By Alexandria Schaffer

This year’s seniors never thought that this day would come, their last first day of school. After 13 years of having a first day of school, their last first day is finally here. As the class of 2011 approaches graduation, they look back and discuss their first days of school.

When asked about what they were thinking about when he/she realized this was the last first day of their high school career Jordin Cook responded “1 day down, a million to go,” while Kristy Clemons said “ I was thinking wow this is awesome, last year! Yay! But, I was also thinking wow how the years have gone by fast.
Throughout their 13 years of attending school, they always expected the same feeling of nervousness and anxiety, but this year was a different feeling that combined excitement with uncertainty for the years to come. “The first day you’re usually getting used to being at school than it’s like you want to get out as soon as possible.” Senior Jackson Seering concluded about this year’s first day, while Danica Cureton remarked “Well, I knew all my teachers and I was actually excited.” But, when asked if they treated their last first day at PHS any different both Morgan Sissel, and Cureton claimed that they were not as prepared as they were in previous years. However, Seering, Sissel, Clemons, Cook, and Cureton all stated that they were not nervous for this year’s first day of school. Why? Well, according to Cook “I wasn’t nervous at all, because it was my last first day of high school!” while Clemons said “ No I wasn’t nervous, I was the one on top so to speak and that was really cool!”
No matter how different they treated this year’s first day of school or how excited they were, the parents of the senior class had some mixed feelings about their child’s last first day of high school. Clemons remarked upon how her parents reacted to her last first day under their supervision “My parents were very shocked and yet excited because, they didn’t know where the years had gone and I am the oldest so they haven’t had the experience yet of sending a son/daughter off to college.” While Cook declared “They can’t believe how old I am and how I won’t be around next year.” Whereas Sissel claims “They felt sad because it meant college is soon but they were also very proud.”
Even though college is just around the corner, these Seniors all claim there are lots of things that they will miss. “I will miss seeing everyone!” Cook responded. Cureton also adds “I will miss my teacher, and not being able to see my friends everyday.” However, no matter how nice their first day of school is there are some things that these seniors won’t miss. “Something that I won’t miss is dealing with all the high school drama, and people always getting in my business!” Clemons explains, while Sissel adds “I won’t miss studying and homework.” Cureton also states “I won’t miss waking up at 6:00 a.m. every morning!”
In spite of having so many first days, everyone always has something that makes their first day so special. Both Cook and Cureton agree that seeing how much people change from the summer is always a plus. Be as that may be, there is one day that tops all other first days of school, and that is the first day of freshman year. Clemons explains how her first day of high school went “ The first day of my freshman year was very nerve racking. I was scared about everything: finding classes, who I was going to sit with at lunch, and all the upperclassmen. However, I became really good friends with a senior, Britni Mills and she helped me through so much!” Along with her, Cureton adds, “I was so confused, I didn’t know where any of my classes were and I was nervous.”
Regardless of the fact they they all can’t wait to graduate there are some teachers and underclassmen that they will miss. “I will miss Mr. Delp for sure. He was such a big inspiration to my high school career.”Cureton conveyed. In addition with Cureton, Cook adds “Mrs Plothow! She is such an amazing person and I love everything about her.” Adding to that Clemons states “One particular teacher that I will miss dearly is Mr. Masson. He is a great person and teacher and every time I see him he just brightens my day. There are so many others that I will miss too! I will also will miss a lot of the freshmen, because we talked all summer about how we couldn’t wait to be going to the same school, but for only one year! I wish them all the best of luck and enjoy it while it lasts!” Sissel also adds “I will miss a lot of people in the younger classes and I will miss most of my teachers.”
Even though their first last day of high school is over, the seniors of 2011 still have many days until they graduate from PHS.