The Good Ol' Days?

This last Friday I attended my old high school's football game.  I was excited to see some of the people I hadn't seen in nearly a year.  I dressed in school spirit, donning the one and only t-shirt I own that I bought with the colors and school name on it and all that.  I arrived a little late, having went out to eat before the game, but I wasn't worried, high school football games aren't nearly as exciting as college football in my opinion.

I saw the students along with my old teachers and administrators, and I was excited to hear a couple old nicknames from teachers and friends I had :)  It didn't take too long to realize how different everything was.  People dressed in the strangest clothes, make-up was more abundant that it ever was when I went there, and all the people were smaller, haha!  For once in my life I actually wasn't really all that short in comparison to everyone else!  I swear, freshmen literally get smaller and smaller every year, and I don't say that because I am getting taller!  I haven't grown in at least 3 or 4 years, so it's not because I am getting bigger that I assume all the childrens are getting smaller. Believe me. (Yes, I spelled childrens wrong, and yes, it was intentional.)

I met up with an old friend of mine who had graduated the year after I did.  We both looked around and said to each other just how different the school was.  It has literally been taken over by a whole herd of immature, strangely-dressed aliens getting what Idaho calls an education.  I wondered aloud if I had been like these kids in my days there. 

Since the day I signed up for classes at Boise State, I have missed high school in many ways.  Granted college is a wonderful thing in many respects (especially in the football respect haha ;), but it is also not as fun as high school ever was.  I wished I could return to the days where attendance was mandatory, when teachers cared about your grades and talked to your parents about how great (or horrible) of a kid you were that semester.  I missed seeing the best people in the world every school day and getting to laugh with and at each other while waiting for the buses to show up and take us home.  I missed going out with my best buds for movies and McDonald's after.  I missed the stupid romance in high school.  Even the drama had been entertaining in some ways, haha.

Looking at how much the place I loved so dearly has changed, I realized that perhaps it was for the best that I left it when I did.  Maybe someday I'll have to become a teacher at the old place and make a difference there.  If that never happens, I think I'll always have to visit every now and again.  However, I can't say that I want to go back anymore.  I wish the good ol' days would return, but it seems like they are so far gone now.

In light of my rather disappointing discoveries, I have decided to look forward with a twinkle in my eye.  There is no point in looking back to something that is no longer there.  Perhaps this is why I felt the need to return.  I needed to see that I'm heading towards a better place. :)