Hello, I’m Justin
First Grade

“Dad, I don’t want to go to school.” Last year my best friend moved to another school. The name of which I can’t remember. Him and I would run around the Kindergarten playground and pretend we were fighting other people. All the other kids didn’t understand and thought the two of us were crazy people for pretending to fight people that weren’t there. But we saw them. Every single one of them.

“Can I stay home today?”

“Are you sick?”

“No…”

“Then go to school.”

I went because he made me. I went because if I stayed he wouldn’t make it fun for me to stay home. When I got there I had sorting that I didn’t have last year. My own desk! I remember putting my whole arms in it and enjoying all the space. I imagined all the things I could put in here. Like books and folders. As I looked around the classroom I saw people from the year before and some new faces. The playground seemed nice. It was big and had bark, however I was expecting sand. Oh well. Six years to go.

Fourth Grade

I remember going to swimming classes so that way if one of my parents were in water I could help them. Or at least that’s what they told me. I remember this being my last year of swimming classes. I started a while ago but didn’t care. Just glad it was almost over. At this time we just got our kitchen remodeled and tiles installed on the bottom floors. Sadly another thing that came to an end would be my grandmother. She died from a heart attack and didn’t make it to the hospital in time. This was the first time someone in my life passed away. I was oblivious to the fact that we as people are not invincible. With this in mind times changed for me. The thought was resonant in my mind. I stopped running around at recess and having fun. I found myself becoming frustrated and being upset with others for reprehensible reason.

Sixth Grade

Last year of “Elementary School”. This whole year was easy. I have faith that I will do well in the years to come. Middle and High school should be a piece of cake. All the people I met changed me and shaped who I am. Had I known this at this age I would have thanked every single one of them that made an impact on my life. I became less abrasive and became more tenacious. At least I think I did… The field trips, I’ll remember them. Play grounds, I’ll miss those too. However this is a part of growing up right?

“Hello Parents! We are excited to have you at our graduation ceremony for the graduating sixth graders! Now please stand and so we can do the Pledge of Allegiance”

I’m not going to miss doing this though…

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America…”

Although I knew it by heart it was more of a hindrance of the day. I just found it to be a waste of time. I would not dare hamper with how we do things in the class. I feel like it would be in its self a waste of time.

“Goodbye!”, “See you in middle school”, “I won’t forget you”. The whole experience felt unreal because of how sudden it was. It seemed to short. The ephemeral joys will no longer be. Time to grow up. Just a little bit.
Seventh Grade

Absolutely no friends. I walked into my first period, Drama I believe, and I knew no one. What’s worse is that this class is drama. Here we would act and pretend in situations that would never become true. The next periods were academic. All of which I still had no friends. Replete with new people with potential I found myself alone for most of the school day. Lunch time was the only part of the day I looked forward to, besides leaving school. Of course I would try my best socially but I would always find myself looking forward to the end of the day.
Eight Grade

Mistakes were bound to happen especially with new people to the class. The mistakes I made turned out to be good rather than bad. I met some new people and found my place. My new place made me happy and so did my new friends. The school year went by and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I still looked forward to lunch time and going home but now I also enjoyed the times in-between. Eight grade was the last year of middle school. It reminded me of the ending of elementary school except this time I wasn’t as blind to what was happening. Nothing great lasts forever.
Tenth Grade

Mistakes disguised as blessings. This year I found myself taking honors and AP classes that ate up most of my time. “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. Who ever said that is right. I’m glad I hunkered down and pushed through. AP Chemistry is what really took the most out of me. Learning things at a college level and still doing well is one of my personal achievements. Although I lost a really good friend during this year it didn’t matter. I had more friends that would bolster me as I dealt with the loss. My interests in other things peaked as well the summer after ninth grade my dad bought and old truck. His goal was to do a restoration and make it his own. He also got another old truck that was far closer to done than the one before. I learned the ins and outs of cars though these two trucks. I also became interested in computers because they felt like cars to me. They were also something I could do on the side but I never got to build one from the ground up. Just work on them. Clean and inspect them. Kept them to as fast as they could be. The year ended. And that was that.
Eleventh Grade (Flash Forward)

Staring death in the eye is one experience I feel no one should go through. Luckily death decided it wasn’t my time. I walked away in one piece and am too grateful for it. The experience was just another reminder of how fragile we are as people. I psychology we learned that teenagers have a sense of invincibility that shrouds their vision and perception of things. Drug and alcohol abuse have never been a part of my life, neither has other dangerous activities but even if I did this was just a sinister reminder. Life is too precious to give up. I learned to never make a mistake that would cost your life. Now I think twice. Other than that it has been amazing.

I wish I wouldn’t ever have to end the year like this but it was never my choice. There are no loopholes or reasons I could find that would that would help me otherwise. If I could I wouldn’t move countries but there is nothing I could do to help it. No amount of thanks could be given out to those whom deserve it. Although I’ve made many mistakes along the way am glad that I made them in the first place. Better now than never. That way I could learn from them and not ever make them again. Saying goodbye is the worst feeling though. Knowing that people would stay my friends is great and all but also knowing that people change is saddening. The people I know today will not be the same people I’ve known and loved. They will be different. Probably more mature and see the world differently. It was interesting seeing people I’ve known for so long evolve and change into the people they are today. Too bad I won’t be able to graduate with this amazing class. Too bad I won’t be able to walk that stage. “Lucky me”.