On August 30, 2010, I began a new journey, and this was a day that changed my life. Moving schools is never fun, regardless the age. I had been attending school at Continental Elementary for three years, going for kindergarten, first, and second grades. I loved going to school there, and I had made many friends and many memories. At the school I attended with my brothers, I couldn’t participate in contact sports, and my parents thought the would enjoy watching us play sports. Heading into my third grade year, our family decided to move and play more sports.

I chose my clothes for the first day the night before. What better way to express who I am and what I like than wearing the scarlet and gray of an Ohio State jersey. My dad woke me up after a restless night of me being wrapped up between, ‘How am I going to make new friends?’ and ‘Are people going to like me?’ I also didn’t know if I’d see my first friends ever again. I had been so restless that night I woke up trembling.

I was nine years old almost ready to turn ten in October. As my day began, I flopped out of bed with gooey and crusty eyes, and I scurried to put my clothes on. I sat in the kitchen eating my breakfast, and after I concluded, Dad called out, “It’s time for pictures.” We have taken a first-day-of-school photo every year, and this year wasn’t going to be any different. Squinting at his camera because of the crimson canvas sunrise, we all exclaimed, “Cheese!”

We had to ride with Dad because we couldn’t ride the bus anymore. I remember going to the drop off zone by the school, that is no longer there, seeing the long, slate gray sidewalk through the school yard. After closing my dad’s car door, I clutched my backpack straps with the strength of a gorilla. As I walked down the sidewalk, it felt like a bridge with everything behind me falling away.

I jaunted into Ayersville Elementary for the first time, and I was determined to make it good. Strolling in, I met a new friend named Sam. Sam was really the first one who welcomed me. I began my day off in homeroom, Mrs Huddel’s. Mrs. Huddle was a tremendous teacher. She helped me in introducing myself. She asked me to stand up, and she introduced me to the class by announcing my name. I then said where I came from. I declared, “My name is Carson, and I’m from Continental.”

We lounged in first period for awhile, and then we went to our next class. At my previous school, we never changed classes, so this seemed odd to me. After the first few class changes, I realized this was normal.

I went to lunch for the first time, and it had been very odd to me there, too. When we went to lunch at my previous school students told lunch workers what they desired and the workers made the tray. I had been peered at awkwardly when I ordered because here students just grab a refreshing choice of milk and walk toward the end of the line and grab the tray with the lunch.

Once lunch concluded, I experienced my first recess. Football at Ayersville was hardcore like a warzone. We tackled, slid, dove, rolled, and hit quite often. My knees were bruised like a banana and my fresh school clothes earned green grass stains. It was not very exciting after lunch ended; however, it did have one last highlight.

We ventured to gym class. I loved gym class so much, and when I saw that my new friends enjoyed this, too, I became extremely excited. We played dodgeball the first day, and it was intense for third graders, I thought. My stomach churned with excitement as the day ended, and I enjoyed my first day and all the unique experiences that came with it.

After the bell rang, my mom picked me up in her Dodge Journey. When I told her, I had been smiling ear to ear. I was very enthused to tell my mom of my day, and I had been dying to tell her. My mom was very nervous for me because she knew how ornery I could act. She smiled when I told her I made more friends.

Relaxation followed after I returned home. Tired from worrying all night, I headed for the couch and watched TV. I lay around and went to bed extra earlier that night. As my head hit the pillow, I smiled, relieved that I made new friends.