It was the first day of 6th grade; mom dropped me off because it was a special day, so I didn’t have to ride the bus this morning. However, that did mean I got to school right at the bell, so no time to chat or play outside with my friends. I run inside, eager as ever, looking for my classroom and nervous about meeting my teacher. I’m at the very end of the hall this year because I was the oldest in the school, I remember realizing. I enter my class and am greeted to see my friends Kelsey, Sydney, Alexis and Charlotte. I quickly look for my assigned spot and realize that I was near non of my friends. In fact, the people around me were new kids, from the looks of it. Mrs. South tells us to take out our belongings, and I am overly excited to whip out all my brand new pens, pencils, markers, binders, duo tangs, pencil case, put my new inside shoes on, and take out my brand new lunch kit!
Every year mom would take my sister and me to buy new school supplies! And I mean EVERYTHING was new. Being that it was all I knew as a kid, I didn’t think much of it. Once I got into high school, I kept the same binder and backpack for 4 years. However, I think it’s because I lost school motivation and not because my mom decided not to buy me anything new again.
After my excitement of taking everything out and laying it on my desk, the anthem came on over the intercom. So I stand up, and as I am standing at my desk, I look around at my neighbouring classmates and realize they have nothing. Not one thing was sitting at either of the 2 boys’ desks. I was astonished. I remember thinking, “well, did they not get to go back to school shopping at staples” or ” did their mom and dad forget about school starting” how could they have nothing to start the school year off with. I mean, they didn’t even have lunch with them! The anthem ended, and the class’s buzz started again, but I couldn’t help but feel so guilty seeing everyone so excited to use all their new pens etc., and these boys were needing to be thankful for being at school.
This was when I realized what a socioeconomic status was…
One Comment
Miles Wilson
I know exactly what you depicted and described, I could put myself perfectly in the moment. I remember those days as well, however I always lived by the school that I was attending until high school, so the only difference in our stories is that you took the bus that day and I walked. But the point was further than that, and far more important, I always got my school supplies a few days before school started, and I was always so excited to go, but I knew a lot of kids who would show up with little to nothing, or the bare minimum. They were just happy to be there. The one thing that has changed in my eyes since back then is the programs schools offer now compared to before, the snacks, the lunches, all of the above are provided for students who don’t have those simple means at home. That makes me very very happy.
Miles, Wilson.