The first days in any new place can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. I remember three significant first days in my life’s journey: my first day at a new school, my first day at a school in a different city, and my first day of college.

I studied at my first school until grade seven, and when I say ‘first school,’ I mean the one I had attended since kindergarten. Naturally, all my friends were those I had known since grade one or even earlier. At that age, you don’t really think about how to make friends — you just somehow end up with some.

I still remember the day my parents told me I would be switching to a new school. I was super excited, but at the same time, I was terrified. How in the world would I make new friends? What if I never made any? What if I ended up a loner? What if everyone thought I was a freak? My excitement about going to a new school quickly became mixed with fear.

After completing the admission process, the day finally arrived — it was my first day at the new school. I was excited about being in a new place, meeting new people and having new teachers. But at the same time, I was nervous. What if I accidentally made a fool of myself and everyone laughed? What if the teachers gave me a really difficult exam and I failed? Or what if the teachers turned out to be terrible?

But, to my surprise, the reality was quite the opposite. The teachers warmly welcomed me, and all the other kids were incredibly kind.

However, the most nerve-wracking first day was my first day of school in a completely different city. Leaving behind your childhood home and friends to move to a place where you know no one — and nothing about the place — is tough.

I entered the building with a sense of trepidation, convinced that something was bound to go wrong this time. I approached a teacher to ask for directions to my class, and he told me that we would have an assembly first, requesting me to sit on a bench nearby.

As I sat there, two girls approached me and asked if I was in their class. It turned out that I was. They introduced themselves, and I did the same. After the assembly, they guided me to our classroom, introduced me to everyone — including the teachers — and even shared some silly school gossip. With that warm welcome, my nervousness slowly melted away.

My least nerve-wracking first day was at college. Why? Because my best friend was studying there too. But when I say ‘least nerve-wracking,’ I don’t mean I wasn’t nervous at all. Of course, I was, for it was a completely new place, but that was all.

As I entered, the teachers guided me to my class. During the third or fourth period, my best friend deliberately walked past my classroom. The moment I saw her, my heart jumped a little, and a warm sense of belonging spread through me.

During the break, I told her about my classes and teachers, and she shared interesting facts and tales about college. With that, my first day of college turned out to be a lot of fun.

Through all these first days, I learnt an important lesson: first days may seem frightening, but it’s important not to overthink about them. Instead, we should embrace and enjoy them as much as possible because they might become some of the best days of our lives. Every ‘first’ is a small step toward our goals.

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 8th, 2025