For all the Firsts in Life

Every year on the first day of school, my mother would make my brother and I stand in front of a gate and take our first day of school pictures. Today was my first day as a junior in college, and as I waited for my criminology class to start, I reminisced about all of my first days. I remembered my first picture with my brother, our first school picture with our dog, Sonny, and my first picture alone as my brother headed off to college. 

Today marked the first day of school for students everywhere. I thought about my best friend who started her first day of college classes today. My cousin started her last first day of high school, and my other cousin started his first day of first grade. As I scrolled down my Facebook page in between classes, I realized that today marked a very important day for several people for multiple different reasons. I found it to be exciting that we all share a day that is special to us for different reasons. Parents are excited for their child, and children are excited to start a new year with friends. 

The first day of anything is a magical experience. Although the first day of school is a first that usually happens around the same time for everyone, firsts happen everyday. Parents wait for babies to take their first steps and children to ride their first bikes. We all wait for those first moments: first love, first kiss, first day of school or at a new job. 

As I finished my classes today, I thought about how I wanted to remember my first day of junior year. I wanted to remember how it felt to be a junior in college on August 29th. I want to remember my professors' introductions and the awkward tension that I felt walking into a class that no one knew each other in. I want to remember today in the same way I remember the first time I rode a bike by myself or my last first day of high school. Every first, good or bad, is important because they are more than just a start or a new experience. Firsts are learning experiences, new feelings, and a new life. First days happen everyday, and what we do with them is up to us. 

We may be terrified of first days, but the experiences that we gain can be taken with us for the rest of our lives. So whether it is your first day at a new school, your first kiss, or your first heart break, remember it for what it is; an experience. 

Reviews

[Paul Bell]

Well put, the first day of anything is the day you remember. I suppose these days with social media, the photo is instant. But an actual picture you can lift out of an album, now that is tangible. Great story, one we can all relate to.

[barleygirl]

You have written a very relatable & informative essay for most of the people who are sentimental. I am not sentimental & I don't remember my first anything. Many of my firsts were marred by harshness, abandonment, or abuse, so I must've blocked them all out, good & bad. I enjoyed seeing life from a different point of view, one that most people probably think about & treasure. You did mention good AND bad firsts, toward the end, but you never detailed any of the firsts that are less-than-positive. I don't think this detracts from your message, it's just an observation. The best parts of your writing are the times when you go beyond listing firsts and you add a little more to describe the feelings behind a few of them.

[Deana Leigh]

Thank you so much for reading. I am very sorry that many of your firsts have been blocked from your memory. I definitely agree that going beyond listing and adding in a little bit of extra detail can enhance a story. I do try to keep my pieces a little bit vague mostly because I prefer that people think about their experiences rather than the ones that I am telling them about. I also put many of my stories on social media, and I feel as if certain experiences are a little too personal to put out there for anyone to see. Thank you for reading and commenting!

[Jacob Clifford]

Awesome story, Deana. I've never thought about it before, but you're absolutely right: firsts happen all the time. I thought back to some of my firsts, and they are indeed magical. The ones that I can remember anyway. My first day of high school, my earliest Christmas, first crush, first time driving... Those experiences help mold us into what we are.

[Deana Leigh]

Thank you for reading!