My first day at school is a memorable childhood event that describes the excitement, initial fear of strange environments, and a funny attempt to run back home with grandfather.
What Makes My First Day at School Memorable?
I still remember my first day at school. A few months before I was taken to school, there was a kind of preparation in the family for helping me start a new chapter of my life, my school life. A new dress was tailored, a new bag and a few new books were purchased.
How Did I Reach the School?
On a fine morning in January, my grandmother and my mother dressed me up for school, hanged my school bag with the books inside at my back, and my grandfather, who was excessively fond of me, held me by my hand and led me to school. It was primary school about half a mile away from our home, not very far, but I had never been there before.
What Was the School Environment Like?
From a distance I could hear the noise of the students learning their lessons in a loud voice, and there was a sound like the singing of a chorus. When I reached the school, I saw a large number of boys and girls sitting in five different clusters, each cluster was a class. I could see them all, as there was no partition to separate the classes.
How Did I React to the New Experience?
I was afraid to see so many boys and girls, and the noise they were making. Moreover, the teachers were quite old and seemed rather unfriendly to me. My grandfather took me to the Head Teacher for admission, completed some formalities, gave me some advice and left me in the school.
Why Did I Run Away From School?
But five minutes after my grandfather had left, I felt so helpless among these strangers that I decided not to continue. Within moments, I took my bag and started running after my grandfather. I managed to overtake him in a few minutes, but he was surprised to see me thus run away from school. He tried to take me back to the school, but I started crying piteously. This moved my grandfather, who carried me back home. When I think of this now, it provokes laughter.
Key Takeaways
- Family preparation includes tailoring a new dress and purchasing a school bag and new books.
- The primary school was about half a mile away and featured an open seating arrangement without partitions.
- The author felt overwhelmed by strangers and tried running back home with grandfather.
- Reflecting on this childhood incident brings amusement and laughter today.
Quick Practice
Test your reading comprehension by answering the following questions in the comments section below:
- How far was the primary school from the author's home?
- Why did the author decide to run away from school after five minutes?
Frequently Asked Questions About My First Day at School
What preparations were made before the first day at school?
A new dress was tailored, and a new bag along with a few new books were purchased as part of the family preparation.
How did the author react to the classroom environment?
The author felt afraid due to the large number of boys and girls, the loud noise, and the teachers who seemed rather unfriendly.
How did the grandfather react when the author ran away?
The grandfather was surprised to see the author running away, tried to take the author back, but ultimately carried the child back home after seeing him cry piteously.