First Day of School: A Personal Reflection on Childhood Memories

This assignment is a reflective essay by a student detailing their personal experience on the first day of school. The student recounts the emotional journey of transitioning from the home environment to the school setting, including initial nervousness and separation anxiety. The essay describes the new experiences, the interactions with teachers and peers, and the activities that helped the student adapt to the new environment. The student's narrative highlights the importance of the teacher's role in creating a welcoming atmosphere and facilitating social interaction among children. The essay also reflects on the positive aspects of the school environment, such as engaging activities and opportunities for making friends, and the eventual shift from initial apprehension to enjoyment and anticipation for the next school day. The essay concludes with the student's account of sharing their experiences with their parents and their eagerness to return to school. The assignment references Grusec's work on socialization to provide context to the experience.

Running head: YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author Note:

1YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Johnson elementary school is the school that my parents selected for me in
the initial days of my childhood. School is the first place in which the child tends
to communicate with the outer world (Grusec). It is because of the nervousness of
going away from my parents, I started crying and I wanted to run and go back to
them. The teacher took me inside a classroom where other children were also
sitting and playing games. The experience of my first day in school is very much
memorable that tends to remain with me till today.
At the very beginning, the first day of school was very much scary as it was
for the first time when I was going to stay aloof from my family members. On the
other hand, my parents were very much excited over my first day in school. They
made me wear the new uniform and even-handed me the bag which was filled with
crayons, water bottles and a tiffin box with my favorite tiffin. Buses are available
to take the children from their respective homes and drop them safely to the
schools but since it was the first day, my parents dropped me to school by
themselves.
Though in the very beginning, I was very much happy and excited to go to
school, learn new things and even make new friends, when the teacher took me

2YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
away from my parents, I became very much scared and nervous. Though I was
very much nervous and cried for a longer time, seeing the other children of my age
group made me relax a bit. The children of my age group gave me the satisfaction
that I am very much safe with them. The teacher who was in charge of the students
was very much concerned about each of the students who were present in the
classroom. The teacher instructed us to do group activities and even helped us to
interact with each of the students. The classroom in which I along with the other
children were placed was very much colorful and bright. The classroom had a
section that had many toys that attracted me the most.
Various rhymes and activities were being taught which helped me to learn
new things and develop simultaneously. In addition to this, a specific time was
given to us to eat the food which we have brought from our respective homes. We
were also being instructed by the teachers to share the tiffin’s which we have
brought along with us from our respective homes, with the other students who are
present in the class. It helped in making friends and start communication. At the
beginning of the session, we were asked to introduce ourselves to the rest of the
class. We were even asked to tell the names of our parents and even give certain
additional information if we could. The introduction took place alternatively.
Though I was very nervous in the beginning to go and speak up in front of the
teacher as well as other students present in the class, after introducing myself I felt

3YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
very much happy and relaxed. Various other fun activities were also played by us
as instructed by our teacher. No restrictions were being imposed on us and we got
similar kind of care as we get from my parents from the teacher as well.
Being engaged in the fun-loving activity of the school made us forget about
going back home. After the stipulated time, the teacher instructed us that it was
time to go back home. My parents came back to take me back home. Though in the
beginning, I was very sad and was crying to leave them and come alone to this
school, this time, I was sad about leaving school. On returning home, I told
everything that I experienced and did in the school and waited for the next day to
come so that I can go to school and make more memories like this to cherish later.

4YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
References
Grusec, Joan E., and Paul David Hastings, eds. Handbook of socialization: Theory and research.
Guilford Publications, 2014.