Childhood Flashback
My mind started wandering today as I was driving across campus, like it normally does. I was passing by the lab middle school playground, and I started thinking about the 6th grade class I will be lecturing about newspapers on Tuesday. I was trying to remember what it was like when I was in 6th grade and how to relate to them.
Then I pictured my almost 21-year-old self talking to my former 6th grade self. What would I tell me? How would the 11-year-old me perceive the decade older me?
I’m pretty sure the first thing I would tell 6th grade Kera is don’t worry- you will get boobs, it’ll just be about four years after all the other girls. Trust me, an eleven-year-old underdeveloped girl thinks about that all the time.
I would tell her that not having a crush on any boy in the whole school is OK. Your first boyfriend is meant to be a friend, but you will discover that later. And your first love will be much better than anything RMS has to offer.
I would inform her that she will forever struggle with the feeling that no one really notices or remembers her, even though they surprisingly do.
I would also encourage her to be comfortable with herself and her decisions, even though I know she already is. I would also praise her for having the confidence to stand in front of numerous groups of peers and perform her Eddie Murphy impression. Geez girl, I wish I could do that now.
Most of all, I’d hug her and thank her for being just the way she is, because she created me and I love her for that.
Then I pictured my almost 21-year-old self talking to my former 6th grade self. What would I tell me? How would the 11-year-old me perceive the decade older me?
I’m pretty sure the first thing I would tell 6th grade Kera is don’t worry- you will get boobs, it’ll just be about four years after all the other girls. Trust me, an eleven-year-old underdeveloped girl thinks about that all the time.
I would tell her that not having a crush on any boy in the whole school is OK. Your first boyfriend is meant to be a friend, but you will discover that later. And your first love will be much better than anything RMS has to offer.
I would inform her that she will forever struggle with the feeling that no one really notices or remembers her, even though they surprisingly do.
I would also encourage her to be comfortable with herself and her decisions, even though I know she already is. I would also praise her for having the confidence to stand in front of numerous groups of peers and perform her Eddie Murphy impression. Geez girl, I wish I could do that now.
Most of all, I’d hug her and thank her for being just the way she is, because she created me and I love her for that.
While this might do very little to help my presentation on Tuesday, I feel better about my personal growth and maturity. I also realized that I was a pretty awesome kid!
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