As I walked into a new classroom with thirty pairs of eyes on me, Mrs. H. said, “Everyone we have a new student.” I introduced myself and took a seat.  I was only in second grade and was welcomed into a new school in a small town; I came from a good size school in Watsonville and had just moved to the small town of Aromas, which to this day only has a few thousand people. My second grade room was vibrant with color and instantly made me happy and joyful! The teacher and the aids, as well as the students, were happy and really wanted to learn. I was in my class and my teacher smiled at me and made me her special helper.  It was a positively exciting day because I met my new teacher, who introduced me to reading and my first favorite book and partake in circle time, I got a new best friend who taught me about the unspoken playground rules that the other kids already knew about because they had been going to Aromas Elementary since kindergarten, she also got me into trouble for the first time and finally, I learned about the importance of class pets!
     After I took my seat that first day, the nice and outgoing Mrs. H. came over and made sure I had everything I needed. Beginning that first day, I learned new techniques to study and I was able to use them right away. One of these techniques was learned how to read. I remember the first book I read at Aromas was a ballerina book. I liked to read it over and over. So much that after my first day of school my grandma bought me a copy that I could keep at home and read whenever I wanted! Besides learning how to read, I met my new best friend Melanie!
     I came to Aromas mid-year so all the clicks had already formed and everybody had a best friend. I was alone and had to try to fit in a group.  It was hard making friends but the playground was my safe place where no one could hurt me there. There were bars to spin on and swings to run through while others were swinging. I remember the best game to do was tie a sweatshirt around the bar and sit in it to enhance the spinning ability around the bar. The playground was an important part of my first day because that is where I made some friends who felt the same as I did.  One girl in particular, named Melanie, was the one who told me about the unspoken playground rules and she showed me around the school. Such playground rules as, who had seniority on certain equipment and toys, which drinking fountain I could use, and she taught me the order you lined up in before going back to class. Although it was a small school I still managed to get lost.  It was also Melanie who got me into trouble for the first time.  It was in Mrs. H’s class during circle time. Circle time is when Mrs. H let us pick a book for her to read to us. We loved this time. It was right after recess and Mrs. H calmed us down getting us ready for the next daily activity. In the middle of the story Melanie got bored and kept on talking to me and I told her to “Please stop! I want to listen.”  Mrs. H. heard me and told me to go to the corner and think about why I was there. After the story she came over and talked to me. I was crying, for I had never been in trouble before and was scared. She calmed me down and gave me a hug. She simply told me that next time anyone is disturbing me or bothering me to raise my hand and she would take care of it. It was not my job to make other people stop doing things, I was only a child, and she would take care of me. Once circle time was over, I got to play with Fluffy, my new class pet.
     Later, after all the second grade drama calmed down, I met the class pet, a bunny named Fluffy. She was much nicer than my old class pet from my old school. Fluffy was white and black with a really soft coat and majestic eyes. At my school in Watsonville, the only class pet that was there was a snake called Izzy. I didn’t like Izzy, because in kindergarten she crawled up my leg and went into my shorts. I was scared and I thought it was going to bite me. There was also a school pet at Aromas, a goat, whose name was Molly. Old Molly was for the higher grade children. Fluffy was important ot me because I knew I could always count on her when I need s friend to play with! When I got older I would have old Molly to take care of and help be responsible for.  Not only did Mrs. H let us play with Fluffy, we also got to do arts and crafts. I got to paint pictures with special glittery paint and other kids taught me new games and showed me their artwork.  It was very exciting having all these new experiences.  I went to school with all these unique people until I went to high school – some moved away and some are still really close friends.
     Being a second grader at Aromas Elementary is an experience that will never be forgotten. How could it be? My first day at Aromas was very eventful.  I had a positive teacher who taught me how to read and about being polite during circle time. I met Melanie who taught me a hard lesson about the playground rules and showed me around campus so I wouldn’t get lost again, and I got to play with Fluffy, the class pet , who is way better than Izzy the slithery snake.  I graduated from Aromas with all my same friends. Most of us went to the same high school and still remain very close.