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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

    American-Schools-Weird-Things-Non-Americans

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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

    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

    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

    American-Schools-Weird-Things-Non-Americans

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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

    American-Schools-Weird-Things-Non-Americans

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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.

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

    My school was completely made out of glass. XD (in Germany) The building was U shaped so sometimes you could the friends in another class across the school yard.

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

    Mine had windows and looked normal. But I grew up in a nice suburb

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

    Weird my school has loads of windows so we have natural light and can look out to nature. I live on a mountain and a have a tiny school btw

    Biana Vacker
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not all schools! The older elementary school I went to did, but the middle and high school where I live look quite nice. Both have nice architecture.

    M O'Connell
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It all depends on the architect who put the place together. From Kindergarten through 6th grade I was in a 1950s modernist building with floor-to-ceiling windows. 7th-8th grade was in a building from the 1910s with two very tall windows per classroom. High School was a 1970s building, with short windows end-to-end on one wall in each classroom.

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

    I worked at a school in Baltimore that had almost no windows. The kids called it the "Shoe Factory".

    Anna Walski
    Community Member
    9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    yeah ours was actually designed by someone who built prisons :)

    Maple Syrup
    Community Member
    10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My school bricked the windows because kids kept climbing out of them. One kid somehow escaped learning prison from the second floor.

    Bill Skinner
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    California is an exception. The High schools often look like a college campus.

    Katherine Russell
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Most schools in America have windows. My high school, on the other hand, had very few. And those few rooms that actually had windows didn't have a view...the windows were either high up by the ceiling, or they looked into an alcove with a view of the other side of the alcove. Not sure why, but rumor was it was to help with temperature control. Which would be a huge joke since the rooms were either freezing or roasting. It was also scary as hell when the power went out.

    Amy Reusch
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not all do. Buildings are expensive so the newer the building, the less decorative architecture it will have.

    Cathrine Simone
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That is not the case in all schools. Never had closed blinds or lack of windows. Quite the opposite. Large massive windows. Wide open and great views to whatever was outside them.

    M.T. Noah
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    it is a tactic to prepare us for never ending work and or prison. if you look at our prison statistics, you'll be surprised. there are police stationed in our schools, too. there is a thing here which is now being studied called 'the school to prison pipeline.'

    Philly Bob Squires
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The shop parts of our school didn't have many windows as it was actually air conditioned. Idiot would throw s**t out of them anyway.

    Susan Egan
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not all schools look like that. Almost all the schools I attended had windows and my kids schools had windows. I think these days it's also a safety issue but I don't know.

    Doris Bennett
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My lovely red brick and many windowed high school was torn down and replaced with windowless "prison blocks!" Why? Maybe to condition students to a cold, bleak future ahead? Because that's just what it does.

    Doris Bennett
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So true ... my lovely brick & windowed high school was torn down and replaced with cold windowless "prison blocks!" Is it to condition students to their bleak, cold futures?

    Doris Bennett
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My lovely brick & window high school was torn down and replaced with a "window-less prison." Maybe it's to condition the students to their bleak futures?

    backatya
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    to remind you if you don't do well what prison will look like

    Patti Renwick Parrish
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    that is a good question. if schools were more 'architectually pleasing' kids might actually like going to school. i hated it.

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

    Blocks are cheaper to build than more complex designs. As for windows, that varies. Most of the classrooms I've been in have big windows. This is probably changing to keep heating costs down.

    BG
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Government construction projects go to the lowest bidder.

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

    Safety. In tornado alley, you need an area that is in the middle of a building with no glass for the students and staff to shelter during thunderstorms/tornado watches. Since Sandy Hook school shooters are also a reason for the architecture. Some older buildings have windows set up for cross ventilation.

    Carol Lewis
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have never seen a school without windows here. Where are the windowless schools? I live in CA. Lived in Tennessee, Montana and spent lots of time in Texas. Not going to say I've seen every school tho. That would suck, no window..

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

    Depends on the school. I went to schools with lots of windows. City schools tend to be more prison-like, I think.

    aj B
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Didn't you know, students exposed to sunlight are likely to think for themselves and we can't possibly have that, they might notice the rote memorization being taught is pointless.

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

    If anything, prisons are better and treat their occupants better.

    Mi Shield
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Most of the windows that aren't next to teachers are locked down. And yes.

    JessG
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I feel like some of these people have seen exactly one American school and/or TV

    TheGr81sComing
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    some schools have lots of windows (including mine I went to visit a friend in Alaska and showed me one of the schools there... there were only windows around the school office.)

    PANDAS
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    the windows in my 4th grade classroom literally had metal racks over them (basically bars)

    Blackheart
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Schools are run by the government, just like prisons. At one time, there was a painting schedule, and schools and prisons were painted with the cheapest paint and were often the same colors. For example, my middle school was actually penitentiary green. The windows have to do with safety.

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

    what schools are you talking about? every school I have been to or seen has tons of window all over the place, look at the side of any American school, it is all windows.

    Whawhawhatsis
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The newer schools have the fewest windows. I went to really old elementary and high schools, where the schools had big tall windows. And yes, they were very, very distracting.

    _screamingnerd_
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My school was built just after Columbine, so they decided a fortress with no windows was somehow a good solution to that.

    sylvantic
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ours have windows. and, we're lucky! WE GET HALLWAYS! most schools in my area are indoor-outdoor. all the hallways are outside. we get a building. it's so much easier!

    John Topper
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A number of the schools in my area were literally designed by prison architects. The similarities aren't superficial. You can't leave. You are legally required to be there and escape is taken seriously.

    Fall Out Genderfluid
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    so we can't escape and we are forced to listen to the extremely racist teacher and have the biģer kids break your arms and legs in watch your back tag, only to be handed alittle plastic bag of uce

    lara
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Because, most schools are air conditioned and windows are very inefficient in keeping heat out and cool in as well as heat in, in the winter, and cold out.

    Demetri
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It depends on where the school is. If it's a city, then--yes. Is more like a compact institution to better "keep track" of things.

    Jan Fonti
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not all... just some of the old ones... majority are pretty cool.

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

    Every building in the world is different you know

    rgr8
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So school shooters and other threats can't see us.

    CR Harvey
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Prevent daydreaming.and prevent fresh air from coming in.

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    #26

    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

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

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    #32

    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

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

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