Memory Lanes - School Lunchtime

Throughout my grade school career I was an admitted loser. I barely had any real friends, didn't talk to many people, and sat alone at lunch time. I still made time to have many embarrassing moments during those lunch periods. I'll reminisce here a bit.

Well I was enrolled in public school starting in 5th grade in elementary school. Lunch periods we only sat with our class, but I still didn't really talk to anyone. I remember one kid mocking the way I eat my popcorn. Mom always would pack some popcorn (made from those classic popcorn makers every morning). I would hold the bag of popcorn in my lap rather than just have it on the table. I don't remember it bothering me too much that he mocked me except it was a little embarrassing. It was another loser kid anyway so nobody paid attention.

When I started middle school I was used to just sitting with my class at lunch, so at my first lunch I sat near people that were from my class not realizing I can sit anywhere I wanted. I would always sit by myself or with other losers from time to time. Someone once pointed out my sweater was inside out during a lunch period. I think I repeated the same thing and didn't realize my sweater was inside out until lunch time again. Embarrassing. During lunch another time was around yearbook time and one girl asked me to sign her yearbook. I wasn't familiar with signing yearbooks and this was the first one I was ever asked to sign, so I just signed my name in it with no message like I was signing a document. I wonder if that person still has it and remembers me and thinks "what a freakin' weirdo". I'm sure I had plenty more embarrassing moments in middle school lunch periods, but in general I sat by myself or with other weirdos.

By high school I was the same way. During my sophomore year is when we moved to Albion. I was the same way there and I think I was even more of a loner. I don't remember even sitting by other losers. In my junior year is when something cool happened. Some of the seniors (I think it was a group of 3 guys and 3 girls) who would usually sit at a table near me invited me to sit with them. I think they were all on the football team and the girls were cheerleaders. I don't know how many times I sat with them if more than the one time but it was a nice experience. They were nice to me. For all I know they could have sarcastically invited me and made fun of me or just simply felt bad for me. I'm sure many people during my school days made fun of me but I don't remember ever caring what others think of me. I'm still that way today.

In my senior year is when things really changed. I finally was on the football team and gotten to be cool enough with some of the guys on the team and sat with them at lunch. I remember even just walking the halls with someone as if I was a cool senior or something and can do whatever I want. But things were definitely different that year. I was more social and not just with the football team. It helped that Muhammad attended the school and I got to know some of his friends too. 

I feel like joining sports teams is a good way to help break out of your shell. I was briefly part of the JV team in Medina before moving to Albion and that helped me a little, but since my time was short there I didn't really open up at the time. I think if I played more sports in middle and high school it would have been better for me socially. Although I will note that in college I stayed to myself a lot again. It was a little different though because I was more comfortable in social situations by that time.