An Open Letter to Students for the First Day of School

Nothing I can do but tell it like it is: time for the start of another year. The first day of school is almost here.

I can't pretend that's completely good news anymore than students can pretend it's completely bad. There is something fun and exciting for students about getting back to school where the friends, the crushes, the teachers, and the fun, funny, crazy, inspiring, breathtaking things that will happen inside and outside classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, gyms and busses are waiting to begin all over again.

I don't know how school has gone for your personally in the past, but the beautiful thing about this year is that it will be different from the last. What different means I can't tell you; I don't know if different will be better, or if different will be worse, but I can guarantee you, what will make this year different better, or different worse, will depend more on you than any other person. If you choose right now to have a great school year, it can happen, and nobody can stop you. Of course, the opposite is true: if you choose not to have a great year, it will be hard to keep that from coming true, too.

With that in mind, there are some things you can do on your very first day of school to begin a great year.

• Ask a question during each class on the first day, even a small one. That will help you, your classmates, and your teacher recognize that you have a voice, and that you're tuned in from day one. I know it's easier to stay quiet, but everyone will be glad you were brave enough to ask.
• Write down five goals for the year and tape them to your locker or your desk that first day. Make sure they're real goals, but goals you have to push to reach. It's so much easier to keep working towards success when you remind yourself what success you're working towards.
•  Find a new kid in your class, grade, or school and be friendly towards him or her. You don't have to be BFF, but you can Be a Friendly Face. Nobody ever got less popular because they chose to be friendly.
• Find your old friends in class on day one and say "dude, great to see you. Let's have some fun. But remember, I have to do well, so let's agree to keep on the right side of the teacher and our grades." No matter if you're top of the class, or the class clown trying to change your act, your friends will respect that if you ask it of them. Don't believe me? I dare you to try it and mean it!

I don't know if you know that as a teacher I am preparing right now to have an exciting, fun year of learning. I start every year wanting to reach and teach every student, to make a difference, to laugh and learn every day, and to help you make your dreams come true. That's why I got in this business, why almost all of us got into this business.

And I do understand how important summers are to you, because they are to me for the same reasons: time to rest and relax a little, to blow off steam, to put some time and distance between the last school year. And just like you're counting on this year being different, so am I. Summers are great, but they're only great because they have school years on either side. I will be sad to see summer go, but I'll be even more excited to find out what the school year has in store.

I want you to know that on that first day, I will be as nervous as you are, as we stare at each other across the classroom and say our first good mornings. I hope that day we can start something together that we'll enjoy as it unfolds. And I hope what happens in class will mean something to you for the rest of your education, no matter how far you go.

I also want you to know that no adult, no parent, teacher, coach, or friend can open your mind or heart until you open it yourself. I can ask you to do things, and send you to the office if you refuse to do them, but I can't make your brain think, I can't make your heart feel, I can't make your spirit rise. Only you can. If you do your part, I promise to do mine. And we'll have a great year together, starting on day one.

It will be here soon.


Note: This blog post is from a series originally published as personal essays written for the Van Buren County Advertiser from 2008-2014 by Corey Harbaugh under the title It's All Good. The It's All Good columns were written to feature and celebrate life in and around Gobles, Michigan.