Topsy Turvy

For five mediocre years I went to Hickey Elementary. There was nothing quite extraordinary or memorable about this school. It was simply okay. The teachers weren’t particularly strict, the students weren’t particularly smart or friendly, and the campus wasn’t particularly beautiful; nothing memorable enough to mention.  But there was one small comfort: knowing this dreary place was home sweet home. Nothing could change that. But one day, even this comfort was going to disappear.

The middle school that Hickey feeds into, Bowman, was deemed “not that good” by my mother. Apparently it had bad influences, notoriously low academic scores, and an atrocious criminal background. I kind of thought so too, just a tiny bit, but the alternative was literally unimaginable. It was some weird, exotic, Asian school named…you guessed it, Rice. Confronted with two equally horrifying choices, I had no idea what to pick. I had two options: Option 1: a school that I knew was going to be distressing, and Option 2: a school that I had absolutely no clue about, and could possibly end up being the worst school on the planet. Fortunately, I didn’t have to bother myself with the decision because it was already made. It was final; my mom had transferred me to Rice.

You would think I would be really mad wouldn’t you? Honestly, I would feel the same way no matter what she picked. So many things were changing at once, and I didn’t like change. Going from school to school, elementary to middle; I was terrified.  I liked knowing what was happening and when; this whole “transferring” business seemed fishy. Before I could get my mind around this, I was whisked away to a summer vacation halfway around the world. But time seemed to fly by in India, even though my holiday went three weeks over the start of sixth grade. When I finally came back to the U.S, I was scared to DEATH. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, it was like walking around blindfolded. I didn’t know what was coming up next, I had absolutely no clue. Getting my school supplies, packing my backpack, organizing my binders, I felt like a zombie, already dead and gone, but still determined. That dreaded first day arriving upon me seemed like a night mare. Almost there, three… two …one…Welcome to Rice Middle School. We pulled up the drive way and my fingers touched the cold metal door.  With echoing footsteps we made it to the front office, my heart ticking like a time bomb. Any moment, my life was going to change forever…

 And then we realized we were in the wrong school. This was Skaggs.

 EPIC FAIL.

We went back in our car and drove up to the place that I was supposed to be scared of.  But funnily enough, after that anti-climatic moment, I wasn’t as scared. Thank you Skaggs. I walked through those front doors with a little less trepidation than last time, and saw Rice Middle School with my own eyes.

 Wow…its …normal. I meet my counselor, Mrs. Barshop, also normal. The classrooms, the hallways, the lockers, all were normal. By the time my orientation was over it was time for second period. I said an awkward “hello” to the class and got settled in, and I realized I could actually get used to this. Classes flew by, awkward introductions were made, and names were learned. And just like that my first day was over. A week was over. A month was over. The entire sixth grade year raced past me, it left me astounded, and I realized that I had a new home. I had new friends, new buddies, it was a whole new world. After it sunk in, I realized couldn’t even imagine how life would have been if I did not go to Rice. It was a challenge, an adventure. Who said change was bad? It was one of the best things to happen to me. Why? Because I was bored. I needed something new, something fresh, something exciting, and something to wake me up from routine school life. This simple transfer came along like an explosion. It shook me, turned life topsy-turvy, and in the best way possible. But friendships have been made again, attachment has strengthened, and sadly high school is coming up, where I will part with most of my friends once again. But this time, I will be ready.