[PSY]

I attended private schools up until high school. At that point, I decided to attend public school (for various reasons). I was terrified, but I also knew that I had lived a "sheltered" life up until that point and needed to develop a tougher skin. I don't regret switching to public school, so I hope that will at least provide you with some comfort. We're usually scared of the "unknown," but once you start to become more familiar with your surroundings or the situation you're facing, it's not as scary.

It's easy to see "public school" as a single unpleasant entity; however, you have to remember that "public school" actually consists of hundreds (if not thousands) of people. Sure, some of them may be unpleasant to be around, but many of them are looking for a good friend to keep them company as they work toward graduating. No, you're not going to get along with everyone you meet... but if you make an effort to get to know people better, you're bound to find a few people whom you can relate to. They may not become your best friends, but they'll keep you company.

I'm guessing your public school will have a few clubs available to students. I encourage you to check those out and see if any of them are a good fit for you! For example, if you like to draw, then there might be an art club you can join. Worst-case scenario, you can always join a club OUTSIDE of school (assuming your mother is willing to drive you to a community center, organization's headquarters, etc. in order to participate in meetings/activities).

A lot of this is about the attitude you develop and the amount of effort you put into improving your situation. If you decide that public school is going to suck, then it will probably suck. If you decide that public school will be difficult to adjust to, but will also offer you some growth opportunities, then it won't be as bad as you're currently anticipating it will be. Good luck, and feel free to keep us updated on your situation!