Lest I alienate my male audience, let me clarify. This post isn't about female problems. It's about the demolition of my alma mater: Payson Middle School. It was surprisingly depressing to see the walls knocked down. Lots of memories were had at that place. Most of them embarrassing, but my memories nonetheless.Like how I was so stressed about my first locker and it took me several tries and chanting in my head to make it actually work. The first tortuous school dances. The horrible initiation of a girls locker room and being graded on taking a shower. (This is totally true--you were checked off once you got wet). Lots of bad teachers and lots of good teachers. Making friends with kids who lived on the other side of town. Having to hug a boy in the school play---somebody might mistake my acting skills for actually liking him! And the list could go on for miles of all the drama that could happen to my 12-14-year-old self.
There are no PMSs in town now. I think the powers that be realized how traumatizing middle school could be and they simply abolished it. Now we just leap into the fun jr. high years. Somehow I have a feeling that no matter what you call it, young girls are still having awkward moments in the girls locker room and on the school dance floor. It is through them that my memories of PMS will live on.
11 comments:
This is sad! I was always grateful I didn't have much body to hide in gym and dreadful shower time. But of course, that was embarrassing too. I did like middle school. The dark gym, rope climb, the rings. The hilly down slope towards the cafeteria. Mr. Cluff for art, Miss Alvis for health, Mr. Shuler for history, mean Mrs. Harmer for gym. Why so mean about making girls shower? Did we really smell so bad it needed to be ingrained in our heads?
7th period gym - that's right my friends - no need to shower - we were heading home! And if only Dixon could follow in their footsteps!
I feel the same way about changes that occur on any school campus. How dare the powers that be change the places that most influenced my life. Going back is never the same. life must go on despite my desire to hold on to the good and keep it the same forever.
Sorry about that demolition Megan, it is an eye-sore. I'm sure you wrote all those life changing memories in your journal, so they'll stay in tact as long as your pages are preserved : )
I had fantasies years ago about my Jr. High being torn down (we didn't have Middle School) and I'm willing to bet that if I polled my Middle School aged sons they'd think that picture was a dream come true...
and just the mention of the climbing rope gives me the willies... I'm sure I have good memories of Jr. High - but they're all people and thus far nobody has torn them down :)
At first, I thought the title "farewell to PMS" was some sort of clever pregnancy announcement.
Anyway, I can't believe you had to take showers?!! Ya know grades don't count in middle school so I think I would have run the other way.
I had the same probs with my locker...what a painful time of life. Don't ya just want to go tell those kids that life gets better.
My comments on the PMS post will be bit different then those already posted since I am a male. I loved the rope climb and the activities that were challenging and could not be done at home. Yes, everyone should shower after gym class and if you were not sweaty then your gym teacher did not do his/her job. Lastly, why is it that women can remember the names of every teacher they ever had. I can only rember maybe 3 total. Okay, there is one man's perspective.
Somehow Meg, it never really clicked that you went there to school. You must be old:) Somehow, even without a Middle School I'm sure there will be those uncomfortable memories with a good one thrown in here and there (maybe -- if we think REALLY hard).
Here I thought there was a cure for the common female illness and all I get are a few forgotten memories of the first kiss behind the tree by the girl's bathroom-and a memorable shower experience.
However, the shower experience seems to have shaped your life forever.
Are they going to put up a parking lot to some mega store in it's place-one can only hope.
...or maybe a new park.
The cheerleader in me can't stop thinking (rather shouting)- P-M-S! P-M-S! Goooo PMS!!!
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