Zoe Askew
THE 2023 school year has arrived as quickly as the 2022 school year ended, with thousands of local students returning to the classroom today; some are entering for the very first time.
Monday marked a milestone for many local families as school children tied their laces, hauled backpacks over their shoulders and straightened collars in preparation for the first day of the new school year.
As eager students rush through the gates of their respective education institutions, screeching as they reunite with school friends, others timidly cling to legs of mums and dads, sceptical of their new routine.
Some parents hand over their children more willingly than they would care to admit, while others strain to let go, their hand tightly hugging that of their child’s until the very last second.
When the first day of school arrives, every child and every parent has their own experience; no two are ever the same, but the kaleidoscope of intense emotions pouring from the confines of school grounds is always inevitable when school resumes in the midst of summer.
Xander Kemp, five, is one of the 2023 Prep students starting school for the first time today.
Putting on his bright red school shirt and completing the outfit with his bright red wide-brimmed hat, Xander is ready to begin his first day at 545, Sale Primary School.
“I am excited to look at my classroom, I suppose,” Xander says before announcing his teacher’s name is Ms Hutchins, and he is in the “Green Class”.
“[It’s called the green class] cause the door is green,” he said. “You know how I know that? Because it’s on the name tags.”
The new Prep student pauses to think about what he is most looking forward to doing at school.
“Well, I am excited to learn about the space class,” Xander said.”I think sport, and I am pretty good at arts and crafts, so I think art.”
While it is only early days, it remains unknown whether Xander has the same affection for English as his English teacher father, answering whether he was eager to learn how to read with, “Well maybe, yeah”.
“Sometimes [I like to read],” he said. “My favourite book is my space book.
“Oh, I am excited to learn to write; I would write cards to my family, and I could make a story.”
Although Xander is excited about starting school, nerves are ever-present, like with any new experience, no matter your age.
“I’m just nervous being there all by myself on my first day,” Xander said.
“Like I haven’t been there the whole day.”
Sharing Xander’s first-day nerves is 12-year-old Tahlia Hutchins, who is starting high school at Sale College today.
Tahlia attended Cobains Primary School from Prep to Year 6, and with a total student population of 36 last year, she is most nervous about how many more there will be at her new school.
“I am very nervous,” Tahlia said. “Probably most about the more kids.
“I got very close with my teacher, and it is going to be weird with all the new teachers and not knowing anyone and probably the harder work.”
Although, Tahlia is just as excited as she is nervous about starting high school.
“I’m excited about seeing all my friends that didn’t go to my [primary] school,” she said.
With love for cinematography and aspirations to one day become an actor, Tahlia is thrilled that Sale College offers drama and is enthusiastic about joining the class.
Contrarily to Tahlia, who is beginning her high school career, 17-year-old Catholic College Sale student Lidija Petrovic is among the 2023 students who today started their final year of schooling.
“It’s nerve-racking, like a lot of pressure, but then it’s also pretty exciting,” Lidija said.
“The exams are probably the most stressful thing about it [going into Year 12], and the environment, with so much added pressure.
“So obviously, keeping on top of homework is a massive thing.”
Lidija’s final year of secondary school is heavily health-focused, which is appropriate given that the Year 12 Class of 2023 student intends to study nursing or paramedicine following graduation.
“I am doing mostly health subjects,” Lidija said. “So VET health, health and human, I’m doing business and outdoor ED; so I am going on all the camps, like snow camp and stuff, which is something I am really looking forward to, probably the thing I’m most looking forward to this year.
“The first camp is in Inverloch, we are doing like stand-up paddle boarding and snorkelling, which is exciting, but I just can’t wait for snow camp, and you get to do it with all your friends, which is so good.”
The start of the new school year is certainly conjuring a mixed bag of emotions for 17-year-old Lidija, from stress and anxiety to excitement and anticipation as she reaches the beginning of the end.
“It’s just weird because you know it’s your last, and it just doesn’t feel like that,” Lidija explained.
“But then it’s like you just want it to hurry up, like we finish in like October, but it’s still like, I just want it to be over because you’re just thinking of all the stuff you have to do, and it’s like ‘ugh’.”
Preparing for Year 12 and impending exams, Lidija is confident that she will be able to keep a healthy work-school-life balance, putting stringent study habits in place to guarantee the smoothest transition when exam time rolls around.
Heading into her final schooling year, Lidija has also taken on the advice from students in the Year 12 Class of 2022.
“They just said to enjoy it; like slow down, it’s not a race, just enjoy every minute of it,” Lidija said.
“Don’t stress, like the workload, just don’t stress about it; it is what it is, that’s what they said.
“I’m excited to see everyone and to create memories with friends going back, but it’s still nerve-racking.”
Stepping over the threshold of Catholic College Sale boundaries, welcoming the final chapter of her schooling year, Lidija’s first day at 545 feels like a distant memory, a memory Xander is only just now creating.
Tahlia’s primary school days are still fresh in her mind, and the thought of starting her final high school year is inconceivable. Still, as anyone who has finished school knows, it really is over before you know it.
So to all the students returning to class for the start of the 2023 school year, heed the advice of last year’s Year 12 students and just enjoy it.
