When I was little, I had to change schools when I got to Grade Four. I still remember how nervous I was on my first day.
I had heard so many stories about being the "new student." I thought it would be hard to make friends. I imagined myself sitting alone during break time and struggling to fit in. I was even worried that the teachers and other pupils would ignore me because I was new.
With all these thoughts in my head, I walked into my new classroom.
To my surprise, things turned out completely differently.
The moment I introduced myself, a few classmates started asking me my name and where I had come from. Some of them helped me carry my books. Others showed me around the school and pointed out where the library, the staff room, and the playground were.
At break time, I expected to sit by myself, but a group of girls invited me to join them. They shared their snacks with me and made me laugh.
By the end of the day, I no longer felt like a stranger.
The fear and anxiety I had carried into that school disappeared. Instead, I felt warm, welcomed, and accepted.
That experience taught me something important: not every new beginning has to be scary. Sometimes, we walk into places expecting rejection, only to find kindness and friendship waiting for us.
I may have entered that school as the new girl, but I left that day feeling like I had found a second home.
And indeed, I found acceptance.
