CHALLENGE | MEMORIES | BIOGRAPHY

10 Memories From Elementary School

Challenge: The First 10 Memories That Come to Mind.

During my elementary school years, I lived with my parents and my sister in a city in southern Germany. Compared to where I spend my life today, that town was an ugly place and not entirely safe.

I started school in 1989 when I was 6 years old.

That was before my father’s stroke, which changed our lives quite a bit. I remember those years back then as growing up in a “real family”.

1. I Had Enough and Left.

It wasn’t long after I started school that I clashed with my class teacher, Mrs. S., one morning.

Mrs. S. was basically a good, warm-hearted woman with a motherly nature. Maybe that gave me the courage I needed that day.

I don’t remember what it was about, but I was pissed off.

“Then I’ll just go home!” I, the little tot, scolded angrily.

What made the adults especially laugh afterward was the fact that I had carefully packed all my school materials, put on my jacket, and even pulled up my chair before leaving the classroom.

My teacher must have been completely surprised because she was speechless.

2. The Reader Role

We had a performance in the classroom. It was about different colors and shapes, which were presented in the form of a story.

My task was something very special! Since I was the best reader in my class at that time, I got a chair on a pedestal and was allowed to read the play aloud. I was so proud that day! And I think my parents were too.

3. A Disgusting Memory

We lived in a 7-story house. In front of it was a yard where we children always played, and across the yard was a house with 3 floors.

The first 2 floors were occupied by a German-Italian family whose daughter was my age and therefore my best friend. Her name was Miriam.

And upstairs lived a Turkish family. Their son was my classmate. Oddly enough, he was at the top of the class (except in reading), otherwise, he was quite an idiot.

He obviously enjoyed constantly teasing us girls. Then one day he poked a stick in a dog’s poop and chased after us.

And what can I say? I was hit by it! And I had the dog poop in my hair….

Miriam and I then went to my house. When my father found out what had happened, he was furious! With me in tow, he headed straight for the house on the other side of the yard. The mother opened with a startled face as my father stood at the door yelling.

She called her idiot son and he got first of all a few beatings on his head in front of our eyes. At that time, spanking was still considered a legitimate method of parenting.

Then I was supposed to follow her into the apartment. We then went into the bathroom and she washed my hair.

4. This Memory Has Long Been a Taboo.

On the way to school, there were some tower blocks, between which there were separate paths. So you could take a shortcut. I walked there from time to time — until that day.

There was a group of young people standing there, maybe they were children, I only remember that there were 3 or 4 of them and that they were older than me.

When I passed the path, they intercepted me, held me, and probably considered it a joke to touch me in my underwear. Nothing else happened. I don’t think there were sexual motives behind it. They just thought it was funny.

When they succeeded, they let go of me immediately and I ran away.

5. My Favorite Teacher

In the 4th grade, we got a new teacher. She was beautiful. She had long blond curls, was still very young, and was always friendly.

My friend at the time, Ramona, and I were also allowed to visit her at home in our free time. She always gave us fruit juice with cakes or cookies.

6. Suicide on the Way Home

It was after school when a large crowd gathered nearby.

They were probably still waiting for the police, but from a distance, I saw someone lying on the ground. A girl had thrown herself off the roof of one of the skyscrapers after failing her A-levels.

7. Alone at Home

It was autumn and I was getting ready for school alone because my mother was in the hospital with my sister.

I had been playing with her and we lay down in a glass cabinet to “sleep”. She on the bottom, I on top — on the glass top. This shattered and my sister ended up in the emergency department with a huge shard of glass in her stomach.

My father had worked the night shift and was therefore still asleep. But I was already big enough! And since I had just fallen in love with a boy named Maximilian, I wanted to make myself extra pretty for school and put on an orangish-yellow summer dress.

The fact that it was chilly and rainy outside didn’t bother me.

My class teacher then contacted my parents afterward.

8. My Pharma Career

There was a pharmacy on our street. The saleswomen there liked me very much, so I often came by after school and picked up some dextrose.

I don’t remember how it came to this, but I also started helping out on Saturdays.

There were always little gifts for the customers. I helped put those together and wrap them, which was huge fun. And as a reward, I was always allowed to take a few of these gifts home with me.

9. Treasure Hunt on Bulky Waste Day

We children regularly looked forward to this day. The bulky waste day!

On that occasion, people put all kinds of stuff on the street and it was common that passers-by sometimes examined the discarded stuff and, if needed, took it home.

Among them were not only furniture or large objects. Really exciting were the paper boxes! Packed with old books, magazines, and not infrequent toys. Wonderful! We felt like real treasure hunters!

Unfortunately, the bulky waste day no longer exists. Nowadays, you have to register your bulky waste as a family and provide precise information. A rather unspectacular procedure.

10. The Parent Meeting

No, I didn’t do anything wrong. I was a pretty good kid most of the time.

It was rather the conversation that all parents have to make with the responsible teachers at the end of primary school because in Germany you are assigned to one of 3 secondary schools depending on your performance.

• Hauptschule to obtain the basic secondary school leaving certificate (9 years)
• Realschule to obtain the intermediate secondary school leaving certificate (10 years)
• Gymnasium to obtain the A-levels (13 years)

And with pride, I can still remember the exact wording of my teacher: “Jennifer definitely has to attend the Gymnasium!”

That was no surprise though. There were only 1s and 2s on my school report (equivalent to A and B in the American school system). But yes, I remember it well.

Thanks to Jason for nominating me to the Ten Grade School Memories Challenge!

And I nominate Riley McLynn, Richard Bailey, Matt Patton, and The Accidental Monster. Maybe you have time and want to do it, it’s a voluntary thing!

Not a member yet?

Membership allows unlimited access — not only to my articles but to the articles of all authors on Medium! 🤍

👉 Signing up is easy and super affordable at only $5 per month!