The theme for yesterday’s Toastmaster’s meeting, since it was the first day of school for most kids, was “School Memories: first day, kids, etc.” This got me thinking about some things I remember very vividly from when I was a kid.
When I was in elementary school, there was this boy in my class named Philip. We were very good friends until the day he turned his eyelids inside out. Horrified, that put an end to our friendship. To this day, I still think that turning your eyelids inside out is disgusting. So naturally Kitty knows how to do it! But thankfully she only does that to scare her sister J
When I entered Junior High (“middle school” hadn’t been invented yet!) I knew it was going to be awesome, because there were 4 different elementary schools in our area, and 7th grade was where they all came together. We got to meet kids from the other different schools, you could reinvent yourself and you finally got to go to different classes throughout the day. Yes it was a little hairy at first with making sure your locker would open, and timing yourself so you’d have time to get from locker to classroom. But all in all it was definitely to my liking. Especially seeing all the cute boys from the other schools J
Junior High also introduced me to the school dances. I have been a dancer ever since I was a toddler. I had been hearing about the dances from my older brothers. And now I was going to be able to take part in them! Or so I thought…my parents had no intention of letting their sheltered daughter go to any school dances. Good thing I perfected the art of making up a different story to tell them, so I could sneak to the dances instead. Sorry Marie! And to this day, I still remember the Friday night dance, where the guy I liked, danced to “Superstar” by the Carpenters with another girl. I was heartbroken! That song still gives me a pang of bitter-sweetness when I hear it on the radio.
On the first day of my freshman year, I remember how excited I was because for the first time I got to pick out my own clothes. In 8th grade, on the first day I remember Marie made me wear this dress that had a brown plaid faux scarf around the neck, the dress’s torso was solid brown, and the skirt was pleated brown plaid that matched the scarf. This was what my friends were used to seeing me wear. But the first day of 9th grade: I was wearing the groovy outfit I picked out myself. It was a 2-piece set: the top had a purple paisley collar, the short sleeves were the same print, the rest of the top was black, and the skirt was the same purple, white and black polyester print. Whoo hoo! You couldn’t tell me anything in this short-skirted outfit. My friends were so amazed when they saw me, and I was very pleased by their reactions. And it’s a good thing I picked out my own outfit because we got some new students who transferred from the Catholic school. St. Michael’s only went up to 8th grade, so as freshmen some of the kids came to Junior High instead of going across the bridge to St. Mary’s. And St. Mary’s loss was our gain because those boys were c-u-t-e! I loved my freshman year!
The best part about high school? The Glen Lake Casino! I was 16 when I was a senior, I didn’t have a fake ID, but I never got proofed and my friends and I were there pretty much every weekend. Hey Marie: that was even better than a school dance!
Oh, how I miss those days sometimes! But at least I’ve got plenty of good memories. So kids: enjoy the school year and make some great memories of your own. And parents: if you don’t want your kids to attend school dances, just be a chaperone. That’ll take all the fun out of it for them! And if you don't believe me: just ask Brie! J
