We all understand the realities of elementary school. We all understand the do’s and don’ts, as well as the up’s and down’s. It was quite the ride, but considering we survived and made it this far, it’s interesting to look back and laugh at all the trivial things that felt like the end of the world. Regardless of how long ago we were in elementary school, or how our experience was, there are certain things that will definitely give you epic nostalgia:
1. Wait…Teachers don’t live at school?
So you’re telling me, that when we leave at the end of the day, when the lights go off and the evening is over, teacher’s don’t stick around waiting to break out their sleeping bags? OH, so the staff-room has beds…Wait, it doesn’t?
I know I’m not the only one who used to believe teachers slept, ate, and lived at school. It’s always weird seeing teachers outside of school, but as a child, seeing them always seemed next to impossible because we thought they were always at school. I guess considering the fact that school acts as a second home for students, it isn’t ridiculous to assume that for teachers it was their first and apparently only. Oops!
2. There is absolutely nothing cool about dressing warm.
A coat, at recess, in December? Ya right. We needed to ensure our aerodynamics were at their maximum potential! The only thing that extra stuffing in a jacket is its ability to slow us down when we’re trying to avoid being “it.” Besides, everyone knows that the cool kids don’t GET cold, duh. Regardless of the temperature, everyone knows that staying cool at recess, meant never truly keeping warm.
3. The higher you raise your hand, the more likely you are to get called on.
I think we’re all pretty familiar with the excessive reaching upwards that we all did when you knew the answer to a question. It seemed as though regardless of all the other hands that were also raised, if you were able to get yours just a bit higher, throwing in some of that finger twitching and the eye squint to match, you had it in the bag. If after all that effort you still weren’t called on to share your answer with the class, you clearly weren’t adding the subtle yet exceptionally effective “oh oh oh’s” to highlight your credibility.
4. Wise beyond your years.
Obviously, we can’t always spell everything correctly. We’re bound to make mistakes, especially as young children. However, there is absolutely no denying the hilarious instance wherein we made our first “dirty” little mistake. The comical slip up that changed a perfectly innocent word, into something far too vulgar for a nine-year-old, is a story that never seems to get old.
5. When your teacher proves you wrong, you have to hide the embarrassment.
After you so confidently shout out the answer you know in your heart of hearts is right, nothing feels worse than being shut down in front of your class. The worst part is, after you realize you were wrong, you aren’t allowed to show how upset you are – it’s a rule. You have to swallow the embarrassment like a massive pill and keep on smiling because you are not allowed to show that it has gotten to you. The teacher is never allowed to know how you truly feel.
Elementary school: A time of laughs, a time of risk and undoubtedly a time of many different kinds of experiences. No matter what happened to us personally, we are able to understand this time collectively, as with it we found ourselves immersed in a world of boogers, myths, spelling mistakes and what it truly means to be a cool kid. Cheers to the younger years, to making it out alive, and to turning out somewhat alright.
Featured image via Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash
