This Thursday is the first day of school and for everyone who will experience it and for those who have, it’s a mix of emotions. There will be people who will either feel excited, nervous or uncertain and that can mean anything. I still remember the memories of all of my first days of school, both good and bad, but mostly good.
I remember being a little kid going to my first day of elementary school and excited to see my friends on the bus and showing off my new shoes or the cool book bag I got. Shoutout to my Batman book bag from Target. I couldn’t wait to see my new teacher and the new classmates that I’ll have while hoping I get to have some of my old friends in the same class.
As I got older and went into middle and high schools, one specific teacher turned to almost ten teachers. My first day of middle school, I went from having a cubby to a locker and for some reason, my teenager-self realized I had less room, not that it mattered. I was switching to different classrooms as well but at least most of my classes were in the same hallway.
My first day of freshman year was a different story, however, as I was trying to navigate through Egg Harbor Township High School in 2011 with a newly-built freshman wing. I was carrying my football helmet around and I thought it would be fine to put it inside my locker.
The facemask wouldn’t even fit in there. I had to walk into my first period class carrying a helmet around. Of course, I was ignorant enough to take it home instead of leaving it at the field house safely secured. Luckily, I kept it in that same classroom and was able to retrieve it at the end of the day. That’s a memory I’ll always laugh and shake my head at.
With that being said, it’s a time for students of all grade levels to set their goals and learn new things about themselves and for the future. Elementary school students get to see their friends again and learn new things while having fun. Middle school students know that it’s a year where they’re learning about themselves as the teenage years are an awkward phase. For high school students, they prepare themselves for the work while acquiring different skills and knowledge from their peers and teachers.
One piece of advice I was given from an upperclassmen is that high school flies, so to enjoy every moment of it. Time really did fly and before I knew it, the people I grew up with soon became strangers after we tossed our caps in the air while running from the pouring rain in June 2015.
The first day of school is always something to look forward to and it’s a new way to embark on a new school year where you can achieve your goals. Keep learning and listen to your teachers, they’re always there to help and guide you. Set goals and try your best to achieve them because even if things don’t go your way in the beginning, you still have the rest of the year to improve. The New England Patriots were down 25 to the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl and things turned out great for them.
For seniors entering their final first day of school, the stress of college applications can weigh heavily and you feel the need to be perfect to impress colleges. Nobody is perfect and even if you don’t get accepted to that dream school, don’t let it discourage you. There are hundreds of other colleges that may accept you, you just have to keep believing in yourself because that’s the only way you’ll get far.
Mohammed Fuad is the editor of the Hammonton Gazette. He can be reached at mfuad@hammontongazette.com.