I’ve come to learn change is inevitable in life. As much as you may try to avoid it, it still happens. I learned it two years ago, after I moved to Lower Moreland. I didn’t want to go; I wanted to stay where all my friends were. Sure the idea of moving was exciting, but Morrell was the only place I’d come to know, and I loved it there (still do to this day). Anyway, I went without so much as a complaint since I wouldn’t be going to school with my friends anyway. I was soon overwhelmed with all kinds of new names and faces (I’m bad with names in the first place, having a few hundred thrown at me was quite uncomfortable), and even worse, homework. I’d never worked to keep my grades up so hard in my life. I’d always gone through school without even considering cracking a book. They were the first changes I encountered, definitely more physical: environment and study habits. The next change hit home the hardest, and took me a while to adjust. Actually, sometimes I still find myself adjusting.
I started to adjust to the ways of the kids at Lower Moreland, I don’t really know how to explain it other than that. Who would have ever thought a place ten minutes from home could be so different? One thing that really stuck out to me is the way everyone talked. Words are pronounced so different and the vernacular words were on two completely different levels. My biggest fear was and still is losing my “Philly Accent” as I like to call it. It’s most definitely grammatically incorrect, but it’s my little piece of home I can bring with me wherever I go. I wanted to avoid that change at all costs.
To my dismay, when I went back to Morrell to spend a night a few months later, EVERYONE sounded different; yet even worse, they said I did. My worst fear had come true, my accent was gone. But as the night went on, I realized the accents were the worst of my troubles. Everyone was different. I don’t really know how to explain it, but I just felt like it wasn’t home anymore. Everyone was completely different from how I remembered.
It’s funny how things change in a matter of just a few months. Lucky for me, I have my accent back for the most part, but it still bothers me to no end how different everyone is each time I see them. And to be honest, I miss the old everyone. But it’s cool, change is part of life, and how we adjust to this change determines the kind of person we are.
I know what you mean about Lower Moreland being just so "different" from other schools even in the immediate area. I left Abington school district when I was younger to come here so I can relate to the difficulty of the adjustment. That said, I hope you know you have a place here now; you are one of us while still maintaining the individuality everyone strives for. A few grammatical errors were my only complaints. Great post once again. -Rachel
ReplyDeleteAt LM, people take it for granted that everyone has known everyone else since Kindergarten; therefore, they don't always see this place objectively. LM is a strange school, just as I'm sure Morrell was in its own way. I like your attitude toward change and the fact that you took care to preserve your roots but also were open to changes. As you said, it's inevitable. I enjoyed the honesty of this post; I could really hear your voice come through.
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