For the first 10 years of my life, I attended a Muggle school. Depending on where you're from, this is usually either called primary school or elementary school. In Muggle schools, they tell you where to sit, how to act, and when to pee. You can't speak unless spoken to. They teach you things to "prepare you" for the real world, but when am I going to need the analysis of Romeo and Juliet in the world? Of course in Hogwarts it's different. We actually learn things we're going to need like defense spells, magical creatures, and potions. Because, in our world, we do need those things. Learning is the prime objective in any school, but the difference between magical schools and Muggle schools is what they teach us. Muggle schools serve basically no purpose. We memorize the periodic table and plan our day around when lunch is. School is a joke in the Muggle world. 

When you get to high school - or secondary school - things change drastically. Obviously, I've never attended those schools because I'm here, but I've done the research. I went to a Muggle high school for a week just for this book, and do I have some things to share. Everyone there are just students, there's no houses or any kind of school-exacted separation. As I've read, students in the UK attend secondary school between the ages of 12 and 16. In America, high school is for people between the ages of 14 and 18. There's also a middle school in America, the age range is usually 11-13. 

This being said, I was in a high school in America. It lasts for 4 years, and each year has a name for the students. You start as a freshman, the next year you're a sophomore, then a junior, then a senior. I noticed that the freshmen get bullied for being new, usually by juniors. The seniors are over the whole school thing and just want to be done. Sometimes, they stick up for the freshmen, which was honestly a relief. The sophomores seemed to just be there, not really interfering with the other grade's business. You usually only talk to the people in your year, since you all have the same classes and lunch periods. But there are groups of different people who hang out together, cliques. This really confused me. If you're not in a clique you're not allowed to talk to those people. Certain cliques are friends with each other but despise other cliques. I don't really know how to describe it, but it was like I was getting too anxious to talk to anybody because I don't belong anywhere. 

Embarrassment followed me everywhere. I felt stupid for not knowing answers, not because I thought I was stupid but because other kids made me feel like that. But apparently, you can't win, because if you do know the answer they'll make you feel like you're trying too hard or you're a pushover, a teacher's pet. When lunch came around, I was terrified. All of the cliques I mentioned sit together, and I didn't want to be where I wasn't welcomed. I ended up sitting at a table with a few other kids with no group. The cafeteria food was... questionable to say the least. I didn't really know what I was eating. A mix of mystery meats and fake vegetables. Eating in the Great Hall seems like royalty compared to the school cafeteria. I would rate my Muggle school experience a -5/10. It was awful. I'm so much more appreciative of being able to go to Hogwarts.