There was this episode of Full House called "Back To School Blues". It's from season 3 and it's the one where -------- > DJ starts 7th grade at a new school. She quickly realizes how different Jr. High is from Elementary school and ends up having to sit alone in the cafeteria at lunch time... in a phone booth, where she pretends to be talking to someone but really, she's just listening to the time. Now, I know television shows and movies make school out to be a lot more dramatic in some cases but this episode always comes to mind whenever someone starts middle school because it showcases how awkward being at a new school can be. Throw in being in a new school, in a new CITY and it makes it ten times more awkward. (Oh, and no worries, DJ turns out just fine by the end of the episode and has plenty of friends to sit with at lunch).
I bring this up because my niece, Emily, started 8th grade in a new school, in a new city this week. Yikes. She's been dreading it ever since talks of their family moving began back in December. And really, who can blame her? Being a kid is tough enough without having to start all over and make completely new friends in a new environment. I remember how awkward Junior High was. I was constantly aware of my actions and always terrified I was going to make a fool of myself. The school was bigger, the kids seemed bigger/meaner and the classes were more overwhelming. I was in that weird transition phase between friends that some kids go through. Kind of in limbo. Not really belonging to one group or another, just doing my own thing. It was weird and I always felt like an outcast but I suppose most kids feel that way at that age, right?
Emily is a wonderful kid. Brilliant, actually. From the moment she was born, I knew she would be special. She has turned into a beautiful, funny, talented girl who is obsessed with the Hunger Games (ha!) and I'm really proud of her. She is a fantastic writer and a terrific actress and I have no doubt whatsoever that she will have a whole plethora of new friends by the time Christmas rolls around. But right now things seem real sucky for her and I get it and I want her to know that everyone goes through things like this. EVERYONE and we all turn out a little better and a little stronger for it.
With that being said, I thought it might be fun (or cheer her up) if we shared some fun/horrifying/silly Junior High stories/memories with her so she knows that this is a life experience that we all go through and we all make it out A-OK.
I'll go first:
-In 7th grade, I had gym first hour and I thought that was the worst thing in the world (later, in high school, I ended up having swim first hour. I was cursed). It wasn't that bad though. It just took some time getting used to a new routine. One time, I wore a skirt to school. Obviously, you had to change for gym class but I left my nylons on and figured I would just put my PINK sweatpants on over them (we were learning how to play football outside). After class, when I went to change, I had pink fuzz ALL over my legs, stuck to my nylons. I was horrified. I think I managed to de-fuzz myself pretty good before embarking on the journey to my next class but I was super paranoid the rest of the day.
-The very first day of Junior High, I didn't think to bring a pen, pencil or paper with me to class (who does that?!). I thought it would just be a day full of talking and we wouldn't really have to do any work. I was completely embarrassed when everyone else was getting all their supplies out and I was just sitting there. I think someone ended up letting me borrow a pen and a piece of paper. I felt like an idiot.
-This one is my favorite/worst. It also happened in high school but I'm counting it anyway. We all had to go to the gym for a pep assembly. Tons of kids/teachers were in the the stands, students were flowing into the gym to take seats in the bleachers. I was walking across the gym floor to get to the bleachers, tripped on an exercise mat that was in the middle of the floor, stumbled and fell flat on my face. With the whole school watching. I was mortified. So so embarrassed. When I got back up, I tried to laugh it off along with my friends who were with me but I was horrified. But see, now it makes for a good story!
Go ahead and share some of your stories because the point is; we all go through it and we all survive it.
And really, at least we don't have to enlist ourselves into a reaping, right? Junior High is more appealing than the Hunger Games isn't it?? There's your silver lining!
It was the first half of 8th Grade. One morning I woke up pretty late, like, 2nd Hour late. I had to wake my mom up (come on mom!) and have her drive me to school. So I threw on, basically, whatever clothes I could quickly verify in my dimly-lit room were clean, or at least didn't stink (I was not yet "in" with any groups, so I had to take great pains to make sure i didn't smell). It ended up being some Jeans, and a White T-Shirt with the Tasmanian Devil printed all over it like a million times. I got to class. Second Hour World Geography. The door was closed, so I knew it'd be an ordeal getting in without everyone looking over at me. I opened the door, and before I even had two feet in the room This Kid, Josh, said "Hey, nice shirt! Did you get it fresh out of the Hamper? hahahlolozzzzz!" and some kids laughed. I was a little confused until i sat down and realized that my Taz Shirt was that state of "wrinkly" right after you discover it deep inside the bottom corner of your closet after it's been crushed and smashed by everything above it in the closet for about a year. The best part was, a couple of weeks later, Josh was dazzling the other kids and Gym Teacher in the weight room by leg-pressing 300 lbs. he was pretty proud of himself, and smug. I was next in line and he said, "should i reset it to the girl weight?" and so I moved the pin up to 450 and lifted it. Then he got back on and couldn't lift 350. The Moral of the Story: in the end You might have a better shirt than someone, but that doesn't mean you can beat them in a leg-press contest.
ReplyDeleteLOL I wonder what that Josh boy is up to and if he can leg-press 350 these days?? Also, I had a silk tweety bird jacket that I adored. I felt like the coolest person in the world whenever I wore that thing. Silk. Tweety Bird. Jacket.
ReplyDeletelooney toons were the thing. it was a different time!
ReplyDelete*When we had a substitute for science I told her to call me Retina and she changed it in the attendance book. When the real teacher came back a week later and did attendance, he called me by that name. Whoops!
ReplyDelete*I also had gym first hour and the girl I shared a locker with was always skipping without telling me which earned me my first detention for not dressing in gym.
*I wore fake glasses for all of my 7th grade yearbook photos. I have no idea why.
*I had a mullet and a uni-brow and still somehow had people who would hang out with me in public!
*I had a small radio that we listened to at lunch and somehow it turned itself on during band and the teacher opened up my bag and pulled it out in front of everyone and demanded to know who owned it. Oops!