Whether brought by parents, or a bus, arriving at school for the first time will always impress and awe anyone that looks upon it with fresh eyes. From the simple design of the outer brick walls, to intricate mazes of hallways and rooms, schools are an integral part of modern life. They are a part of us that will mold a young mind into an intelligent and amazing thing.
Walking down an evenly laid path of smooth, light-colored concrete, that resembles a precision path of sand through evenly cut grass, excitement, nervousness, and intrigue may swell in a young mind like that of a slowly boiling water pot on a heated stove. The castle-like structure casts an ominous shadow over a small part of the path and grass, like a giant blocking out the sun. At the end of this path, it is not a towering giant, but rather a single doorway. A doorway to success recessed neatly into the brick wall. Courage is all that is needed to grasp the handle of the door, and with a simple raising of the hand, a wonderful world of limitless possibilities will soon follow.
With a firm grasp and a slight tug, the air that was once trapped inside this massive structure seems to escape and blow through the very being like a bird being set free into the air, never to return again. A single step into the structure reveals a strange world that seems like a ghost town. The ceiling is white and dimpled, littered with small black spots that seem to follow no certain pattern. Lights are inlaid within the ceiling, equal distance from each other giving a sense of uniformity to the chaotic spots that hover overhead. Walls are pale and barren of any color. A few spots of what seems to be dirt from years past are scattered here and there, but nothing that could indicate this was a welcoming atmosphere. Large metal cabinets line each side of this cavernous world, matching the same worn condition of the walls they hide. Floors seem to shine like a smooth frozen river, with only a few spots of black marks left from the travelers that have passed over it. An overwhelming sense of loneliness and fear cannot help but be felt upon entering this unknown world.
Taking care with each step, as if not to crack the frozen river, slowly begins the journey deeper into the maze of adjoining tunnels branching off in either direction. Small numbers rest gracefully next to wooden doors; doors that offer no hint of what lies behind. Much smaller than the one used to open the door from the outside world, a small handle hangs like a weightless bar, floating against the wooden background. Once more the feelings of excitement, nervousness, and wonder begin to rise up again, only this time with greater force, a force felt within the throat, as if to make breathing more difficult.
Maybe this was not meant to be? Is the door trying to prevent a great calamity? Despite this, there is no turning back. Opening the door slowly, there is no breeze escaping, no sense of freedom, only the unknown. As the eyes lay to the contents of this room, a different feeling arises, one of bewilderment. This place is a different world. It is as if the ceiling has been removed and transformed into the very sky that was outside. Walls seem to flicker with light and shadows from the trees dancing outside the large windows. Animals and insects roam the outskirts of the walls as if set free to do as they would here. In the corner, a monkey hangs from a painted tree; his grinning face welcomes the giraffe that eats the leaves from the very same tree. Ladybugs, butterflies, and oversized bumblebees fly from wall to wall but never leaving the surface. The frozen river has melted to an array of brightly colored patches of carpet, like individual pieces of moss, each with its own unique hue and patterns.
What was once feared and thought of as a journey into an unknown world has now become something that sets the standard for who we will become? A lot remains to be explored, what wonders this new world seems to hold. The possibilities seem endless as a young mind learns.
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