First days. A roller-coaster ride of emotions. Sad, excited, nervous, happy, anxious, and whatnot?! Everyone's first day is different.

Some might be very excited to see their friends after summer and share all the exciting moments that occurred. Others might be nervous since it's their first day, and it might even be a new environment for them. In this article, I will share experiences from my first week of school and help you avoid the same mistakes I did.

My experience:

My first year of my teen years, year 7. I just moved to the UK, a new country, a new school, and new people. Oh boy, was I nervous and scared.

My worst fear came true, getting lost in that huge school. You see, my old school had only one block and 2 floors. This new school had almost 3-4 blocks and 3 floors in each block, and to me, it looked like an unsolvable maze. My first class went smoothly since I was in my classroom with my tutor group. However, the second hour was a nightmare. I received my schedule only on my first day. I had P.E. I didn't bring my P.E kit, I was late, and I got a late warning. And I had to borrow a kit and change with almost 20 more people in a room. Oh, dear. I ended up crying from how overwhelming it all was...

Image credit: Celina Verghese from Unsplash

Day two was a bit better; I found 2 people who would actually want to sit with me at lunch. Since year 7, we were allowed to bring food from home, and we had a separate room to have our own food. And finally, I felt like I belonged in this school.

By the third day, I began to settle in a little. I made sure to pack all my supplies and double-check my timetable before leaving home. This saved me from another embarrassing situation like my P.E class!

I still felt nervous in the corridors, but I was no longer scared. The classes started to make more sense, and I began recognizing familiar faces. I wasn’t friends with anyone yet, but this day made me realize that little improvements add up and that surviving one day at a time is enough.

The fourth day was when I started to feel like I was part of the school. I didn’t need to stop every teacher to ask for directions, and I could walk confidently from one class to another. I also had a small conversation with one of my teachers, and they reminded me that asking for help is normal.

That gave me more courage to speak up whenever I was unsure. Lunch was less scary now, and I was slowly starting to enjoy myself.

Furthermore, the first week was a bit better than my first day. I caught up with the school's way of teaching, and the whole week taught me one thing: "Be Prepared", as Scar from The Lion King says.

Therefore, as a student and your well-wisher, I don't want you to make the same mistakes as I did.

How To Prepare For The First Day?

Step 1: Prepare all your supplies and equipment the night before. This includes anything you might need for school.

Step 2: Get at least 8 - 10 hours of sleep so that you can handle what is yet to come.

Step 3: A New year means new responsibilities. Set a clear timetable of how you want your week to flow.

Step 4: Learn your timetable and plan ahead in time for your classes. Your teachers are always there to help you when you are unsure.

Step 5: Be brave and talk to other people. It might be awkward to ask 'Can I sit here?', but you might have just found a new friend!

You Got This!

The first-everything is always hard. Be it a new studying method you found, or the first class for a new course you applied for, once you get the hang of it, no one can stop you! You got this! Believe in yourself!