19 Teen Movie Moments That Show The Difference Between School In America Vs. Australia

Sorry, but what is “mystery meat”?

1. Separating elementary school, middle school, and high school.

Paramount Pictures

What do you mean I have to be on the bottom of the educational food chain three times?!

2. Using terms like freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior to describe grades.

Summit Entertainment

Excuse me sir, I don't know what a sophomore is or how to be one.

3. Having to submit college applications.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Second of all, the concept of submitting a college application essay is TOTALLY FOREIGN to us. Can’t you just use your grades like we do?!

4. Having to do extracurricular activities for ~extra credit~.

Paramount Pictures

If I was told that I had to stay back after school and play chess for extra credit, I would tell my guidance counsellor to suck it.

5. Going on school ski trips.

Netflix

I constantly hear about the annual ski trip in teen movies, and I can't even fathom how extra it is. Am I a little salty that I didn't get to go? Maybe…

6. The infamous ~cafeteria~ in general.

Dreamworks Pictures

Ahh, the iconic cafeteria. The perfect place to start a food fight, or show that angry mean jock who's boss.

7. And the food they served at said cafeteria.

Happy Madison Productions

Instead of cafeterias, Australians have canteens where they sell things like meat pies, Ovalteenies, and mini pizzas. But sadly there’s no “mystery meat sloppy Joes” in sight.

8. Having to climb a long, freestanding rope in gym class.

ABC

I don't know how climbing a rope is a display of your physical health, but I'm so glad we never had to do this.

9. Getting to have 104 days off for ~summer vacation~.

The Weinstein Company

The longest break we have in Australia is six weeks. That's nowhere near enough time to work at a resort that your favourite rockstar is staying at and get fake marooned with him.

10. And finding a summer internship to make good use of your time.

MTV

TBH if I had more than three months off a year, I would not be spending it working.

11. Watching the iconic high school cheerleading squad during pep rallies.

Brookwell McNamara Entertainment

I know we have competitive cheerleading in Australia, but THIS sort of cheerleading is non-existent.

12. Actually having a parking spot to yourself.

New Line Cinema

We were barely in year 12 by the time we had a car and got to drive to school, and even then, we had to park on the street.

13. The fact that “back to school shopping” meant clothes and not stationery.

Paramount Pictures

In Australia, we’re lucky enough to have uniforms. I can't imagine having to decide what to wear to school every day.

14. Going to prom.

Warner Bros

America has prom. Australia has a year 6 formal, a year 10 formal and a year 12 — you guessed it — formal (depending on what school you went to).

15. Having the option to choose whether you want to do algebra, geometry, or trigonometry.

ABC

What I would give to be able to say, "I'm off to ~trig~," just once in my high school experience.

16. And having the option to do AP classes, which are college-level courses you can do in high school.

Paramount Pictures

The fact that you can get college (or university) credit while you’re still in high school is just WILD to me.

17. Having no use for ~bleachers~ because school sport is basically non-existent in Australia.

Big Machine Records

I feel like a fraud every time I sing along to Taylor Swift's “You Belong With Me.”

18. Collectively catching a yellow bus to get to and from school.

Nickelodeon

I vibed so hard with these iconic buses and am still mad that we don't have them.

19. And finally, taking school sport WAY too seriously.

Dune Entertainment

What is a pep rally? Do you really get to go off and stay in a hotel for away games? Why are children allowed to scale buildings in a lace thong to meet a girl who's playing hard to get? I have SO many questions.