Rrring! Rrring! 6:00.

My alarm clock sounds.

What’s that noise?

Rolling over.

6:30

It’s my first day

at the middle school!

6:40
Hopping out of bed

Rifling through my closet

for an outfit worthy of the day

The curling iron hissing

as it touches my hair

7:20

Flinging myself down the stairs

like a lightning bolt

The smell of pancakes

floating around the house

Grabbing my backpack

on my way outside

7:45

Loading up in the car

Peeling off into the road

Ready to go!
Fifth grade, here I come!

7:58

Pulling up to the school

it’s much bigger

than I remember it being

at the open house

Staring up at the skyscraper,

wondering how many days it

will take me to

actually know where I’m going

8:03

Getting out of the car

Replying to the teachers

standing outside

smiles beaming like diamonds in the sun

“Good morning!”

8:05

Finding my way to the cafeteria

Looking for my homeroom number

floating in the sky like a cloud

8:10

Finding the sign

Lining up

Some of my friends

are in my class

Catching up

“What did you do this summer?”

8:20

Listening to a long

speech from the principal

Off to class

8:30

Climbing up the stairs

Finding desks next to

people we know

Meeting teachers

8:40

Walking around the school

it’s  

even

bigger

than

it

looks

10:00

Receiving school supply lists

long as the lyrics

to a song that goes on

forever

11:00

Time for lunch!

Walking single file,

straight as a ruler

Finding our assigned seats

in the huge cafeteria

Taking out lunchboxes

Staying peanut free

2:30

Time to go home!

My day is over

Running outside

and right to my mom

“I had the best day ever!”