Just huge buildings; much different than I had imagined it would be. Of course, as usual on the first day of school everyone ignores me, a cold hard feeling just like elementary. But Mom said I had a fresh start, right? I didn’t have to be satisfied with being the one whose hand was always raised...right? I could have friends...right? Mom didn’t have to survive with me through middle school.

I looked at my schedule, so many rooms and teacher’s names. I would start off with...advisory. Advisory, what was that? Well whatever it was it was in G-Building, except...where was G-Building? So I asked one of the men in the gray uniforms, looked like security guards. He pointed to the building right in front of me, the one with a great big “G” on it. Great, I’m an idiot.

I walked down the path that twisted around trees and patches of grass then looked for my room. The bell rang and I started running around, my shoulder bag flopping against my waist. The rooms were so confusing but I finally found it.

“You’re late!” My teacher called to me.

“I’m sorry, I got lost and-”

“Just please, take your seat.”

Of course no one was wearing the shoulder bags that had been in style in elementary; of course I had to remember that it was a different state, a different school, and a different grade. I took a seat in the back of the classroom, next to no one. Off to a great start. The class was over in a few minutes and all she was able to tell us was that she was our substitute; our real teacher had to attend her father’s funeral, and to have fun in our second year of middle school. I didn’t have time to tell her this was my first.

I looked at my schedule again; at least I had in the same building. The class was science, something I wasn’t great at but something I could understand easily if I could study.

Of course since it was our first day we had an icebreaker. Joy, worse than any class I could possibly have. We had to fill in this sheet about ourselves, something I hate with a passion. Just our names and a few of our personality traits. I heard a lot of new and exotic names, and usually “funny” or “shy” exactly what I was thinking of. My teacher laughed when I said, “sarcastic, moody, sardonic, and quiet.” I had the most exotic words.

She introduced herself and told us that this was going to be an easy class to pass, but we did have science fair. I hated those words. Science fair did not work out for me as last year my project was to see if dry cat food lasted longer than wet cat food and I my graph was in crayon. Not my greatest scientific work. The bell rang before anymore horrors could be announced and it was a pretty good period.

Next I had social studies; thankfully in the same building and just across from my science class. The teacher was nice. Quiet and calm. Maybe this isn’t so hard after all. Of course social studies isn’t my easiest subject and definitely not my best. Names, dates, and places; never things I can remember. She gives us something called a syllabus. I had no idea what it means but since everyone else nods when she says it I just go along with the flow. It looks like a piece of paper, something we have our parents sign. Homework, on the first day, the day just keeps getting better. She tells us about what we’re going over, with no icebreakers, and the bell rings.


Everyone was running around and I was wondering why until I saw that it was recess. I wasn’t really sure where to go. I didn’t know anyone, the teachers were strangers, and there was no playground. Then I find my sanctuary the library. In elementary it was the place where we went every week to check out new books; the books I had read ages ago. This place was heaven; computers, books of all types, couches, desks, a geek’s paradise. Recess was short but a wonderful short lived recess if I ever had one. Next I had English, something I could definitely handle. We got another syllabus thingy and I read over it. We’ll need books, pens, colored pencils, crayons, markers, other things. Not really productive but most likely because it was only our first day.

The class was over as soon as it begun and I had this strange class I didn’t know. No longer close by but far, far away. I walked to the class, confused about which room it was. I finally arrived and was disappointed in the damp, cold, small room. The teacher was a man; the first I’d had all day and the first I’d had in three almost four years. He was much younger than the other one though. A bit annoying at times but I would have to deal with it. The class turned out to be a nightmare, a bunch of subjects rolled into one year. Most of them things I hate. To add to my discomfort we had another icebreaker, now we had to list things in common. In distress I waited for the class to be over, counting the seconds. The bell rang again and it was schedule time. Now I needed to go back to the place that I had been at this morning.

I made it there just before the bell rang, to my teacher’s surprise most likely. Only this substitute moved me from my comfortable, isolated spot in the back to a seat in the front; with people, and no room. Next to two girls who obviously didn’t know each other. One was wearing black, looked like one of the goths in the sitcoms I’d watched. The other just the opposite, short red hair with a pink shirt on, she looked like a prep if I ever saw one, more what I was used to in elementary though. I didn’t know it then but throughout the years we would become great friends.

Fortunately the substitute wasn’t going to push any icebreakers on us. We had study hall, something I could handle. I talked with my new ‘table mates’ a bit then started looking over the syllabuses. After an half hour of reading and talking the bell rang once more and we were dismissed to lunch. I followed the girl in the pink shirt and decided to follow Mom’s advice to make bold new moves. I ran up next to her and realized she was also in my science class. I tried to think of something to say then asked, “So...shy, huh?”

She looked at me strangely and replied, “Yeah.”We talked for a little while longer then I went back to my sanctuary, the library. I stayed there for the rest of lunch then dreaded the bell ringing. Now I had to go back to the substitute for math....great. Pink shirt girl was in this class with me and fortunately I got to sit next to her again. I also sat next to one of her old friends and felt very out of place but tried to familiarize myself, Mom was right, I had to come out of my shell. We had no icebreakers and started right into math which was a breeze for me, and talked, barely listening but faithfully copying down whatever our substitute wrote. The class was rambunctious and loud but I liked it. I was near friends in a subject that I excelled in. This was probably one of the best classes all day.

The bell rang again and I ran out of class and went to the place my Mom’s friend said she would pick me up. I piled into the car with her kids and she asked us all, “How was your day?”

No one said a word then I broke the silence and replied, “It was good.”