Day 1
edit: I forgot to write about scheduling & orientation, etc. last time. I decided to be a part of the AICE program. AICE classes are pretty much British versions of AP classes, except they have an emphasis on writing.
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It's finally done, with day 2 on the way. I'm only just about a year behind. :P
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The day had come. August 9 - first day of school. I was forced to face my new life.
I nervously got ready. I had picked out my outfit days before -- khaki capris and a dark blue t-shirt. Triple checked what was in my backpack, making sure all notebooks were there. I can't remember if I brought the textbooks, but I wouldn't hold it past myself. I'll probably bring them again this year, even though it's completely unnecessary. But just in case, right?
My sister and I were totally in time for the bus. We stood there. ...and stood there. Other frustrated parents who drove by and saw us told us that they were told the bus had already passed. I didn't show it (Mom wasn't too happy), but I was glad. I had no desire to ride on what I irrationally pictured as a full & filthy bus on the first day.
Rattler
Sooner than expected, I was at my new school. I immediately walked to homeroom. Where else was I to go? There was a full half hour before the bell was to ring (here school starts at 9:45 ;), so naturally, no one was there. I decided to try and finish one of my summer reading books (Emma - I ultimately found it dumb.). After a while, kids slowly started to trickle in. We were able to choose our seats, so, of course, the two smart alecs decided to sit by the new gi.rl. Luckily, their hassles didn't last too long.
Homeroom isn't just a homeroom. It's a half-hour FCAT Prep Period. They grouped all of the freshman and sophomore pre-AICE students into four classes. We would have to "learn" vocabulary (ex. perimeter, electron, range) as well as do some very, very easy math. Why give such a class to kids who definitely didn't need it? All of the students agreed that a study hall would have been a much better use of time. Junior year's Rattler period actually is a study hall, but it was decided that all Rattler be abolished this coming school year. Oh well. Now I'm forced to finish more of my homework at home. ;P
We received our planners as well as the other expected first-day papers and notices. Breathe in. Breathe out. Not so bad. Then the bell rang for 3rd period.
(Rattler is first period and held everyday. Odd days are for periods 3, 5, & 7 and Even days for periods 2, 4, & 6. Technically, one really gets to have 2 first days of school.)
Physics
I packed my stuff into my backpack as fast as I could. Why hadn't I watched the clock? I felt as if I was working in slow motion. My next class, physics, was right next-door, and it had really only been a minute. I entered...and all of the kids were in their seats with their stuff out and ready. I was nervous as it is, and this just freaked me out.
What kind of robotic geniuses was I supposed to work with for the rest of my high school career!?!? They were this obsessed with school???
(...I later figured out that they had Dr. Hasan for first and third period. Heh.)
However, I sat myself down, and it went well. He gave the usual first-day lecture and from the things he added, I expected it to be a very good class. He expressed that he had a lot of confidence in us, and really thought quite highly of us.
Lunch
Next came 5th period, where all the different lunch slots came into play. The paper with my schedule on it had times corresponding to each class, and there was nothing listed for the first half hour after 3rd period, so I figured that time was for lunch.
I awkwardly tried to find a seat, opting for one with not many people around me. I ate my pb&j and drank my juice pretty quickly, so I spent the rest of the time trying to finish as much of Emma as I could. I later noticed that I was the only kid sitting at that table (they were long, rectangular tables). I didn't really want a whole bunch of people (strangers, really) to sit by me, but just me? Yeah, I didn't feel too good. I started thinking about how great lunch would have been back home, having all of my friends with me, and I started to tear up. I gathered my stuff up and walked outside to get my mind off of it. I couldn't cry now.
Sociology
When I entered 5th period, the class was once again full, and all the students were ready to go. And again, I really hadn't taken that long to find the class. ...déjà vu, indeed.
But it was really more than that. Mr. Guynn was walking around lecturing, and I seemed to have interrupted.
Eh.
