I’m one of many who has transferred to a new school environment throughout my life. It’s nothing special really, you make new friends, adapt to your new surroundings. Everybody has trouble with it, I’m sure everyone has heard stories about a student’s first day at a new school. I suppose what makes my story somewhat different is not exactly how I adapted to my new school, more of how my previous education shaped me into being a better person throughout my middle school and high school careers.

My grandfather was president of the board of education of a small private school in the heart of a city. The building was a small, brick structure nestled comfortably in the corner of two busy roads. It had always seemed kind of out of place to me. The school itself offered such a safe environment, while it’s surroundings burdened a rather rough reputation. It was a very diverse environment that I always felt entirely comfortable in. I had strong relationships with all of the faculty and staff that helped make this school so special, and of course made a ton of long lasting friends. The classes were all very small- at the most there were sixteen kids inhabiting each classroom. It was easy to be friends with everyone and to get to know each other very well.

The years I spent in these small classrooms flew by. It was my last year of school, and I was in the sixth grade. We were assigned journals in which we wrote in every Friday. We each found a tiny corner of the room and wrote our deepest, darkest, secrets in these little composition bound books. Deepest, darkest, secrets being who we had a crush on at the time or who was being mean the other day in outside time. Today, I read my journal now and again and laugh every time because of how seriously I took all these now seemingly small obstacles. Those problems I faced would be almost nothing to me now.

Sixth grade was ending and we were told to sit outside and reflect on our years. Our teachers told us to write a letter to ourselves in regards to the years ahead of us and talk about what we hope to accomplish from now until then. Of course, I had to ask my future self if I looked any different or if I had actually started wearing makeup, but I was also very concerned with who I would be friends with and if I would continue to excel in school and pull out good grades. I was also nervous about the workload and the teachers.

Seventh grade rolled around and of course the nerves were coursing through my veins and I could barely function. Despite the nerves, I was constantly telling myself that making friends and all those social skills would come to me easily. Although eventually I did make many friends and I’m very happy today, they didn’t come with the snap of my fingers as I had previously imagined. The environment was so much different than that of my old school. There were more people and an abundance of work that I almost felt like I was drowning. Seventh grade may have been somebody’s easiest year, but to me it was nearly impossible. However, everything eventually fell into place. I became more organized and more self-sufficient and began to make many friends. I was excelling in school while also having a social life.

My story is basically the epitome of typical new-girl tales I suppose. The transfer wasn’t really what shaped me the most, it was my school. The amazing people and friends I had met throughout elementary school helped me become a better person and made me who I am today. At first, it seemed as though I was poorly prepared for this vastly new learning environment, but soon after I fully adjusted to my surroundings, the social skills and learning skills we had focused so hard on in my previous years finally kicked in. Today, I’m proud of my academic work and achievements and also happy with all the good friends I’ve made and kept throughout these years. Since the switch, every Friday, I stop to write in my journal about everything happening in my life and I can’t wait for the years to come when the obstacles I’m currently facing seem to be comical to my future self.