[footsteps]
[indistinct chattering]
[bluesy bass music]
- The first day of school.
Lockers will slam and bells will ring.
Pencils will be sharpened and chairs will creak.
You will see more people in one place
than you have in months.
[Ahhhhhhh!]
If you're like me, you'll be nervous.
I'll be a junior at West High in Madison this year.
I've never been a very confident person
and the first day of school terrifies me.
It's not just the return of homework and tests.
The first day of school means relating to all your classmates.
When you pass the ten or so people
who you actually know, you say, "Hi."
For the other 2,990, you stare straight ahead.
You endure the feeling that for the past three months,
everyone was having more fun than you.
Meanwhile, you watched all nine seasons of "Everybody Loves Raymond."
[laughter coming from TV]
You shake it off and go to your first class.
Now comes the worst part of all.
The thing you ve been dreading all summer...
[tense music]
Name games.
The rules may vary
but the concept remains the same.
"Tell us about yourself.
"Let us get to know you.
Expose yourself to judgment from your peers."
[tense music]
The risk of humiliation is tremendous.
"Okay, class," the teacher says.
"Can you name three facts about yourself?"
They're not just asking for three facts.
[tense music]
They're asking you to sum yourself up.
Your heart is palpitating.
You're sweating profusely.
Why did you wear boots on the first day?
It's still summer
but you just had to have that extra inch of height.
You cleared six feet, but good God, at what cost?
[eerie music]
Now there's just one more kid away from your turn.
The guy in the polo shirt
is talking about how his uncle owns a farm.
[whoosh]
You're jealous.
That's not really such a bad fact.
Can you top it?
[whoosh]
Humor might be your best option
but then again, a joke is risky.
[eerie sounds]
What if no one laughs?
[tense music and eerie sounds]
Now the kid in the polo shirt has only one more fact to go.
Turns out he's passionate about dirt bikes.
Why aren't you passionate about anything?
He works in a joke, and it gets a chuckle.
[eerie chuckle]
At this point, you would give your soul for a chuckle.
Finally, it's your turn.
There's a pause.
Everyone's looking at you.
The kid in the polo shirt seems so happy he survived.
[eerie sound]
And then...
[boom]
a gift from the gods.
The sweetest sound known to man.
The clear, bright...
[hopeful music]
[rrrrrrring]
Class is over.
[exhaling]
You pack up and meet your friends for lunch.
You marvel at your good luck.
Maybe this year won't be so bad after all.
[bluesy bass music]
[ding]
[click]
[laughter coming from TV]
[laughter continues coming from TV]
[click of changing channel]
[audio coming from TV] - I'm Angela Fitzgerald and welcome to "Wisconsin Life."
[pouring liquid into glass]
[slurping through straw]
[indistinct sound coming from TV]
[music coming from TV]
[indistinct sound coming from TV fades]