English Blog

As I look into his big brown eyes, I see what he is thinking: he is wondering what his next move should be. As his hair glistens in the light, we are both still as statues, neither dares to move a muscle. Finally, I reach out to caress his face and he gets down to play on the floor. I begin to do the same laughing on the scratchy old carpet in my family room at home. Then all of a sudden he is still. He gazes into my eyes as I look into his soft brown understanding eyes, for he knows what will happen next. “I can’t stay forever” I say, I kiss the top of his head and give him a large hug goodbye. As I walk away I turn back expecting to see the sad lonely brown eyes I thought I would. As I turned around, I saw loyalty in those big brown eyes and a look on his face that said: “ I know, I understand, you’ll be back later.” I too know I will always return to my beloved canine companion, Charlie.

Being the “new girl on the block” is definitely a new thing for me. Previously, I attended St. Matthew’s Parish School. I started at St. Matthew’s in “Mommy and Me” and graduated from eighth grade, at the age of thirteen, in June. I have to admit I was nervous coming to a new school after having been at St. Matthews all my life. However, I did have a head start against all other new students in that I have an older sister already at Marlborough. Starting her junior year at Marlborough, having started in the ninth grade, she had quite a bit of experience that I, as a new student, lacked.

Upon my arrival at Marlborough for new student orientation, I was very nervous. I knew, though, that most of the other students at the school that day were new too and were experiencing the same feeling. Orientation was so overwhelming that I could not remember anyone’s name. I would meet someone new and ask her name, as proper etiquette has taught me to do. Then one minute later I found myself looking at her face desperately trying to remember her name. Despite my somewhat frustrating time with names, I was determined to go to school on Tuesday and have a better day. I found I enjoyed Tuesday much more after meeting some new girls. I found Marlborough to be a very welcoming environment to come into. I have met so many wonderful girls who really want to help new girls on the block, like me. I can’t count the number of times I asked a girl where my class was or what to do when; and every time they were willing to help.

I came to Marlborough thinking: “Great, I’m not going to know the campus, the teachers or many of my classmates. How could this possibly be fun?” I can now say, on my third day at Marlborough, I am having just about as much fun as one can have at school. I guess being the “new girl on the block” isn’t so bad after all.