Sudeeksha Y
Surely everybody remembers their first and last days of school. These beginnings and endings mark memories for a lifetime. Coincidentally, on that first day we enter school crying and on our last day too, tears well up in our eyes.
It was 14 years ago when I first saw my school. I was upset and angry that my parents were sending me away. I didn’t stop crying until the colours in my new classroom caught my eye. The way it was designed was most appealing to me as a child. With an enthusiastic teacher, a beautiful classroom and many fun and engaging activities to do, I settled down in my school.
My school has a huge playground with basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts along with a cricket ground, space for table tennis and much more. Schooling here was not just reading, writing and moving onto the next grade, it was a holistic learning journey. There were abundant activities and programmes held regularly in school, and I loved participating in everything, especially dressing up in different costumes for various programmes. With days passing by, my school became my second home.
In high school, activities such as music, dance, art, craft and drama were integrated into the curriculum, making school even more fun and the memories merrier. My favourite period was the spiritual activity period during which we chanted shlokas and meditated. We would close our eyes and listen to soothing music or there were stories told or bhajans sung. Sometimes, a friendly yet insightful talk would be initiated.
I most enjoyed my archery classes, which were held in the space between our school and the neighbouring school. Arrows used to fly over and hit the windows of the classroom and fall into the school next door. The fact that the space was very narrow made our classes very thrilling.
Memories in the canteen are countless. I will never forget the fights over the coupons and the mouth watering aloo manchuria. The highlight of my high school life was the award I won for swimming.
My high school years taught me resilience and dedication and helped me evolve into a person ready to face the world.
My journey in school, from beginning to end, reflects the change from primary school to where I am now. Some things will make us more confident and happy and some things will make us braver, stronger and wiser. The ups and downs in school are all part of growing up. That my life in school would end one day, teaching me so many things in the process and that I would be beginning a new phase in college, I didn’t know all those years ago when I stood crying outside the gates of my school.
The author is a 17-year-old with hopes and aspirations awaiting her simple yet progressive journey in the world of learning. She can be reached at sudhee.yellanki@gmail.com.