Here at Suwanee Magazine, we love encouraging students of all ages to write about things they are passionate about. Our team asked local students to tell a story about a time when summer had ended and they, some very unwillingly, had to go back to school.
We loved all of the submissions we received, but these three students stole the show! Read the submissions from our student authors for this issue:
“Going To Third Grade”
By: Evan Sarkas, age 7, Patrick Elementary
Oh no is that the alarm clock I hear, not back to school! But I want to meet new friends like in second-grade!When I got in the third-grade hallway half way in my classroom my teacher Mrs. Smith said hello I am your new teacher Mrs. Smith! I thought it was like Moe’s, like when they say Welcome to Moe’s! We started learning once everyone in the class was here. Then Mrs. Smith said I am your new teacher Mrs. Smith. She sounds like a great teacher I said. Now I am going to tell you the class rules. Be responsible, respectful, and ready to learn. Time passed, and we had so much fun until the end of the day. I made new friends I said goodbye then I went on the bus and left school knowing that i’m going to have a great time.
“Going Back”
By: Leena Naqib, age 9, Suwanee Elementary
After 9 months of school work and tests summer fun begins. Diving at the pool, building sand castles at the beach, all of the fun you could ever imagine. But soon, sooner than you can think, the fun is about to end.
Backpacks, binders, pencils, glue, scissors. Everything that leads to one place… School! You shiver as each item piles into your cart. Going back to school after two and a half months can be scary. New students, new teachers, new things to get used to.
How can someone be so brave and not be afraid of going back to school? On the last week of summer, what is supposed to be the time of your life, you shop for these hideous items that lead to homework and tests.
The night before is the worst. You toss and turn like salad in a bowl. All you can think about is the scary things that will happen at school. New kids and teachers slip into your classroom, tests charge their way in, homework lies before you, fights begin in front of your eyes. It takes forever for your eyelids to finally meet. But even in your dreams all you see is world of dread. It takes a while for you to get up.
After all you just slept as long as you wanted all summer. You want to wear something comfortable, but you have to wear something nice. Collared shirts and dresses. Oh brother!
from all of the stuff your school said to bring. You hear a loud rumbling noise outside. There is the school bus. “Here I go,” you say as you change your way into the bus. As it starts rolling it feels strange but familiar. As the people pile in, you shiver and try to hide your face. Slowly you lift it up to see your friends.
Suddenly, the bus parks in front of the school. Slowly the bus doors creek open. “Creeeeeekkk!” Step by step you walk out of the bus and in front of the school. It feels strange but familiar too. You take a deep breath and tumble inside. You look around at all of the faces. Finally you reach your classroom and fall inside. You look at everything and everyone. You smile at the teacher, kids you know and kids you don’t know too.
Your friends from last year smile knowing that this year your friendship will build higher and higher. Memories from last year shoot into your head. Laughing and smiling and having lots of fun. Even if none of your best friends are in your class you can still make more that are in your class.
Playing outside together, laughing together at lunch, class parties. Those are just a few things that kids forget to remember on the first day of school.
If you’re going to school for the first time, don’t think of scary things, just think of all the kids you are going to meet and all the fun you’re going to have. If you think of all of these things you will do amazing in school!
Soon you start laughing and having fun. At the end of the day you wonder,” I was scared last year too but it turned out to be a good year, why was I so scared to come back to school?”
“Is Middle School Really That Bad?”
By: Emily Dimaggio, age 12, Buford Middle School
“Okay, I’m not a little girl anymore. I’m just going to middle school, no big deal! Come on, Emily! You can do this!” Yes, I do speak to myself in the mirror, but you would too if you were about to be going to middle school for the first time! Oh wait, I’m getting ahead of myself, a lot of people have already been through that.
I’m Emily DiMaggio, and I’m going to the sixth grade, my very first day of middle school! I’ve heard that in some schools, you go to middle school in fifth grade! Can you imagine, me, a fifth grader, with eighth graders in the same school! That would be intimidating. Wow, and I used to be intimidated by fifth graders! Okay, I’m hyperventilating. I can do this! The truth is, I’m afraid if you can’t already tell.
“Come on Emma! Time to go!” My mom was shouting from downstairs. Oh, and Emma is my nickname by the way! Okay, I can do this, let’s go. “Coming!” I grabbed my bag and rushed down the stairs! My mom had my breakfast, an egg with toast. We eat our breakfast in the car because my brother, Evan, has to get to school way earlier than me. He’s now in tenth grade. He was standing there, a beast, he was. He’s a tall football player with bulging biceps.
