"Good morning, everyone. I'm Daniel Moore, and I'll be teaching Biology this year," announced a man with black hair and steady brown eyes as he stepped into the classroom.
Like the earlier periods zthis class also devoted to introductions, with Mr. Moore taking the time to familiarize himself with each student.
By the end of the fourth period, I had already formed a rough impression of where my classmates stood- both from entrance exams results and the way they carried themselves while speaking.
I ranked eighth in the class, while my seatmate is in at thirteenth. Not at the very top, but respectable enough.
A quiet voice inside me whispered that I might climb higher if I actually put in the effort. But the truth was, I hadn't felt much motivation since that day before middle school began.
The top five- Dylan Lee, Emma Foster, Chloe Bryant, Marco Perez and Tristan Young- already carried themselves with an air of confidence. Just listening to them speak, it was obvious they were used to being in the spotlight.
At the other end, the bottom five- Mia Hughes, Stella Floresz Joel Brown, Oliver Campbell and Brandon Taylor- seemed either nervous, distracted, or disintrested. A few stumbled over their words, barely managing to introduce themselves properly.
For fifth period, we switched classrooms for World Language. I chose Spanish, along with seventy-six students other students across all sections:
Class A: 11 students
Class B: 8 students
Class C: 11 students
Class D: 9 students
Class E: 10 students
Class F: 12 students
Class G: 7 students
Class H: 8 students
Students from Class A, B, G, and H- thirty-four in total were placed together in one classroom. The remaining fourty-two students from Class C through F were grouped into another.
When I entered my assigned classroom, Emilia was already ther, eagerly waving me over to the empty seat beside her.
After the final period ended, everyone gathered at the gym for the thirty minutes mandatory P.E. at 3:00.
From then until to campus closing at 6;30, the time was reserved to club activities.
Since it was only first day, no one had officially comitted to a club yet. After finishing P.E. session, students scattered across campus, exploring their options.
Emilia chartered excitedly as we walked out of the gym together. She wanted to run for Freshman Tresurer, already brimming with confidence.
"Nominations for Freshman Council start at the end of August," she said, pointing at the flyer posted on the freshman bulletin board.
As for me, I had no intrest in joinijg a club just yet. I only want to get through high school quietly, hoping to find the motivation to feel normal again.
So I slipped away to the library, and Emilia followed. We spent the rest of the afternoon quietly reading until it was time to head home.
And so, my very first day of the fall semester came to a close- an ordinary start, yet somewhere deep down, I couldn't help but wonder what the days ahead might bring.