A stranger comes to town

The first day of the new school year at the Mary R. Hurd school in North Berwick, Maine. All the fourth and fifth graders itching to get off their buses, and running to find their new classrooms. Every one of them eager to have old friends in their classes with them and to make new friendships with others. Teachers are preparing their plans for the day and making their finishing touches on the schedule. They greet every child that walks into their classrooms and directs them to their seats. As the day is just about to begin and the last students come trickling in and take their seats the anticipation of the first day settles in. Specifically in Mrs. Michael's room fifth grade classroom everyone is chatting about their summers and talking about their adventures; they all seem to know each other pretty well. Meanwhile, there's a new girl walking the halls searching for her new classroom. She's wearing a brand new outfit and a new shirt, that she thinks is so cool. She's nervous but confident and excited about her first day at a new school. Not at all worried about whether or not she'll meet new friends, she's just excited to make more memories in a new town and be apart of something unfamiliar to her. I envy that young girls confidence and poise when it came to a new school and a whole new set of kids and teachers she was about to get to know. She was not afraid what this new town had in store. She hadn't quite experienced much in her life so there was nothing to be afraid of in her mind. I envy this girl because I wish I could take her place when it comes to her self-assurance and have that type of confidence now that I am older when I walk into unfamiliar territory. I long to trade places with that new girl in town because that girl was me. We all wish we could tell ourselves what we know now, that we didn't know then. Being the new person in town is fun and exciting but it was difficult at times because I did not know anyone's past. It was hard to be a good judge of character when you don't know much about the majority of the kids you're going to school with. So, to all the kids at the Mary Hurd school that day I was the stranger in town. In a way I felt like a stranger because I didn't know anyone, but I dove into my new life positively and was hopeful about my new friendships and class and I think I came out of it just fine.