Last Day of School

School: a noun that briefs everyone of the mandatory setting where children up to adolescents are subjected to lessons taught by qualified individuals. It is, ironically a word most dreaded by the people who attend it. In the pursuit of knowledge, we have to undergo the lengthy process of approximately eleven years, - starting from primary years to high school - just to complete the education syllabus. What a tedious procedure, indeed. However, assuming you are a still a student, have you ever wondered what life would be like after school? 

Being a student, going to school by sunrise and returning before sunset has naturally become a daily routine and it sticks as an irreplaceable part in our mundane lives. Have you ever imagined how life will continue if, one day, we abruptly cease this routine when our school life journey comes to a halt? It is obvious that it will not be an easy feat but all of us will ultimately have to meet an end to this phase of our lives. Everything is bound to reach its end, now is only a matter of time.

I distinctly remember my very last day of school. It was a gloomy Friday evening. The ominous floating black clouds that day clearly depicted my mood at that exact moment. As I sallied my way through the ever so familiar hallway of the building, I ceased in my tracks, experiencing a pang of nostalgia. Ignoring the cliché, memories of my high school life flashed right before my bleary eyes. I reminisced the times when my friends and I used to laze around the school cafeteria, the times when my legs turned jelly because I had to run before the first bell rang, the times when pop quizzes would became less and less surprising and the times when sport events would wear out my limbs. Such carefree times, they were. How foolish of me to be thinking I’ve reached the pinnacle of stress then.

The bland beige colour of the wall, illuminated by only the fluorescent glow of the dim lighting of the hallway made my skin radiate a hue of light yellow — further adding to the melancholia of the atmosphere. The scent of decaying metal from the rusting lockers made me feel strangely relaxed and at home, instead of the typical case of nausea. As I sauntered past the recognisable classrooms, I could not help but to remember the time when I used to be a wee, new freshman. That really was only the starting point of what is now the brightest highlight of my life. 

It was my first day at school and I was like a fish out of water. I was completely overwhelmed by all the foreign customs and procedures of high school. It tired my mental and physical state just thinking of the big shift. I felt isolated and it was as though my every movement was being judged by the countless scrutinising eyes of the foreign community. It took me quite some time before I could fully be accustomed to high school life and it definitely was not a simple journey to reach where I am right now. Fast forward four years, it was already my last day of school, ever. I did not expect the day to arrive so quickly. 

Before I knew it, I was already standing in front of the compelling front door of the building. I rested my palm on the forlorn doorknob, shaking in denial by the knowledge that this was the last time I was going to be in the particular building. Out of the blue, white pearl beads started to flow down my rosy cheeks. It was excruciating, bearing the pain of leaving my second home for good, but I knew that I had to let go; sooner or later. With one big turn of the doorknob, I stepped out and looked behind one last time before leaving behind all the bittersweet memories of high school.

There you go. That was the account on my last day of school. Before I conclude, here I share a friendly piece of advice: cherish your school memories. These years will go by in a flash, so treasure your life as a student to the fullest. Never regret your choices, for now is when you learn to be the best version of yourself.

By: Alicia Koh and Michellejeet