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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

scultator Report

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GC
Community Member
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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#2

American-Schools-Weird-Things-Non-Americans

morosexuaI Report

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

They've shown that for high schoolers, it's better to start school after 9 am.

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

No we ain't healthy. We are always tired and all this tiredness has cause me at 14 to look like I do drugs. I get up at 6:10 because the bus comes at 7:10 and school starts at 8:05.

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

In Washington state it generally works like this: Elementary = 9:00 - 3:30, Middle School = 8:25 - 2:30, High School = 7:30 - 1:50

I'manoob!
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait, are you talking Washington D.C or just Washington? cuz my high school( in just Washington) is: 10:00 - 3:00

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

I don't learn and I'm not healthy, I'm fricking nocturnal and have to sleep every day after school.

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

Yeah, this was EXCRUCIATING as a child and teen. I think one year the first class even started at 6:45 am. In the winter, it's still dark when you have to get up and get ready (I guess that's not unusual if you live at certain latitudes, but I grew up near DC). It was awful. I don't know why school systems do that.

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

I feel this! I'm in 6th grade and I have to wake up at 5 30 in the morning just to make the bus and I am always soooo tired!

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

Simple. We don’t and we’re constantly exhausted, and we get sick a lot.

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

Bottom line here: every school is different, even in the states

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

we had zero period from 7:30 to 8:25. School started at 8:30 to 2:35. We had three classes a day (100 minutes), a 15 minute break between class 1 and 2 and then a 50 minute lunch.

Layla Holston
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

mine starts at 8:10 till 2:52. But I wake up at like 5:30 am to take a shower ( my hair takes a long time to do) Wake my siblings and then leave the house to get on the but at 6:50.

Gary Geracci
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually I think they should follow industrial shift hours.6:30 Am to3 Pm.

Lauretta Payne
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes…. this is done so the teachers can get home at a decent time and still have time at the end of the school day to wrap things up. It is also done because some administrators, lawmakers, and parents mistakenly believe that more time = more learning

Lady Lava
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why?! Everyone knows by now that most adolescents have kind of a night owl biorhythm, and they are not on their best in the early hours of the day. My high school started at 8.30 AM and ended between 2 and 4 PM, depending on how many classes I had on that day. Back then I found that already pretty early, especially because I had to cycle 40 minutes to get there. But going to school by bike is not a thing in the US, I think.

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

Yeah, well, you'd be surprised. "That which does not kill me, makes me stronger."

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

In Texas its: Elementary (up to 5th grade) 7:30 to 2:55; Middle (6-8) 8:15 to 3:40; High school (9-12) 9:00 to 4:25. I think this is reduce the number of school buses needed more than to benefit a child's health.

Tamara Kroonen
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At what time do you go to bed if you still want a healthy amount of sleep? And how do you make sure you actually GET some sleep without your parents making noise?

Nightshade1972
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was in HS (grades 9-12, ages 14-18), the school day ran from 7:30-2:30. I knew at least one student who'd start his full-time job at 3pm, work until 11pm, come home, eat, do homework, fall into bed around 1-2am, then start over the next morning.

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

Mine starts at 7 am and I have to start my journey at 6:30 am and I am non-american

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

mine also start at 7 am and i have to start my journey at 6:30 am and I am non-american

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

Starts 7:00, ends at 3:00 for me, oh yeah and most of us take 2 hours to get ready and fall asleep around 10 or 11 ( for me I finally lose conciousness at 12) and wake around 5. At maximum... I get 5 hours, and look like a zombie. Bags, dark spots.. and I feel like sh*t

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

My school day starts at 8:15 yet we have to be in the classroom by 7:40 or we are late. Like WTF????

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

I'm not american but mine starts fore 7:30 in the morning to 2:45 or 3:45 in the afternoon depending on the days

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

My first High School class started at 6:55am (yes, I am completely f*****g serious). I honestly don't know how I would have survived if it hadn't been for the nap I took instead of eating lunch.

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

That would be zero period. And it starts at 7:27am. It’s for students who want to get out of school early.

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

I have school from 7:30-2:30, not including extra time for homework

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

Yes it's insane, I asked about this when my son started high school 22 years ago, they said they were working on changing the times.

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

Well when I used to go to school mine stared at 7:20 and ended an 2:00 sometimes 3:00

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

No we start at 845 and don't an Leave at 315 yes we are healthy.

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

BTW, the reason behind this I think is the absence of adequate childcare in the US, so school has to start early for the parents make it to work by 8 or 9.

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

LOL! Mine started at unholy 7:11 am (yes, eleven minutes past seven). Since I walked t school I had to get up before 6 to make it. Hated it through and through. At least my daughter's school starts at 8 or 9 (depending on schedule).

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

That's a really good question. We don't actually learn too much, other than how to waste time and distract ourselves during class.

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

The biggest issue is when high schools start of 7am. Teenagers naturally have different sleep patterns so they are extremely tired when they drive to school. They found that moving the start time to an hour later decrease car accidents by 30%.

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

My school is 8:40-1:10! and the when we get home we are supposed to have an hour of homework all together to make up for the lost time, but that never really happens.

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

I did a whole speech in HS english about how teenagers are biologically programmed to stay up late, and why school should start later. The response was basically that sports practice after school was more important than our health and rest. And no, sports and clubs couldn't meet before school, and they couldn't be after a later school time because what if the athletes have a job or something. Small town- sports rule.

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

Before school I got up at 830 every day and life was good. Now that I have to get up at 6 I get 7 hours of sleep a night and have mild depression 👌

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

We start at 8:00 in Poland. Mostly. But it's up to school council to decide. When I lived on countryside - school decided not to start earlier than 9:30 since kids need time to get to school bus and get to school. And in high school we started off at 11:30 on Mondays - our board was joking that they already know we get drunk on weekends and would not wake up for earlier hours :D

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

My school started at 8:30. Except for the year it started at 6:40.

