Memory Lane Friday is a weekly blog carnival where you can blog about your memories and link up. All are welcome. This week's theme is "Something You Hated".
I hated 4th grade. Almost everything about it. In fact, the only redeeming thing about 4th grade was my best friend, Leanne, and my horseback riding lessons.
My family had moved that year, so I started in a new school. I don't remember much about the school. I remember that the teacher made me sit next to the class "mean kid" because she said I would be a good influence on her. The mean kid was named Rene, which was my middle name. So 4th grade was the year I started despising my middle name.
In addition, 4th grade was the year you were allowed to pick a musical instrument to play. I decided to take up the flute. I was dreadful at playing the flute, and could barely manage to just play the end of it, much less the notes. The band instructor was the most terrifying man on earth, and was always yelling at us when we didn't play well. Being a timid child, I was horrified by his temper, and the flute became an instrument of torment. My fingers, jittery from nerves, became completely befuddled as I attempted to learn how to play the notes.
And finally, 4th grade was the year I did this:
Oh how I hated ballet. And putting on pink, frilly, sequined tutus. Always clumsy, my limbs just didn't want to conform to the various poses of ballet. Not to mention, I found it boring. I begged to quit, but as I'd been the one pushing for ballet to begin with, I had to stick out the year. All I wanted to do was ride horses!
I realize that picking an entire year to hate is a little grim. But it was a very difficult year for me. The following year we moved to Roanoke, and I remember that my parents were nervous about telling me that we'd be moving again so soon. But when they told me, I was completely thrilled. I was ready for a new start. I would definitely miss my friend Leanne, who had taken me under her wing as a friend, and I would miss my riding lessons. Other than that, I was thankful to move on.
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Next week's topic is a Memory You are Thankful For.
Funny how you were anxious to relocate. Most kids in school dread it. Ballet?? You look adorable, but somehow I prefer you on horses!!! See, you've convinced me...:)JP
ReplyDeleteOh I think we all had years at school like that! I think the best year at school for me was 6th Grade.
ReplyDelete4th Grade was the year I hated too...how funny. I had no friends in my class. Outside of school was fine because I had my friends I grew up with, but boy did I hate going to school!!
ReplyDeleteMy middle name is Rene too. I am so glad you made a special friend that year. Teachers don't always think about the impact on the "good" kid when they do seating arrangements.
ReplyDeleteAhhh! Ballet! I was the same way about it. I did NOT like it, either. It was much more fun being with the horses, right?
ReplyDeleteMy instrument was the piano. Boy, did I ever want to play the viola, but somehow my mom insisted I play piano. It didn't matter what I did or say, she was not going to change her mind!
But as much as you disliked ballet, you did look adorable posing in your ballerina outfit!
Yikes, I'm experiencing pangs of guilt. My daughter is in 5th grade, but she doesn't like ballet either. Just last night, I was driving her to a lesson and she was not happy about having to go.
ReplyDeletei hated wearing my hair in a ponytail. hated it. i felt like my face looked funny. i needed my hair. but my mom always tied it up into a ponytail.
ReplyDeleteFunny...I hated 4th grade, too! I was a pudgy little thing and ironically, this other pudgy little girl made fun of me all the time (I think b/c I was smarter than her). Anyway, I was throwing around the idea of writing a post about how much I hated high school, but decided not to revisit those dismal days. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat was interesting - I don't even remember 4th grade! I hated the year 2003.
ReplyDeleteI bet you were a cute ballerina though.
sandie
My wife has that same pic of her...only in green
ReplyDeleteThere are years like that. I think most of us have had one. Good thing you didn't stay in that town for very long.
ReplyDelete