American High School Culture Shocks for Indian Student
Though I lived in the States for just six years, I have been through pretty much all the phases of adolescence in an American school—elementary school, middle school, and high school. The culture shocks kept on coming, keeping me on my toes. Looking back now, I kinda miss it.
Yes, this is a mirror selfie from the high school bathroom; don't judge.
So, just to reminisce: as an Indian-born kid living it through near adulthood, here are 13 things about American schools that gave me a major culture shock:
1. Having a lunch break at 9:30 in the morning—with lunch being two slices of pepperoni pizza and some milk.
Don't get me wrong—I love pepperoni pizza! But I was used to the rotis and sandwiches my mum would make for my dabba (lunch box) everyday.That's how it was in Indian schools—discovering what your friends brought from home, and sharing your dabba with each other. It took some getting used to, having my own tray of food and not sharing what we got for lunch. The cafeteria system was definitely new to navigate by myself.
It could have just been as simple as asking your teacher to excuse you, but not in an American high school. I had to carry the lid of a blue trash can to the washroom as a hall pass???Nothing could have prepared me for that moment. I have so many questions, but the most important one is: Why take a germ-loaded thing into another germ-loaded place?
3. Changing into gym clothes in front of girls you do not know—when we had a whole uniform just for gym in India.
Nothing is more humbling than having to change in front of strangers and wear baggy, loose tops to play dodgeball. As someone who comes from having separate PE uniforms, this was a major culture shock. That, and also the things I heard in the locker room. Locker room culture truly exists, and I'm not going to lie, I got to hear some fierce gossip there. In India, we'd just resort to making an excuse (menstrual cramps), so we could sit back and gossip with our friends.
4. Wearing these mesh pinnies, which had the most FOUL stench.
I honestly did not get the point of these; we are old enough to recognize who is on the defense and who is on the offense. We never had these in India—we just knew each other's faces. But my goodness, the moment we put those on...the stench...it was so horrid, even Shrek wouldn't wear it. I am betting it hadn't been washed in years. The first time I put it on, I almost heaved.
5. Seeing more Patels in my class in the US, than anywhere in India.
Listen, I went to school in New Jersey. When I first arrived in the US, I was excited to make friends with, well, not Indians.Imagine my surprise when I stepped through the doors of the school and saw people who looked like me. And at least 50% of them were Patels.There was more cultural diversity in my school back in India!
6. Upgrading from a Chromebook to a Macbook Air in High School—much more convenient than writing everything in notebooks.
Now, THIS was a pleasant surprise. My hands would cramp while speed writing; now, my fingers would cramp up after typing for hours. I was already hyped over the fact that we got laptops to study—but switching to Apple products was on a whole new level. You can bet I took a million aesthetic photos of that laptop.
7. The Yearbook club is a prestigious club—not everyone can enter.
The high school yearbook—holding memories that we either cherish or want to burn and be done with. I always found this concept fascinating, having grown up on American TV shows. We never had this concept in India, so you just KNOW I was eager to join.I was not aware that they wouldn't allow just anyone to be part of the club. If nepotism existed as a concept in high school, it would rear its head in this club. And I was heartbroken.
8. Seeing couples kiss in hallways as an Indian student was mind-blowing, when even holding hands in India would be cause for trouble.
It was EXACTLY like the TV shows, but more uncomfortable to witness in real life. I never saw a couple even hugging in Indian schools, but this was another level of PDA which was scandalous for the 14-year-old me.Ngl, seeing those cheerleader-jock couples really made me feel as American as one could feel. It was like a whole new world. But India isn't far behind—we have the most innovative ways of showing affection to our boo; from love letters to missed calls on their phones, a lot was said in the subtext.
9. Having life-saving sex education classes when we were in 7th grade, which we desperately need in Indian schools.
At the ripe age of 13, learning about the menstrual cycle, how to use pads, what sex is, and how to be hygienic was really helpful.I had no clue or hint about sex or the female body growing up in India, because it's such a taboo—and honestly, I think it is necessary for curious teenagers to keep them from making damaging decisions.Was I flustered the entire time? Yes. But talking about it definitely made me feel better.
10. Having lockdown drills out of nowhere, which almost had me crying the first time I did it.
Hearing the words 'lockdown drill' over the speaker had to be the most terrifying thing to hear for a new student.I almost ran out of the classroom before my teacher calmly explained to me to sit away from the door and be quiet. This was probably the scariest shock I got as an Indian kid.You can imagine my shock to hearing the alarms ring out loud. I'm not sure American kids are used to this either.
11. Doing revisions and getting candy by playing Kahoot was far superior than re-reading and memorizing notes.
The day I found out we revise like this, I realized that this was exactly my vibe. What a pleasant surprise!I was used to re-reading chapters out loud back home to memorize them, but I would do it on Kahoot any day.I may not be good with remembering notes, but my competitiveness never allowed me to lose. So I'm happy to say—I always got the candy at the end!
12. Ugly sweater competitions during Christmas time was a delightful culture shock!
I've always loved Christmas, and that love only grew when I came across this tradition in the States. We never celebrated it in a big way in Indian schools; it was mostly just carols, a tree, and maybe a year-end Christmas party with snacks and juice boxes. But who doesn't love wearing fuzzy, silly-looking sweaters in the cold? I never won, but it felt great to be a part of something so whimsical.
13. And finally, hearing Americans yell out Hindi or Gujarati curse words across the hallway in an accent. Pure gold.
I had the same reaction. Don't get me wrong, I was very used to hearing boys belt out the meanest Hindi curse words, but hearing them in the US? Shocking. I was not prepared to hear an American kid mispronounce "k*tte*, screaming it across the hallway. Every time I heard it, I'd think, "I could say it way better than that."Talk about diversity.
As an Indian kid, the culture shocks were real. But over time, I got used to it—and now, weirdly enough, I miss things like cold milk and pizza for breakfast. It's true what they say: old habits die hard. I'm sure other Indian kids who moved to the US can relate. It's an experience that sticks with you, and honestly, American high schools will always be a cultural moment in our lives. They literally change you. If you can survive high school here, you can survive anything.
BRB, finding my ugly Christmas sweater.
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