September 8, 2016

First Day of School

A Reflection by a Fifth Grade Student

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child in Summit, NJ

It was a fall evening. I was running around with my brother. The leaves were just turning yellow, red, brown, and orange. I always loved how they looked. It reminded me of a bunch of butterflies all bunched up with one another. Staring at the trees hypnotized me; my mother tapped me on the shoulder so gentle I barely felt it. “Are you ready for school tomorrow?” she asked.

“I think so,” I replied. She shot a smile at me.

That night all I could think about was school. I found myself lying awake at night asking myself “What will school be like-Fun, Long, Hard, Easy,” but most of all “Will I like it?”That morning I struggled to get out of bed. I closed my eyes and said, “You can do this.” Then I went to brush my teeth, the toothpaste felt like a minty fire in my mouth, after that I got on my clothes and raced down the stairs.

When I got down to my kitchen, my sister and brother were getting the milk for their cereal. My dad shot a picture of me and said, “Have a good day, make new friends, and listen to the teacher.” He then kissed me on the head and headed towards the door. “Goodbye!” he said waving back at me.

“Bye,” I whispered under my breath.

“Come on,” my mother said, “let’s go brush your hair.” As I walked to her I passed a mirror I smiled at myself and kept walking. “Are you excited?” my mom asked.

“Yes, and scared, of what will school be like?”I asked.

“Really fun,” she said without hesitating. I looked down. “Ok,” she said. She grabbed a bright pink pen, and looked back at me. She grabbed my hand and turned it so it was palm side up, then she started drawing a heart on my hand as she was drawing the bright pink heart on the palm of my hand she said, “Every time you look at your hand think of me.” I smiled at her.

“I will,” I replied.

My sister screamed back, “Hurry up!” as she walked out of the door.

As we were driving to school I noticed my palms were so sweaty. Meanwhile, my brother and sister were jumping up and down in their seats. When we got to school there was a nice looking lady waving to everybody as she smiled. My mom walked me, my brother, and my sister to the blacktop. As soon as we got to the black top, my brother and sister ran off to their friends. I took a big breath of air. We walked to two other ladies standing next to a lot of kids that looked my age and she left me next to one of the ladies and said, “I love you! Have a good day!”

“OK, love you too!” I yelled back as she walked away. I looked up at the lady who gave me a gigantic smile and a short warm hug. I looked down at my bright pink heart on the palm of my hand and smiled.