BACK TO SCHOOL: The New One

Words by Daniel Selwood

I’d forgotten what it was like to be The New One.

True, I’m not new, I was at Hive College last year too, on the Traineeship programme, which I think is safe to say, I did brilliantly.

But there is that feeling of newness. That crisp, first day feel, that twist as your stomach Cha-cha Slides somewhere in your chest. The sheen of sweat coating your palms. Avoiding eye contact.

I was at the same school for fifteen years, which, in many ways, makes me feel ancient, despite having just turned nineteen. I now feel like a stranger, knowing that not everyone knows me yet – as lovely as everybody is – and the handful of familiar faces that have cropped up along the way is comforting.

It is comparable to starting a good video game, shooting all the bad guys, finding some plucky young girl out in the middle of nowhere, and then switching it off because your mum is calling you to ask where the potato peeler went.

But when you get back on it – you have to shoot all the bad guys again. It’s not a perfect world. We have to start again.

But it’s a chance to be the best you, starting a new place. You can set yourself new goals and try to be the person you know you can be.

My tips – regardless of starting a new place or not – or if you want – starting afresh, turning over a new leaf – are these: What do you want to do? Talk to the mysterious new person? Go do it – or squeak ‘hi’ at them like I did.

Want to impress the One in Charge? Don’t bootlick. Be you. You’re where you are for a reason.

Set yourself a goal outside of the workaday world. Even if it’s to learn to make potato salad, it gives you something to talk about.

Also, you know that thing you keep thinking about? The thing that you hold close like a fur coat? Drop it. Chances are that was ages ago. Move on, smile, and press ‘New Game.’

It’s your turn to be The New One.

Daniel Selwood is a student at The Hive College who is involved in our LOCAL AMBASSADORS, GET WRITING GET WORKING, and BACK TO SCHOOL programmes – providing him a platform to support and develop his writing. 

For more on The Hive College visit: www.hivecollege.org.uk  

The Hive College is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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