“Aww! You two look so cute! Here’s your lunchbox!” My mom loves us, and we love her! We have a tight relationship, “Come outside and stand there, between the two trees!”
“Okay, Mom, just as long as you don’t post it on Facebook!” I don’t mind my picture being posted, but the thing is, my brother can’t smile for a picture! He thinks he has to be big and tough! Now don’t get me wrong, he is, but every girl would love a tough guy with a good sense of humor!
Snap! Hopefully that turned out okay.
“Okay, the picture’s done! Let’s go! I don’t want to be tardy for my first day of middle school!” We jumped in the car. On the way there, my stomach got butterflies, what if I mess up when they call each of our names! What if I get picked on? What if my teachers don’t like me? BEEP! I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, I didn’t notice that we were already at Evan’s school.
“Bye, Evan! Love you!” We shouted our farewells. Now it was my turn. As we got closer to the school, I felt my heart skip beats, my hands getting sweaty, and I started biting my nails, I always bite my nails when I’m nervous. We made it. Everything around me seemed to slow down. All I heard was me breathing. I was floating. I went numb, but somehow my hand grasped the door handle, as if it had a mind of its own.
“Bye, Emma, have a great first day! I love you!”
“Bye Mom, see you after school!” The door is open now. I see one of my friends.
“Hey Emily!” That was my friend Hannah. She’s so sweet! I met her at open house.
“Hey! We really are sixth graders, huh?”
“Yup!” The bell rang. We could now go inside. Me and Hannah went to the gym and talked until the next bell rang. I had to go to my first period. Mrs. Baker is my math teacher.
“Welcome to math!” She sounded like she was nervous too, and her classroom smelled like honeysuckle. I took my seat. Third row, not bad! Class went by fast, and soon, the bell rang. Now we go to flex, whatever that means. I got a piece of paper that said my flex teacher, Mrs. Dodrill, and where her class is. I found her room and sat down.
“Okay everyone! I’m Mrs. Dodrill and I’m your flex teacher. You don’t get a grade for this class, all you do is read or do IXL.” IXL is a website that helps us “learn” (more like rip our hair out). I hate IXL! It is super frustrating. Wow, I never really noticed this, but everyone looks different from last year. Everyone had acne, and a lot of people now have braces. Everyone’s taller and I see a lot of bleached hair. Everyone seems to fit that description. Well, everyone except me. I already had braces last year, luckily, they’re off now! I pulled out my book. It was a Warriors book by Erin Hunter, she’s my favorite author! I started reading. I was so wrapped up into my book that I didn’t notice the bell ringing. Everyone got up. I jumped. I grabbed my stuff and rushed out the door. Now, time to go to P.E.! I got to the gym just in time.
“Let’s go ladies! Hurry up! We’ve got push-ups to do!” Our coach was yelling at a group of boys. In P.E., we ran, did push-up, squats, and I can’t even remember what else we did! I was too tired. At the Academy, we only played games!
Once P.E. was over, I went to Chorus. Yay! I love singing! I met my teacher, Mr. McQuade. His smile was kind and he seemed like he was actually happy to teach! Class was amazing! We sang, and we already learned so much from him! He was so much fun, and I think he thinks I’m a good singer too! The bell rang, and I grabbed my stuff and headed for the door. Maybe I will get a solo! I can just see it! Me, a star! I ran into the door. I guess I was so caught up daydreaming.
I went to my third period, my language arts class with my teacher, Mrs. Brown. I sat down at my seat. As soon as she came into the room, she started yelling at us and saying corny jokes. Finally, lunchtime! I sat and ate with my friend, Lauren. We had a blast playing “try not to laugh”! When we came back, I had to go to the bathroom. I got Mrs. Brown to sign my agenda so I could go. I came back. Class was now over. I went to my locker and I got my binders for fourth and fifth period. Then I went to my science class with my teacher, Mr. Buice. Class was fun. I’ve never been so excited about learning! Class went by fast, and before I knew it, I was in my fifth period class with my social studies teacher, Mrs. Upshaw. My friend Dany is in that class too! Mrs. Upshaw is very nice, and I think we will get along just fine!
The bell rang for us to go to our lockers. The school day was finally over! I got my bag and I went to car riders with Lauren. I saw my mom’s car. I hopped in the back (Evan was in the front).
“So, how was your first day?” my mom has kind eyes, and a sweet, calming voice.
“Good. And you know what? Middle school might not be so bad after all!” My mom smiled.
“That’s good! Why don’t we go get a blizzard from Dairy Queen to celebrate?”
“Yes please!”
I smiled as I took a bite of my ice cream. It was going to be a good year!
