New Kid

On the first day of, I walked into the loud, crowded bus.  People were talking loudly and yelling.  The aisle was packed and gave no personal space.  I remembered the first rush of nervousness and excitement, as I walked down the aisle and looked around for an empty seat.  Many people were pushing in the line, trying to get into a seat as soon as possible.  When I walked down to nearly the last seat, a patrol told me to sit in a seat with two other children.  I sat down quietly, trying to make myself smaller, so that the two other students wouldn’t be squished and annoyed with me.  They must have been friends, because they were chatting away.  I felt left out and very nervous at first.  The two friends started talking to me.  They included me in their conversation, and soon I was a lot less nervous as I realized how kind the students could be.  I just hoped the other students and teachers were understanding and nice like them. 

Soon, we arrived at school.  Many questions started forming in my head, as I walked into the big school—only making me more nervous.  “Will my teacher be nice?  Will I make any friends?  Will I fit in, or stay the ‘new kid’?  Will I be able to find my classroom?”  They kept echoing in my head, even though I told them to go away.    I had heard that many people got lost, so I paid careful attention to all the turns in the hallway.  Even though I did this, I still couldn’t find my classroom.  I reached my classroom after searching for several minutes. 

I realized the students were very helpful and not in the least bit mean.  They guided me around the school, and they told me what to do.  I also realized the teachers were nice and understanding.  The teacher let the new kids introduce themselves.  After that, I felt as though I had been officially declared a Floris student—not just some new kid.  They explained how everything worked, and told me about the daily routines.  Soon, I learned what WFLO was, and how to work the SmartBoard. 

Then, it was time for lunch.  I didn’t know where to sit.  Many people invited me over.  It felt special.  Many people wanted to be with me—maybe even be friends.  I felt special.  I took a seat with some kids who seemed pretty eager to sit with me.  Lunch went by in a flash, and it was time for recess!  Many groups of children formed, so I joined one of them.  They kindly invited me to play with them.  Recess went by even faster than lunch, and it was time to pack up sooner than I had expected.  The day had just seemed to start, when it ended. 

Over the next few days, I got used to the daily routines, and the expectations.  They became a part of my life.  I made new friends, and soon, I was no longer the “new kid.”