If you’ve seen any high school rom-com ever, you’ll know that the nerdy girl falls in love with the jock but their love is forbidden because two people from two totally different worlds could never end up together.

Or if, you know, you just went to high school, you’ll know that cliques or groups are practically unavoidable.

I was bullied in Year 6 and it left me feeling like the ‘loser’ that nobody liked all throughout high school. It led to anxiety, and constantly caring about who I was seen with, what I was wearing, the bands I was listening to and the type of shows I was watching. I would either lie about things to fit in with the popular kids or force myself into liking them just so I didn’t feel the way I did in Year 6.

Right up until Year 12, I believed that those things were important. Then I moved away, went to uni and realised nobody cared if I was in the cool group at school. All they cared about was how quickly I could down a beer bong.

There were a few defining moments for me in the first year of uni that really solidified that it didn’t matter what crew I was in. Here’s how I learned that cliques don’t mean shit.

Being Smart Or Nerdy Is Valued 

Back in high school, the popular crew frowned upon being smart. You’d be considered a nerd and shunned. But at uni it’s pretty much the opposite.

Let’s be honest, nobody goes to uni with the intention of failing. The whole point is to do well and get your degree with hopefully an above pass average.

I didn’t feel as if I had to hide the fact that I understood what was being taught, or that I knew the answer to a question the lecturer may have asked because everyone, no matter what they may tell you, is actually there to learn.

It was nice to be asked for help if someone didn’t totally get the topic, and it felt good to be able to work closely with people who all wanted the exact same outcome.

Everyone Just Wants A Friend Who’ll Hold Their Hair Back When They Drink Too Much

O-Week taught me that it didn’t matter if I played sports in high school or what kind of group I knocked about with. The sole intention of O-Week is to find that one person, or groups of people, who you know will always be there with another drink in hand after you’ve just had a tactical spew.

There are all sorts of people you’ll meet during that first week – or even first year – of uni, but the friends you make are ones you genuinely wish to invest time in. They have the same interests as you, and you don’t feel like you need to lie to them in order to be considered cool.

Most Importantly, You Find Out Who You Really Are

A huge thing about finishing Year 12, moving out of your comfort zone and being thrown into a totally new setting with completely new people is that you’re given a chance to be yourself.

You might change or you might stay the same, but being thrust into a uni lifestyle really allows for some self-discovery. You have the freedom to be who you really are without the need to impress or receive any sort of validation from your peers.

Molly loves playing and watching all sports and appreciates good cheese and fine wines. She has the potential to end up as that crazy cat lady from the Simpsons and is a final year journalism student who would love to end up working in the entertainment industry.

(Lead image: Mean Girls/Paramount)