I remember walking into my first day of second grade at a new private school, proudly wearing my sparkly, pink Disney Princess backpack.

I had gotten the backpack during the summer, enthusiastic to begin another school year with my most prized possession. As I greeted my teacher, I was overcome by a great wave of despair, being told my backpack was against the school’s “no pop culture” policy. As a young 7-year-old girl with bright dreams, I felt shattered as I was forced to use a dull, lifeless backpack for the duration of the year instead.

Transitioning to a private school from public school, I was met with drastic changes in my education. I was not allowed to talk about the newest episode of “My Little Pony” with my friends or wear socks with the face of Hello Kitty stitched on them.

Instead, I was expected to become the epitome of poise and class.

I hated it there.

On top of the uniform policy, I felt as if I were stuck in a prison, unable to move freely or display an ounce of my personal character outside of academics for fear of punishment for aberration in what the school’s “ideal” student was: academically driven and classically trained.

After tirelessly trying to live up to such expectations, I felt my character being stripped away from me. I became molded into the classical education system, finding it difficult to find my true identity.

After attending the private school for five years, I was finally able to start a new life, moving to Coppell Middle School North in seventh grade.

While my experience being a new student posed its disadvantages, the benefits of attending a public school were ultimately more impactful.

Fresh out of a uniform policy, I began finding my personal style as I experimented with different outfits through endless scrolling on Pinterest.

Coppell High School also incorporates dress up weeks, such as the week leading up to Homecoming. This allows students to dress accordingly to the theme while adding a sprinkle of their personal style. From Cowboy Monday to White Out Friday, the school spirit makes going to school more lively in comparison to wearing identical uniforms on the daily.

Additionally, I felt my education becoming more engaging.

For an assignment in my IB English III class this year, I analyzed a Beyoncé music video, incorporating academic literacy skills with pop culture references. As a former reader of Nobel Prize-winning novels, this presented a juxtaposition in my experience in education.

Once banned from pop culture references, I experienced a sense of freedom as I was able to learn from unconventional ways such as pop media. This way of learning expanded my educational horizon, connecting literature topics with real-world situations that are relatable to high school students.

Transfering to CHS also included a change in my learned personality.

At my private school, I was taught to be quiet and reserved, following the blueprint of a classically trained individual. To this day, I still carry the components of “the quiet girl,” but I simply can’t help it.

After years of building up that level of self-containment, it is difficult to imagine being someone with opposite characteristics. However, being at a public school exposes me to a variety of different perspectives and personalities, encouraging me to build on my character and being more open to showing emotions.

Attending a public school can provide opportunities that give students the chance to freely express themselves, defining their individuality and establishing personal development.

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