Remembering

This is the essay I wrote for graduation at my school. It got chosen out of about 300 enteries to be read by me at my graduation ceremony. My english teacher and the school officials who chose it loved it, hope you do too!

Remembering

 

   My middle school years were filled with ups and downs, highs and lows, times of happiness and immense sorrow. All in all, they were the best years of my life so far. Old enough to gain some independence, but young enough to still lack a lot of responsibility, these were the days. But like every good thing, there is a drawback. Middle school is a very awkward time in a person’s life. Every day holds at least one moment of embarrassment. With their minds not yet fully developed, kids make plenty of mistakes, some big, some small. Fitting in and having steadfast friends is a main concern for everyone. Social status is a really big deal! This need to fit in allows peer pressure to become a huge problem for most kids. With all those difficulties and woes, every middle school student has something they want to change.

   For me, this time came in the fifth and sixth grade. I had just arrived from the tiny Pingree Elementary to massive MWCMS, and I was somewhat overwhelmed. The fear of getting lost or being trampled by "those nasty eighth graders" was always at the back of my mind. And the people. Pingree was the kind of school where everyone knew everyone else, very close knit. There were no unfamiliar faces there. Suddenly the other kids looked so big and menacing, and I hardly knew anyone. All these insecurities combined together resulted in a significant drop of confidence for me.

   I thought I was not likeable, too much of a bookworm, and definitely not cool. For two years I stuck to my little circle of friends, afraid to branch out only to be rejected. If I could go back in time, I would give myself a pep talk, and let the little me know that people can’t begin to like you if you do not give them the chance. I should have thrown caution to the winds and taken a leap of faith.

   However, there are some moments I would never want to change, that should stay exactly as they are. For example, the sunlit hours outdoors at fifth grade recess, and the many trips to the zoo. Or the time I helped explode a volcano in science class, and aided Ms. Dion in filling water balloons for field day. And the happy days spent in the science center. The memory of the mischievous feeling of skipping class, even with a perfectly good reason, and permission. The three days of unruly and simply wild fun at Camp Burgess are unforgettable.

   Some memories are milder, rather than wild and exciting. I have leaned back against a tree trunk and whiled away some time watching the clouds go by, and watched my friends pour their hearts into eight school productions. I have ended a school year crying, and comforted younger friends in times of fright. We have watched each other grow up, without realizing we were doing it. This year my friends and I waited with baited breath for the announcement of the winner of the Sunwise poster contest, and rejoiced at the arrival of four new kittens. And we have lain in a happy heap like a pile of drowsy puppies, supposedly watching a movie but not really paying attention. Only content to be together.

   Even though every day for a middle school kid is troubling, dramatic, and somewhat embarrassing, they are balanced with unforgettable memories. A bad experience will dampen the spirit for a little while, but it is hard to be upset when you are so light hearted and carefree. It seems as though all the doors open for me now that I am graduating. In high school I will have even a greater sense of freedom than I do now. Who could ask for anything more? But even as we grow older, I do not think anyone in the class of 2012 will want to forget our radiant days in middle school.

Author's Note

I've abreviated my school name so no-one can stalk me or anything. I tried to capture the melecholy feeling everyone must have at graduating, so I hope you don't think its stupid or sappy or anything...