Interview with a Green: School Memoirs

With the new school year in full swing, how fun would it be to reflect back on some of our most memorable times in school. Rest assured, we will include the moments that we remembered best; the good, the bad, the funny, etc.

Dallin:

• One of my favorite times in grade school would have to be performing in the school plays. I was a dwarf in snow white and Squire Trelawney in Treasure Island. I still remember some of the songs that we sang in the plays. I will admit that it's kind of weird.

• I also remember my first fight. It all started when we were playing football at my friend Scott's house. This guy James tackled me and wouldn't get off of me but kept pushing me back down on the grass. So while he was on top of me I punched him right on the side of his head. Luckily, someone grabbed him and threw him off me before he could retaliate. He then cornered me at school and wouldn't let me enter my classroom. So...I punched him in the face...twice. He ran into the boys bathroom after that sobbing. Never bothered me again. This was in third grade by the way.

•  All the "cool" kinds in high school would hang out in their cars before school would start. I don't know if that was the case at other high schools, but at Atascadero High I bet that it is still the case. All the clicks seemed to have their designated spots to hang out. The popular jocks would hang out in the quad, the skaters would be surrounding these concrete benches, the goths would be around the "B" building and the hicks would hang out buy this stone wall outside the welding and Ag building. It gets harder and harder to remember what happened in high school, but since I wasn't in any plays or fights I guess nothing was that memorable.

Kelli:

• This memory was recently rekindled when some girls in our neighborhood were commenting how their middle school is "So ghetto!" I could not help but giggle a little as I flash backed to metal detectors, rules about having to have a tucked in shirt at all times, not being able to wear a speck of red anywhere and a mandatory belt rule for baggy pants, all for the purpose of preventing gang wars from breaking out on campus with hidden weapons and gang loyalty declarations. Sorry, ladies; you don't know ghetto!

•  In the year 1996 at Petroglyph Elementary School, POGS were the bee's-knees. Day after day, one recess following another, we would declare war with the little circular pieces of cardboard. I was not as hardcore as others seeing as I would still play a competitive game of Four-Square, Jump Rope or Hop Scotch, or some Tarzan on the swings, but I could win my fair share of battles. Not enough to justify a POG case, but the silly, mindless game still got it's addicting claws into my brain. 

•  What would a female memoir be without a little fashion?! Let's clear one thing up, right quick: I had no fashion. Honestly. Until about 10th grade, my wardrobe went from biker shorts with oversize graphic t-shirts in elementary and part of middle schools to jeans and a sweatshirt, always with my hair either pulled back tight or wild; everyday. I'm not joking. It was classy. 

•  In an attempt to decrease drinking and drug use amongst youngsters in Napa, the city came up with Club 4300 (pronounced "43 double Oh") while I was in middle school. Every other Friday night, we would get all dolled up, well I would wear something other than a sweatshirt and actually do my hair, then go dance with glow sticks in our mouths at the highly supervised Club 4300. I had many first slow dances with "That boy," drama about who was flirting with who, silly games and the horror of having a said glow stick split open in your mouth. Most of the male population were still under some sort of influence, but they kept it under control because they were being watched by the flashlight patrol. It was a nice effort on the city's part and at least kept the rebels in a safe location. 

• Tenth grade English blessed me with one of the best English classes I could ask for. I was with three of my best friends, my older crush had the same teacher just 2 periods before I did and the teacher knew how to handle my sarcasm. In fact, during one book we were reading that I particularly did not like, I let him know by pointing out that it had R-rated content and I did not see why it was alright for us to be required to read that sort of stuff when we had to have permission slips to watch it. He just told me to write my essay in support of my argument. I did and aced the class. He happily let me be his TA the following year.

 Good times, good times. Excited to see how school stays the same or changes for our kids. Any memories you want to share?!