Some would argue that your first day of secondary school is one of the most important days of your life. You were 12 or 13 and thought you knew everything there was to know about life — oh, how wrong you were! There was still a lot to learn, and secondary school was the place where you’d spend the next six years growing up into a fully-fledged adult. We’ve been reminiscing and have pulled together the top five things you learned on day one of secondary school.
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As well as picking up ‘essential’ life skills like trigonometry and the Modh Coinníollach, more importantly, you mastered strong social skills and made friends for life. Even on your very first day of secondary school, you learned so much.
#1. The Commute
Figuring out your commute to school on your first day was half the battle. Going to primary school, you may have been used to being dropped off and collected by your parents, but now you were in the big world and left to fend for yourself!
Whether you walked, got the bus or cycled — your first commute to secondary school was a learning experience in itself. You had to pick up essential time management skills, as well as work out how to balance a schoolbag, gear bag and lunch bag while you walked!
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#2. Who Your Classmates Were
As you were sorted into your class, you nervously glanced around the school hall taking in your new classmates. They were the people you’d be spending almost every day with for the next six years. ‘Will I get on with anyone?’ ‘What if they don’t like me?’ — your first day was tough, especially when you didn’t know anyone. But your worries were swiftly put to one side when you started up a conversation about how itchy your uniform jumper was with the person beside you — and just like that, a friendship was born.
#3. Favourite Teacher
Everyone had a favourite teacher in secondary school, and this title was usually given out pretty quickly on your first day. Coming from primary school, where you only had one teacher, it took a while to wrap your head around having a different teacher for each subject.
On your first day, you promptly learned that each teacher had very different teaching styles and personalities. Normally the title of favourite teacher was handed to whoever didn’t give you homework on day one — a fail-safe move by the young, ‘cool’ staff to guarantee the popular teacher votes!
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#4. Your First Locker
Before your first day of secondary school, you were unaware of the hindrance of getting assigned a bottom locker. If you were one of the lucky ones who managed to get a top locker, you won’t be able to relate to the awkward head bangs and books falling on you from above throughout the day.
However, it wasn’t all bad — having your first locker meant it was time to decorate! Photos from the local disco and your favourite celebrity crush lined the inside of your locker, making school that bit more fun.
#5. Your First Subjects
Generally, for the first few weeks of secondary school you had the chance to try out all subjects before deciding which ones to take. On your first day, you were exposed to so many new things you hadn’t experienced in primary school. After that first day, you quickly got a sense of what you liked and disliked. Whether you found out you loved music and despised woodwork, or had a passion for art and dreaded German — it was a great opportunity to try them all out for yourself!
Over to you now. What are your memories of what you learned on your first day at secondary school? Please share them in the comments box below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest adjustment on the first day of secondary school?
Most students find the mix of a new commute, a bigger building and meeting lots of new classmates and teachers all in one day the biggest adjustment. It usually settles within the first few weeks as routines become familiar.
How can parents help make the first day easier?
Talking through the school run in advance, practising the locker combination or bag packing at home, and having an easy chat after school about what went well can all help take the pressure off.
Do students really get to try every subject in first year?
Many secondary schools offer a sampling period at the start of first year so students can experience different subjects before choosing options. Details vary by school, so it’s worth checking with your own school for their specific approach.
Why do lockers matter so much on the first day?
A locker is often a student’s first bit of personal space at secondary school. Getting to organise and decorate it gives a small but meaningful sense of ownership during a big transition.
Related Articles
- 6 Tips for Parents For The Transition to Secondary School
- Top Tips for Getting The Most Out Of Your Parent Teacher Meeting
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