With it being 20 years since I graduated high school, I am looking back at life as a student years ago. It is both nostalgic and sad in some instances. There were many things I was introduced to as a kid that probably, shaped who I am. So let’s get into it.

One of the first things I remember in school was the scholastic book fair. Everyone remembers the scholastic book fair. And trying to show your parents all of the cool things you have highlighted in the catalog. It was an exercise in futility. Luckily for me, the book fair always coincided with my birthday and birthday cards full of money. I came home with all manner of trinkets… books, journals, posters, pens, pencils and erasers. I could keep up with both the Babysitter’s Club and Goosebumps. Could be when I got my obsession for series started. Or why I enjoy Barnes and Nobles.

I am sure my mother was over it but she didn’t stop me because it could have been worse. One thing that sticks out vividly in my mind is that all the way up to middle school, we could not go in until we watched an episode of Reading Rainbow. The older I get the more that seemed a bit spot on… but hell it worked. I remember kids talking about how much fun the first Harry Potter book was so I went in and got it amongst other things. But there was nothing like getting Levar Burton’s approval before going in.

Another cannon event from my childhood was getting summer reading projects… as if I hadn’t planned out my whole summer. My mom found out that I hadn’t been doing them at least not during the summer. And don’t get me wrong, I read and journaled and wrote short stories during the summer. But in my own time, my own way. Most of what they selected for reading was annoying and boring… this coming from an English Major. They wanted a paper, some sort of poster board, etc etc. I had a list of programs I wanted to watch, bike ride with my friends and play football. There was always some packet they gave out at the end of the year that was supposed to take up the summer, complete with a list of books that no one wanted to read and every year it was the same books over and over. (No, I am not spending the summer reading Moby Dick, Gulliver’s Travels or any Shakespeare.) At least nowadays, the kids get to pick what they want to read. Needless to say… I got good at giving book reports on books I never read or had no interest in. I wanted to read Goosebumps, Fear Street and the Babysitter’s Club.

Recess and PE were a staple in my elementary and middle school. Back when people cared about extracurriculars. In elementary school, you got a cool rotation of art, PE, computer class, music and drama. I distinctly remember getting cast in our 5th grade Robin Hood play. Nothing like exploring different things, and acquiring different strengths and interests. PE was always fun. There was not a person in that did not want to participate in class. I used to be annoyed if I missed PE for any reason… but at the same time I ended up all sweaty in class.

Another favorite thing of mine was being able to go to Discovery Zone. Where I lived in Austell, there was one down the street from our apartment as well as the batting cage and the movie theater. It was sad when those closed down. It wasn’t until later that I realized that it was kind of expensive but it allowed the kids to play and let loose. They can get out all the excess energy and I went to Chuck E. too but I never found it to be as entertaining. Luckily, this was closer. The ball pit was always gross but as a kid, we never cared. I can’t tell you how many things I have lost in there.

Although that one slide really sucked and always pinched me but it didn’t stop me from using it. I was glad when playgrounds got rid of those. But alas DZ is a thing of the past. If I remember correctly there is only one left… in Delaware I believe. I would love to see those make a comeback. Kids need a place.

Speaking of places… I remember being part of the Boys and Girls club up north. I used to leave elementary school at the end of the day and board the shuttle to get off there… We had the gym where everyone played basketball or volleyball, the art room, the music room and the home ec room. It was a great time… another thing that was so expensive. It was an after school program better than any other I had been in. Wish we had more of these to go around. I learned some of the best stuff there. And I even made friends… I am not sure how we afforded it at the time but I want more of these for the kids.

The next thing, the local library… I am not sure who enjoyed that more than me. They had story time and new books. My parents didn’t always have the money to buy new and for books there is nothing wrong with that. I think I went through many of the Babysitter’s that I didn’t own there. I filled in a lot of the Goosebumps gaps there too. You could always count on the library to be up on the times. I remember when they got computers. One thing that I learned too was all the programs that many libraries had to offer from ESL classes, computer classes, and even passport meetings. There was always something to do and didn’t take much to talk my mother into.

Speaking about computers, I can remember when a computer lab was added to my middle school. We could start with keyboarding… apparently according to my nephew, they no longer teach that. I spent a lot of time on the computer learning how to type and trying to catch Carmen Sandiego. Many of the computers were preloaded with games that we got to play in the event we got a few spare minutes. As of now I still haven’t caught her. The computers were huge and then at one point we got those Apple imacs with the colored backs. I loved them. If I was not at school then I would not have had a computer to practice on.