I asked to make sure if I was in the right class, and I certainly was. I asked if I was late, and I certainly was. By 30 minutes. I had gone to the wrong lunch. Annoyed, he passed me the syllabus and asked me why I went to A lunch instead of coming to class.
...Oh Lord, I thought. Part of me worried, "Now he thinks I'm some sort of punk and is gonna dislike me for the rest of the year...."
I screwed up, and instead of telling him the truth, which wouldn't have been bad at all, I blurted out that I had asked a student. I knew it was a mistake to say that right as I was saying it. Everything he mini-lectured me on was just what I expected him to say. "Why would I depend on a student for the answer to such a question? etc."
...Oh Lord, I thought. Part of me worried, "Now he thinks I'm some sort of irresponsible, immature punk and is gonna dislike me for the rest of the year...."
He explained to me that the lunch wave assigned to that building was C Lunch. When it came time for our actual lunch, he just told me to go again. What else could I do? I read more of Emma.
Ha, skipping class by mistake - my walk on the wild side.
The rest of 5th went alright, and by the end of class I was excited to start the material.
English
When the bell rang (I forgot to mention the bells here are unusually long), I was so glad that the day was almost over. I couldn't wait to go home and do nothing.
It actually did take me a while to find English class, and it was all the way across campus, so when I got there and saw that (once again) everyone was present and had all of their stuff out, it didn't surprise me. The classroom was packed, and there was only one seat open. I was so bummed that I had a large English class, especially since it's my least favorite subject.
Ms. Edwards reminded me of my elementary school gifted teacher, Mrs. Hopkins. That was good. They're both strict and claimed they didn't like fun, but class was always interesting.
The first day of English class has scared me ever since...probably 6th grade, so, yes, by the last bell of the day (2:35) I was quite worried that we were in store for bunches of essay assignments. I mean, she even assigned our parents a writing assignment.
After school, I did have to take the bus home, and it did end up being overly full and filthy. There were 3 kids to most of the seats, and it was really hot out, so the smell wasn't exactly the stuff of Bath & Body Works. :P
````````````````````````````````````````````````
It's finally done, with day 2 on the way. I'm only just about a year behind. :P
````````````````````````````````````````````````
The day had come. August 9 - first day of school. I was forced to face my new life.
I nervously got ready. I had picked out my outfit days before -- khaki capris and a dark blue t-shirt. Triple checked what was in my backpack, making sure all notebooks were there. I can't remember if I brought the textbooks, but I wouldn't hold it past myself. I'll probably bring them again this year, even though it's completely unnecessary. But just in case, right?
My sister and I were totally in time for the bus. We stood there. ...and stood there. Other frustrated parents who drove by and saw us told us that they were told the bus had already passed. I didn't show it (Mom wasn't too happy), but I was glad. I had no desire to ride on what I irrationally pictured as a full & filthy bus on the first day.
Rattler
Sooner than expected, I was at my new school. I immediately walked to homeroom. Where else was I to go? There was a full half hour before the bell was to ring (here school starts at 9:45 ;), so naturally, no one was there. I decided to try and finish one of my summer reading books (Emma - I ultimately found it dumb.). After a while, kids slowly started to trickle in. We were able to choose our seats, so, of course, the two smart alecs decided to sit by the new gi.rl. Luckily, their hassles didn't last too long.
Homeroom isn't just a homeroom. It's a half-hour FCAT Prep Period. They grouped all of the freshman and sophomore pre-AICE students into four classes. We would have to "learn" vocabulary (ex. perimeter, electron, range) as well as do some very, very easy math. Why give such a class to kids who definitely didn't need it? All of the students agreed that a study hall would have been a much better use of time. Junior year's Rattler period actually is a study hall, but it was decided that all Rattler be abolished this coming school year. Oh well. Now I'm forced to finish more of my homework at home. ;P
We received our planners as well as the other expected first-day papers and notices. Breathe in. Breathe out. Not so bad. Then the bell rang for 3rd period.
