, to get from class to class, you go through the school, through your hallways, whereas in Australia, everything's outside other than your classrooms. Lunch, recess, we also have recess, but it's all outside.
Same in New Zealand, which actually sucks during winter... Luckily in my later years at high school our tutor teacher would let us stay in our home room during the breaks cause we were part of the academic classes. (Basically talented students)
Everyone knows that American public high schools don't have a uniform, but we do have a dress code. Pretty much, you couldn't wear tops that were less than three finger lengths for the sleeves, and your shorts had to be below finger length. When we had gym or sports, we had a separate uniform that we were given, and we would get changed in the locker rooms before class. Whereas in Australia, the typical uniform looks something like this. We called this formal uniform, and on the days we had gym, we wore our PE uniform, that looked something like this. I've also heard a lot of schools in Australia have a "no hat, no play" policy, but I wouldn't know, because I didn't go to elementary school in Australia
Yeah if you let the kids out without hats they catch fire and spontaneously grow extra limbs. The sun hates you, it is Not Your Friend
So in America, we have water fountains and that's the equivalent to these, which in Australia, they call them drink taps, and they look like that.
@llarafourie Culture shocks I had when moving to Melbourne! #australia #america
♬ Wii Shop Channel - McTweet
Again with the TikTok screenshots. This is getting so stupid, BP.
Haha. "Hey, creating original content is HARD, you guys!" ~ BP, probably
Load More Replies...
Just because her school in the US was like that does not mean all schools in the US are like that.
Its horrific that American schools have metal detectors and school police. Scary
Not a reality for some Americans, surely I’m not the only American that hasn’t experienced these things? No metal detectors, no cops at school.
Load More Replies...
I went to school in the us for 12 years and I never saw 1 metal detector in a school.
Oh thank you!! I thought I was loosing my mind!! I haven’t either. In any school. What state are u from? I’m in OK
Load More Replies... My US high school was much closer to the Australian one. We went outside and could leave campus for lunch, class periods were an hour and a half long, lockers were tiny, ect.
When I was in Seattle I saw HS kids go out for lunch all the time off campus
Load More Replies... Well, overall, I would say, Oklahoma must be more similar to Australia than it is to Texas:) which I am 100% cool with😎
This frustrated me to the point that I couldn't read it all in one setting. 99% of these items DO NOT apply to the very-populated area of the US in which I live. And I am sure many other Americans can say the same thing. Most of these things being attributed to the differences in countries are in fact, differences in areas of different countries. In the US, systems vary city to city, county to county, state to state, region to region etc. I am betting the same thing applies to Australia. To give the impression that these apply to the entire United States is abhorrent. The purging of incorrect information gives the US a bad image.
It's sounds like my school. I live in New York. My school is one of the safest and cares about mental health more that education.
I’m Australian. I read the metal detector thing. I am confused and horrified.
Makes me wonder if some of the reasons for school shooting in the states is that the kids are indoors all days from early morning. Lots of short classes where I expect tge kids bearly have time to start learning before it's time to move on, also to get enough learning done to pass a general years work in a single subject will mean long hours of homework... Basically these kids aren't allowed to be kids, get fresh air and rest... a teenager brain needs both if these in large quantities as they are still developing. Their education is basically turning these kids into neurotic time bombs. I honestly feel for them
I went to school in the Midwest, none of our schools have gun detectors... Because no one is allowed to have guns. My husband and another friend went to school in different parts of California, and both had classes that opened directly to the outside. This is a dumb comparison post.
I’m still not sure about going on vacation there my sis told me that everything tries to kill you there
She could have moved counties and still experienced these same differences. This has nothing to do with US HS vs Australian HS. I grew up in Texas and really have no idea what she's talking about.
She really thinks that all schools in either country are exactly the same? I work in one of the most dangerous cities in the country and there are no metal detectors in the schools.
Also, much better at dealing with COVID! My half sister lives in Australia, and she has never had to wear a mask! Like, they just stayed home for a month or so, and then there was no need to wear them anymore! And it wasn't even that she had a problem with masks, she was totally okay to wear them (as we all should be) but there just wasn't a need!
My high school (in California) was definitely nothing like her Texas school. The only time I've ever seen a metal detector was at the airport
Nothing about human sized spiders and kangaroos teaching classes in Australia. Faaaaaake.
Wolf spider wearing wig shifts uncomfortably and sweats....
Load More Replies...
Again with the TikTok screenshots. This is getting so stupid, BP.
Haha. "Hey, creating original content is HARD, you guys!" ~ BP, probably
Load More Replies... Just because her school in the US was like that does not mean all schools in the US are like that.
Its horrific that American schools have metal detectors and school police. Scary
Not a reality for some Americans, surely I’m not the only American that hasn’t experienced these things? No metal detectors, no cops at school.
Load More Replies... I went to school in the us for 12 years and I never saw 1 metal detector in a school.
Oh thank you!! I thought I was loosing my mind!! I haven’t either. In any school. What state are u from? I’m in OK
Load More Replies... My US high school was much closer to the Australian one. We went outside and could leave campus for lunch, class periods were an hour and a half long, lockers were tiny, ect.
When I was in Seattle I saw HS kids go out for lunch all the time off campus
Load More Replies... Well, overall, I would say, Oklahoma must be more similar to Australia than it is to Texas:) which I am 100% cool with😎
This frustrated me to the point that I couldn't read it all in one setting. 99% of these items DO NOT apply to the very-populated area of the US in which I live. And I am sure many other Americans can say the same thing. Most of these things being attributed to the differences in countries are in fact, differences in areas of different countries. In the US, systems vary city to city, county to county, state to state, region to region etc. I am betting the same thing applies to Australia. To give the impression that these apply to the entire United States is abhorrent. The purging of incorrect information gives the US a bad image.
It's sounds like my school. I live in New York. My school is one of the safest and cares about mental health more that education.
I’m Australian. I read the metal detector thing. I am confused and horrified.
Makes me wonder if some of the reasons for school shooting in the states is that the kids are indoors all days from early morning. Lots of short classes where I expect tge kids bearly have time to start learning before it's time to move on, also to get enough learning done to pass a general years work in a single subject will mean long hours of homework... Basically these kids aren't allowed to be kids, get fresh air and rest... a teenager brain needs both if these in large quantities as they are still developing. Their education is basically turning these kids into neurotic time bombs. I honestly feel for them
I went to school in the Midwest, none of our schools have gun detectors... Because no one is allowed to have guns. My husband and another friend went to school in different parts of California, and both had classes that opened directly to the outside. This is a dumb comparison post.
I’m still not sure about going on vacation there my sis told me that everything tries to kill you there
She could have moved counties and still experienced these same differences. This has nothing to do with US HS vs Australian HS. I grew up in Texas and really have no idea what she's talking about.
She really thinks that all schools in either country are exactly the same? I work in one of the most dangerous cities in the country and there are no metal detectors in the schools.
Also, much better at dealing with COVID! My half sister lives in Australia, and she has never had to wear a mask! Like, they just stayed home for a month or so, and then there was no need to wear them anymore! And it wasn't even that she had a problem with masks, she was totally okay to wear them (as we all should be) but there just wasn't a need!
My high school (in California) was definitely nothing like her Texas school. The only time I've ever seen a metal detector was at the airport
Nothing about human sized spiders and kangaroos teaching classes in Australia. Faaaaaake.
Wolf spider wearing wig shifts uncomfortably and sweats....
Load More Replies... 