Throughout high school little freedom is given, especially at your typical district school. College on the other hand stands as a stark contrast, offering hours of free time and endless opportunities to enjoy life and relax.

That’s why it’s essential for a school to have activities and resources to fill these times and assist students, which thankfully Guilford does a pretty good job of. With ample space for review and work, combined with a great staff, Guilford covers all aspects, constantly updating weaker areas and taking students’ interests first.

Being able to experience college as a high school junior at Early College at Guilford has been relieving, especially compared to the struggle of sophomore year. I was somewhat familiar with the campus, but only the parts I was able to go to as an ECG student, meaning I was essentially new.

The three week course helped ease me into an unfamiliar schedule, preparing me for my 12 week schedule to come. Immediately, I was shocked by how far off my predictions were from reality. I had pictured a grueling three hour class of pure note taking and work. Thankfully, this foresight didn’t hold up.

Even though we ended up taking notes and working to prepare ourselves for assignments and quizzes, the environment made it flash by, rather than boring us to death.

The students were funny and friendly, as well as the professor, who was able to schedule multiple out of school learning events. Plus, only having to go to school for three hours every morning left more than enough time to explore campus and enjoy myself, keeping me satisfied with Guilford.

Being younger than everyone was a new adventure, but most students either didn’t know or didn’t care that I was only a junior in high school.

Group projects are a big part of any curriculum, promoting collaboration so that students get a chance to critique and better each other, while growing friendships. My first group project was full of Guilford College students, who all worked together to make sure our project was well done and turned in on time. Later, I worked with other college students in class and for other assignments, all of which went smoothly, just as it had in high school.

To accompany quality students are quality facilities, which thanks to Guilford are constantly renovated and improved upon while also maintaining eco-friendly features. The recent renovations to the Grill and cafeteria were much needed, but thankfully went better than expected, only adding to the appeal of Guilford.

The library is another great place I had rarely been to, but soon learned how great it was for relaxing, studying or just looking through all the art exhibits. The icing on the cakes are the bathrooms, which are always clean. Plus, they’re all equipped to reduce water usage while still operating just fine.

My first year has exceeded my expectations thanks to Guilford and the college atmosphere. With new freedoms and a surplus of time, it’s great to have a place you can utilize to your advantage, making life much easier.

Editor’s note: This story originally was published in Volume 106, Issue 6 of The Guilfordian on Nov. 15 2019.