School life is and will forever be the best part of my life. Anyone who has been a student, knows what school life is all about: It is the golden period of learning and it truly impacts students’ lives. I still laugh with friends when we retell funny stories about what happened in some of our classes and recount the more unique teacher personalities. I had formative, and sometimes, hilarious experiences that shaped my life outlook. The impact on me has been enduring, and the lessons I learned have been invaluable. I clearly remember my first day at school and the memories of this day are still vivid. There I was, a 3 year old kid crying at the doorstep of his classroom. Little did I know, this was just the beginning, the beginning of a beautiful journey that I was about to embark on which I would be left cherishing for the rest of my life. Much like any other child, I quite frankly hated going to school in my earlier years. Waking up early, getting ready and leaving for school all while being half asleep is something that I dreaded as a child. It was only as I began growing older that I began to realise that school was not so bad after all. Initially I was frightened by the blurriest of shadows of my school teachers, but as the years passed by, spending time with our teachers became one of the best parts of school. Well, coming to the best parts about school, it was no doubt my friends. The friends that I had made when I barely knew to speak are the friends whom I can now trust my life with. Looking back, the tiniest of memories of my time with my school friends brings a large smile to my face. Even at the time of writing this blog, all these memories are flashing right before my eyes.
During all my time at school, I participated in numerous events, assemblies and celebrations. The immense fun that lies behind preparing for these events along with my friends and teachers is something that I would love to carry on to my college life as well. As I entered my last couple years of schooling, school became the polar opposite of what it seemed to me about 10-12 years ago. Most of my teachers had become my friends, and my friends had become my family. Being in the early teens, we were all enjoying every last ounce of our final years in the school. Going to school simply became a source of joy rather than being a compulsion, and the days spent at home were now held in huge regret. Also at the same time, we were all working really hard to keep up our good grades and to pass out from the school with flying colours. It was in the last couple months that a sense of sadness began developing in our minds. The thought of leaving this family behind to walk into a new world of opportunity was something none of us were truly prepared for. Everything ranging from our teachers and friends to our very own classrooms had become an emotion which was really difficult to let go of.
Right now, I am sitting by my table, writing this blog after finally witnessing the end to my school life. On the very first day of school, I would never have imagined this journey to hold hostage the sweetest of the my life’s memories. A message to any of my folks reading this blog, ‘Don’t be sad because it ended, just be happy because it happened.’
By Ishan Abhyankar