Anytime I sit alone and start thinking about how life was back when I was still in junior school, I can’t help but smile. That period of my life was filled with a kind of energy and innocence that I honestly miss now. I was younger, full of life, and didn’t have too many worries apart from what sport to play next or when the next quiz competition would be.
Even though I cared about social media then, yes, I did, I just didn’t have many pictures to show for that time. The few shots I had were usually taken after school or during weekends. Never really in my school uniform. Phones weren’t allowed in class, and I never thought of begging someone to take pictures. Now, looking back, I wish I had taken more photos just to keep those memories fresh.
I wasn’t the kind of student that joined everything. In fact, the only areas I was really active in were sports and quiz competitions. Those were the two places where I truly came alive. I loved the rush I felt during inter-house sports, running under the hot sun with everyone cheering and screaming. I may not have won every race, but I gave it my all. The competition, the noise, the team spirit, it was everything to me. Sports made me feel strong and seen.
Then there were the quiz competitions. That was a different kind of excitement. The quiet tension in the room, the way our hearts would race each time a question was asked, and how proud I felt when I got an answer right. I was always that student who liked reading ahead, not because I wanted to brag, but because I genuinely enjoyed learning things. And quiz time gave me the perfect chance to show what I knew.
Outside of those two things though, I was just a normal student. I didn’t talk too much. I wasn’t in drama or debates. I didn’t like drawing attention to myself unless it had to do with a sport or a quiz. I had my own small circle of friends, and we just liked to laugh, eat during break time, and gist about random things.
There was a day I forgot my quiz notes at home and cried throughout the morning. I knew how seriously I took those things. That same day, I somehow managed to answer a question correctly in front of the whole school during morning assembly. I still remember the loud clap I got from the teachers. That moment stuck with me for years.
Even with all the beautiful memories, I still feel bad that I didn’t take many pictures. Everything I have now is just in my head. No school uniform snapshots, no group photos with my quiz teammates, no action shots from inter-house sports. It hurts a bit, but at the same time, it also makes the memories feel more personal and sacred.
Junior school taught me that I didn’t need to be involved in everything to make an impact. Just showing up fully in what I loved was enough. That’s a lesson I still carry with me today.
Thanks very much for your time