Don't Look
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What school starts that early? I think it at least used to be that you could get your child to daycare that early so you could get to work....

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

Yep 7am-3pm... who the hell knows why. It's important to point out that public school is treated more like childcare than an actual institute of learning.

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

And we wake up at like 530 to get ready and catch the bus to school. Schools here are stupid.

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

I start school at 9:00. Though I do attend a private high school.

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

My school technically starts at 9, but the bus comes at 7:00, so I wake up at 5:00 to get all my stuff together

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

The same here with indonesia. Elementary (1st - 6th grade) ends at 12 AM, junior high (7th - 9th grade) ends at 1 PM, and high school (10th - 12th grade) ends at 2 PM. Those are before extra class, that usually started in the last semester before national exam, extra class typically last for 1,5 hours.

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

my school goes from 7:00 to 4:10 but we dont go on Fridays so that is why we have such long hours

that one girl who cant shut up
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My bus picks me up at 635 EST ad school starts at 736 and it ends at 210 and i get home at like 3

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

Mine starts at 8:30, but I know someone whose school starts at 10:00

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

I wake up at 5 and walk a mile to get to the bus stop. I COULD wake up later if the district would let me go to a school that's closer.

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

You're probably Canadian or European. Come to Asia, you'll know how much (and how early) children have to study here.

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

I used to get to school at 6:30 am because my dad also had to drive my brother to a different school. It was always dark when I got to school

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

Um no. Depends where, what location and that is High School only. Lets explain, a country over 350 million people in 50 states do not have one single school system. I know shocking to people in countries with less people than my city. I live in NYC, Elementary, Middle, and Jr High start at 9. High School gives three options, start at 7 and end at 12:30, start at 8 and end at 1:30, start at 9 and end at 2:30, or start at 10 and end at 3:30. The reason is to allow for students who want to start early and have a part time job in the afternoon (especially low income students), as well as require less buildings and teachers. Most places in the US school starts at 9 though

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

Mine starts at 8:00 and ends at 4:00, 8 classes, 2 breaks

Lil_Tae_29
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mine starts at 9:15am and end 4:40pm, that was when we go in-person but online is 9am to 3:45pm with 15 mins, 30mins and a 1hr break

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

nah, mine's 8:20 to 3:40. i always get there at 8 tho, that's the best time to chill with friends.

Fred and George Weasley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

mine starts at 8:25 and ends at 2:40 (we dont have very long breaks/extra registration or time in our tutor room so thats why its so short)

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

I wake up at 7:58 cuz school starts at 8:05 #onlineschoolnotsobad

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

Pfffft healthy. In America, a kids well-being is the least of their worries.

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

well, mine starts at 7 am too oops and I am not even American!

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

only school i know that start before 8am is college (bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, etc). Even then the earliest class was 7:45. All of the schools (elementary, middle, and high schools) in my area start at 8 or 8:30am

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

Before the time of glorious COVID, for my district, elementary school started at either 8 or 8:30, most middle schools 9:15, options/application required schools usually followed the high school start time...which was about 7:45. Now because of COVID most schools start 45 minutes later. But someone decided to make my band class period 6, but have it before school at 7:10...I'm not sure who thought that having people trying to play over Zoom at 7:10am without disturbing people was going to work.

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

It's the only way we can make 2 or 3 hour after school sport practice possible. And THEN homework.

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

Mines better, 7:50 - 3:25 on Wednesdays thought it’s 7:50 - 2:10 But then again 2020 has messed up the system

Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Schools where I live usually start anywhere between 8:50-9am and finish anywhere between 3-3:20 depending on the school.

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

As a freshman, I had a zero hour class, so I was at school at 5:50 every morning.

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

yeah, everyone was completely dead in first period (except all the theater kids, for some reason)

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

Mine' s 8:00 am until 3:30 pm. I've never heard of one starting at 7 until now...

Owen Salmon2028
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i wake up near 7:00 or 8:00 then get ready wait a bit surf the web on here and then do online school

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

Learn? Half of our bathrooms have sticky floors, how much do you think we “learn” (this is specific to my school, not sure about everybody else)

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

UK. My secondary school was certainly not starting at 7am, but our day was 8.30am to 4.30pm. This is unusual.

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

That's my question and I'm an American that starts school at that time! Waking up that early, and then staying up really late trying to finish your homework is not good!

SimplySarcastic40
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ours started at 7:20 and ended at 3:10 (dont get me started on the random timing) but we also had "zero hour" and "7th period" at one point i had both so i started at 6:30 and finished at 4pm.

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

High schools start at 7, so the buses can drop the students off and drive the routes to pick up the younger kids later.

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

I don't know, some days we too started school even before 7am, I think it was 6:50? Those were bitch days, because I had to get up at 4:30-5:00 to catch bus at 5:30, to be in the city at 6:30 and then 30 minutes uphill route manage in 15 minutes or so, because I had to you know, change shoes and take off coats and prepare textbooks. Some days we started school at 9:00. Talk about routine. And I think guys from specialized school (don't know correct term in english) had to start school at 7:00 too during apprenticeship weeks. Something about early birds, they say.

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

European here, 2-3 times a week my classes started at 07:00 in the morning and went till 16:00, longest break between was 30minutes.

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

Maybe me, but not my bro. He takes a nap after doing his homework, gets up for dinner, and goes back to bed.

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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
Community Member
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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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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Caitlin Davenport
Community Member
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

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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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Aunt Messy
Community Member
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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The Zooble
Community Member
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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Caitlin Davenport
Community Member
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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Caitlin Davenport
Community Member
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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