(Rattler is first period and held everyday. Odd days are for periods 3, 5, & 7 and Even days for periods 2, 4, & 6. Technically, one really gets to have 2 first days of school.)
Physics
I packed my stuff into my backpack as fast as I could. Why hadn't I watched the clock? I felt as if I was working in slow motion. My next class, physics, was right next-door, and it had really only been a minute. I entered...and all of the kids were in their seats with their stuff out and ready. I was nervous as it is, and this just freaked me out.
What kind of robotic geniuses was I supposed to work with for the rest of my high school career!?!? They were this obsessed with school???
(...I later figured out that they had Dr. Hasan for first and third period. Heh.)
However, I sat myself down, and it went well. He gave the usual first-day lecture and from the things he added, I expected it to be a very good class. He expressed that he had a lot of confidence in us, and really thought quite highly of us.
Lunch
Next came 5th period, where all the different lunch slots came into play. The paper with my schedule on it had times corresponding to each class, and there was nothing listed for the first half hour after 3rd period, so I figured that time was for lunch.
I awkwardly tried to find a seat, opting for one with not many people around me. I ate my pb&j and drank my juice pretty quickly, so I spent the rest of the time trying to finish as much of Emma as I could. I later noticed that I was the only kid sitting at that table (they were long, rectangular tables). I didn't really want a whole bunch of people (strangers, really) to sit by me, but just me? Yeah, I didn't feel too good. I started thinking about how great lunch would have been back home, having all of my friends with me, and I started to tear up. I gathered my stuff up and walked outside to get my mind off of it. I couldn't cry now.
Sociology
When I entered 5th period, the class was once again full, and all the students were ready to go. And again, I really hadn't taken that long to find the class. ...déjà vu, indeed.
But it was really more than that. Mr. Guynn was walking around lecturing, and I seemed to have interrupted.
Eh.
I asked to make sure if I was in the right class, and I certainly was. I asked if I was late, and I certainly was. By 30 minutes. I had gone to the wrong lunch. Annoyed, he passed me the syllabus and asked me why I went to A lunch instead of coming to class.
...Oh Lord, I thought. Part of me worried, "Now he thinks I'm some sort of punk and is gonna dislike me for the rest of the year...."
I screwed up, and instead of telling him the truth, which wouldn't have been bad at all, I blurted out that I had asked a student. I knew it was a mistake to say that right as I was saying it. Everything he mini-lectured me on was just what I expected him to say. "Why would I depend on a student for the answer to such a question? etc."
...Oh Lord, I thought. Part of me worried, "Now he thinks I'm some sort of irresponsible, immature punk and is gonna dislike me for the rest of the year...."
He explained to me that the lunch wave assigned to that building was C Lunch. When it came time for our actual lunch, he just told me to go again. What else could I do? I read more of Emma.
Ha, skipping class by mistake - my walk on the wild side.
The rest of 5th went alright, and by the end of class I was excited to start the material.
English
When the bell rang (I forgot to mention the bells here are unusually long), I was so glad that the day was almost over. I couldn't wait to go home and do nothing.
It actually did take me a while to find English class, and it was all the way across campus, so when I got there and saw that (once again) everyone was present and had all of their stuff out, it didn't surprise me. The classroom was packed, and there was only one seat open. I was so bummed that I had a large English class, especially since it's my least favorite subject.
Ms. Edwards reminded me of my elementary school gifted teacher, Mrs. Hopkins. That was good. They're both strict and claimed they didn't like fun, but class was always interesting.
The first day of English class has scared me ever since...probably 6th grade, so, yes, by the last bell of the day (2:35) I was quite worried that we were in store for bunches of essay assignments. I mean, she even assigned our parents a writing assignment.
After school, I did have to take the bus home, and it did end up being overly full and filthy. There were 3 kids to most of the seats, and it was really hot out, so the smell wasn't exactly the stuff of Bath & Body Works. :P