I'm back in my hometown this weekend, and I decided to show my 6-year-old, a kindergarten graduate as of this week, my kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. I took her on the route I walked to school and, though we couldn't get into the building, we strolled around the playground and we peeked first into my music classroom window, then the library, then the gym, then my first grade room... and then the kindergarten room.

I'm not a particularly emotional guy, but I could have cried. Here's where it all began: Mrs. Rothman's morning K class, where I wore my blue Sesame Street jacket (with the Captain Crunch iron-on inside pocket) on the first day. Where I forced my classmates every day to act out the scenes I read in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. Where my classmate Diane peed herself and would, for years, be known as "Pee-Pee Girl." (God was good to her, though: That girl grew up to be the finest woman on Greater Cleveland's east side!! ) And seeing my daughter there against this backdrop, I just couldn't believe that I was once that small in kindergarten! I always felt like such a big boy!

It was all so bittersweet. I hadn't a care in the world back then. And I couldn't help but think 6-year-old me would be in some ways soooo proud of 35-year-old me; and in other ways find me downright revolting. I'm not sure what to do with those feelings.

Anyway (excuse my sappy BS), have any of you visited your kindergarten classroom or other nostagic places? What sort of feelings did it evoke? And would 6-year-old you like the you of today?
[Edited 6/30/07 20:23pm]

Lammastide said:

Screeching halt!!

Nerd.

I recently went back to my hometown, I don't get the chance to visit too often. I drove by my old schools, hangouts, etc. It was weird, because so much has changed. There's a lot of things I miss, but I wouldn't ever go back for good.....

It's in Saipan.

no.

2the9s said:

Don't front!! Your ass had one too!!!

I think 6-year-old me would be disappointed that I still don't know what I want to do with my life.....

Imago said:

You're wrecking the mood.

Lammastide said:

I didn't have one of those, but I did have a pretty kick ass Hulk Hogan lunchbox.

purplefiend said:

I ate lunch at home, as I recall. I didn't get my first box until 2nd grade. I think it was Super Friends or something.

2the9s said:

I hate all of you.

Lammastide said:

I had a full day of kindergarten. All the boys wanted my box. Still do!

totally kidding

I vist my old elemantary, middle and high schools at leastr once a year.

Yes, Dont the desks look small?
[Edited 6/30/07 21:14pm]

wlcm2thdwn said:

Yes! It was hilarious.

Am I the only person sensing that this could possibly be the worst thread in the history of the org?

I have...when I took my own kids to their first day at school.

Imago said:

You must have missed my thread about cheeses.

Ive never gone back to the actual classroom but I have passed by the school many times. Nice to remember where you played with friends and everything else one does in elementary school

no effing way.

No, because it's in the South Bronx, which has changed a lot since my K days(circa 1965-66). I try to avoid that area as much as possible.

Mine's in Japan so no.

I remember going back to my elementary school as an adult once and marveling at how tiny everything was. Even the stairs to the second floor were shorter than normal stairs.

My oldest niece goes to the same high school that I went to and I've been back a few times now to watch her perform in plays and her choir concerts. It's always a little bit weird.

When I was about 29ish, I saw my first grad teacher at the mall.


She looked EXACTLY the same I was like...huh...damn. She said that it was her first teaching job back then and she was really young.

I was like ohhhhh.

i loved kindergarden so much did it twice

Id love to visit lots of places and people from my past

god, no.

i went to kindergarten in a trailer. A TRAILER.

and my kindergarten teacher was a meanie who tried to re-condition me to be right-handed without asking my parents' consent, which messed me up bigtime until my parents finally figured out what was going on and then they tore my teacher a new one.

kindergarten sucked, man. fascists in a trailer. to hell with that.

Anxiety said:

Fascists in a trailer... in Indiana.

Surmounting that sort of thing is book-writing material, Anx. I bet you could make Oprah.

Rhondab said:

My first grade teacher had to be pushing 70 when I had her. I'm not sure how better to say it, but I almost hope she is dead by now. I mean, everyone needs a little rest eventually.