The older that I got, I spent a lot of time at places like Borders and Media Play. Borders was always the ultimate bookstore for me. There was one down the street from my house when I lived in Austell. I walked there a lot of the time by myself, and when I got there… I got to listen to music that came out that week as well as buying books to read. Most of its stores had free wifi, which made them social, multi-use spaces: light breakfast spots, teen hangouts, places to read a story to the kids. It is where I would go to preorder books when they came out. It was a place I could go and explore new topics and hobbies. I am sad that this place closed. For the longest time I figured that only the one near me closed but alas they all closed.

Media Play was a play in the neighborhood that had any and everything that kids could want. Media Play sold VHS, DVDs, laserdiscs, music, electronics, toys, video games, anime, books, and board games similar to 2nd and Charles, and Half Price Books. Each store contained full book, movie, music, and video game sections under one roof. We lived behind a shopping center that had one in it so it was easy to walk to. I remember buying many of my old cds and dvds from there. I believe much of my NSYNC collections I got from there. I could preview music, see previews of new movies, buy super soakers for the summer and buy gifts for my brothers and sister. I really remember watching the preview for the NSYNC popodyssey tour dvd. There were electronics that I got from there… and I looked forward to using my birthday money there after I grew out of being able to go to the scholastic book fair. Another sad store closing in my life… Here’s to hoping both these stores make a comeback… I mean Barnes and Nobles is bringing back music and Dvds… and 2nd and Charles is thriving.

Speaking of super soakers…. Summer time was for getting outside. Playing with friends…Tag and football. I was one of the only girls in school that played football with the boys. So many jeans that ended up with holes in them, my mother probably got annoyed at constantly having to buy new jeans. But I spent many a summer playing freeze tag, red light green light, foursquare, capture the flag and manhunt. Nothing like all the kids in the apartment complex heading outside and trying to fight the boredom together. We spent days sharing snacks, drinks and stories. Summertime was the time for crushes and first kisses. There was always someone one going on a family trip and then there was a whole in the group until that person got back and told us all about their trips. I had some of the best summer times and when school started someone moved away and it was back to work.

Back to school shopping was fun (at least until it was time to use the supplies for working.) If you were a 90’s kid, then you knew that picking out Lisa Frank had a decade and picking your trapper keeper was going to solidify you. At my school, the Garfield ones were all the rage. I managed to get my mom to buy one but talking her into mechanical pencils was not happening. I spent the week before organizing all my stuff and sectioning off each subject and making all my tabs in my 3 ring binder. I got a kick out of making a book cover out of paper bags at school and decorating them as I see fit. I remember I was always able to find themed spiral notebooks (to this day… I still take notes in spiral notebooks… much better than legal pads.) I remember I found an NSYNC set and tried not to you use it. The scented markers I could only use at school since my mother was not interested…

Lastly, school lunches. They were not as bad as they were made out to be. Pizza, Sloppy Joes, or Chicken nuggets day, those were definitely hits. However, I did realize that coleslaw is not my thing… And maybe I should try it as an adult and give it a real try. I remember for the month, we would get a print out of what we were going to get and it was another way for me to plan out what I was going to do. I was never interested in milk, chocolate or otherwise… There was a small stint where they bought strawberry milk and I drank that up but I stuck with fruit punch for the time being.

But I also went through a phase where I wanted to bring a packed lunch which meant I needed a lunch box. I went through a number of them… but there were a few that I loved. Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast… etc etc… the ones that came with a thermos that made you feel like you were camping. The wrong decision could have done me in. But I really got a kick out of getting snacks to go with my sandwich for lunch. Fudge Rounds, Nutty bars, oatmeal creme pies… Little Debbie did her thing. I always could make the call on what I wanted in my lunch box within reason. Mom was very serious about adding fruit to the box. But on chicken nugget day I was a little jealous. One thing that I remember was how much fun I had trading snack with other kids.

I enjoy trekking down memory lane. 20 years of school memories to slide back through. The older that I get the more I miss the small things. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. I would love to go back to a simpler time. I had a fun childhood. I lived for reading and summer time. If you remember pillars from your childhood, let me know in the comments.