CHENNAI: As schools reopen on June 4, children are gearing up for a new academic year, while for many adults, the season brings back memories of fresh notebooks, new uniforms, first-day excitement and reunions with friends. We asked a few Chennaiites to share their favourite school reopening memories
The week before school reopened always carried a sense of both excitement and dread. There was the excitement of meeting friends again, mixed with the tension of finding out who the class teacher would be for the year. Another big part of the first day was securing seats with our group of friends, usually somewhere towards the back of the classroom. Of course, those seating arrangements rarely lasted long once the teacher figured out where most of the mischief was coming from! Unlike today’s generation, we weren’t constantly connected through smartphones and social media during the holidays.
Summer breaks often meant losing touch with many friends for weeks. That made the first day back especially exciting because it was our chance to reconnect with our extended circle of friends, catch up on holiday stories and settle back into school life together. Looking back, it wasn’t just about new teachers, new subjects, or a new class. It was the anticipation, the friendships, and those little traditions that made the reopening day so special. They’re memories I still look back on very fondly.
— Zeeshan Anees, Co-founder, Ambur Canteen
I was about three years old when my parents enrolled me at Vidyodaya School. My father was too emotional to take me to school, so he stayed in the car while my mother brought me in. I remember looking around the school with her. After a while, she asked me to wait and said she would be back soon. I was suspicious and started feeling anxious. Then I saw her walking towards the parking area, getting into the car and leaving. I felt completely abandoned. Looking back, I know my parents did what they thought was best: making a quick exit instead of prolonging the goodbye, but at that moment, it felt as though I had been deserted. But the feeling lasted only a few minutes. Soon, I became absorbed in the classroom and the playground. I loved playing in the sand and on the slide. In fact, I could even go up the slide upside down, something none of the other children could do. Those little distractions quickly took my mind off everything else. But I still remember that first day very clearly. It happened nearly 60 years ago, yet the emotions of that moment have stayed with me.
— Bina Boaz, Founder,Rally Point
I always looked forward to the art and craft sessions when school reopened. I would be excited to see the new art books and curious about what we would be making that year. Most of these memories are from my primary school days, Grades 1 to 6. After that, I didn’t really have the opportunity to learn art in school. Looking back, those sessions had a much bigger impact on me than I realised at the time. They gently nudged me towards a creative practice that continued beyond school and eventually shaped me into the artist I am today. Years later, when I worked as an art educator, I saw the same excitement in my students. I feel art education is very important in the early years of a child’s life, especially from kindergarten through middle school. It is not just about learning to draw or make things. It helps children think differently, express themselves and build confidence.
— Padmapriya Kannan, Graphic Artist, Zoho Corporation
The first day of a new academic year remains one of my favourite childhood memories. Having studied at a convent school, I found something incredibly special about walking back through those familiar gates after being away from my friends for two months. The excitement would begin much earlier - shopping for new uniforms, shoes and stationery, covering fresh notebooks, and getting everything ready for the new term. But what I looked forward to most was seeing my friends again. The first day back was always filled with stories. We’d cycle to school together, catching up on everything that had happened during the holidays, exchanging little souvenirs from our trips, and comparing our new school bags and accessories. It felt wonderful to return to the familiar morning assemblies under the watchful eyes of the sisters and settle back into a comforting routine. Looking back, those moments taught us the simple joys of friendship, growing up and belonging. The first day back wasn’t simply about school reopening; it was about reconnecting with a world that felt safe, familiar and full of possibilities.
— Salma Mariam, Operations Manager, HR Finance
I remember being so excited to organise my books in my school bag, even though I knew that within a week, it would be a mess again! Getting my uniform ready, setting it aside for the first day, and preparing for a new school year as an older and supposedly ‘wiser’ girl were all part of the excitement. More than anything, I looked forward to all the new things I would learn. Those are the memories that have stayed with me over the years.
— Anushka Sachdev, Educator