journal day - first

On Monday, I saw something pretty cool on one of the blogs that I read. Danielle at Sometimes Sweet is a former English teacher, and she's bringing that experience to her blog with a weekly Journal Day prompt. The nerdy kid in me thinks this is awesome, and I'm hoping to participate every week :-)


This weeks prompt:
Describe a "first" (first date, first lie, the first time you experienced something, first time in a particular setting, etc). Include as many details as possible to paint a picture.

I was always one of those nerdy/crazy kids who looked forward to the first day of school. I know it was partly because I would get to see my friends every day after a long summer apart, but it was also because the first day always felt like a fresh start. It was a new beginning, the start of a new adventure (yes, new teachers and new subjects and maybe even new friends DO seem like a big adventure when you're young).
I remember especially vividly the first day of 6th grade; I'd be going to intermediate school, taking the bus each day, and for the first time I would be changing classes throughout the day. It was probably the coolest thing my friends and I could ever imagine... we had heard that in 6th grade not only could you wear makeup to school, but you could chew gum in class!


In preparation to be the coolest kid in school, I got a new haircut that year... specifically "the Rachel" haircut that Jennifer Aniston made famous. I also got new clothes, and I remember the polyester button down that I chose for the first day (no, this was not the 70's, it was 1997) and while I can't remember my jeans, you can bet they were wide leg or bell bottomed. I'm not totally sure why I thought it was a cool outfit, I think there were some particularly hideous brown oxford clunky heeled shoes as well, but I really couldn't have picked anything better in my mind.
Anyway, I woke up at about 4 in the morning that day... I couldn't sleep thinking about how awesome it would be. I remember sitting on the couch in the dark, watching music videos on MTV, Fiona Apple had a new one that comes to mind. Eventually I got ready, headed to the bus stop, and went on my way to school. I'd like to think it was every bit as awesome as I imagined... so I'll stop before I get into how outrageously awkward and silly those years were.
I don't remember my first day of high school or college, not what I wore, not what I thought. Starting high school, I remember being just as anxious heading off to Cross Country Team training camp before school actually started. And college? Well on move in day, I wouldn't let my dad stop for a bathroom break within an hour of campus. It's funny how when you look back on "firsts" you think about how long ago it was, how young you were, but in the moment, it was the oldest you ever felt, not to mention the coolest :-)

<3 barb

P.S. Is anyone else journaling with Sometimes Sweet? I'd love if you'd link up!