For many students, home is their escape after a long, dreary day at school. They get home to their beds and the comforting smell of their own space, feeling relieved and safe. Perhaps they get to see the pet they’ve missed all day. Maybe their escape is to get home and talk to their parents or siblings they’ve missed dearly. Some choose to read a book, others play video games, and many practice their beloved sport in their backyard.

For others, school is their escape. They get to walk into the building knowing their parents/guardians won’t be drilling them about making up a Spanish test and cleaning their room. They get to sit and talk with their friends and once the bell has rung, practice with their teammates after school. School becomes an opportunity to visit their favorite people while getting a break from home life. It is the sad truth that many students find that talking to their teacher who treats them more like their children than their parents is the highlight of their day 

Most everyone can agree that school comes with hard work, socializing, and anxiety. The piles of overdue assignments and teachers pulling you aside and asking, “Are you getting enough sleep at night?” are never the easiest part of one’s day. “High school curriculum encourages students to converse and collaborate in group projects, exude confidence during presentations, and practice small-talk as you walk through the halls. Someone more extroverted may enjoy these guided interactions, while an introvert may experience immense discomfort.”

The public high school experience comes with perks. You get to see your friends, catch up on work during power hour, or take a nap. Maybe you listen to music all day, maybe you people-watch or like to talk to your friends as much as you possibly can in the seven hours we’re at school. There is some element of appeal for everyone.

Home comes with a lot of draining characteristics as well. Depending on who you are and the relationships you have at home, it can become very stressful. Perhaps you don’t have a good relationship with your guardians, so you prefer to make your way to your room as soon as you get home to work on homework or play video games. As you sit in your room staring into space thinking about the next day at school, your mood seems to lighten and allows you to rest better at night. School can be a haven and sanctuary.

For others, they get home and are immediately put at ease. Some like to escape to their world of hobbies, maybe exercising, or catching up with friends and family after a long day at school. They don’t have to worry about saying the right thing or worrying about how they look in front of everyone. School can foster self-doubt and anxiety.

There are so many different ways of looking at home and school. No one knows what the person next to them deals with or what they’re thinking. You might have a reason for enjoying school for a completely different reason than someone else. 

Many people automatically assume they know a person or why that person looks the way they do because of how they act when at school. It is human nature to conclude, especially when it comes to someone’s bad mistakes they make one day. But the reality is this – you have not walked a mile in someone else’s shoes. You do not know what they’ve been through or what is going on in their heads. A peer of yours might act the way they do at school because it’s their escape, the only one they have all day. Their escape might be different than yours, in fact, it probably is. 

Home or school, which one is your escape?