My original expectations were....

    A person's expectations of something very rarely becomes their truth.
    I went to CFHS in the ninth grade, and I really did not know what to expect when I first walked into the halls of this very large school.  I remember feeling as if the school was going to swallow me whole.  The hallways seemed to go on forever and the stairwells seemed to go nowhere.  Being a "newbie", as the older classmen called the freshmen, I not only was new to the school but to the area as well.  It was an overwhelming feeling to be in a new place and school.  I did not know what to expect.
     I was lucky enough to meet some great teachers and friends that  helped me to navigate the unending hallways and stairwells.  It did not take me long to learn all the tricks to get from one class to another without being swallowed by the crowd.  Even though I could navigate my way around well, I did still feel small in a very large sea of people and lockers. 
     Having had the opportunity to go back to CFHS as an adult in the role of a potential educator was definitely a different feeling. 
     When I first pulled up to the school, I did have some of the same feelings I had in the ninth grade.  I was nervous and afraid of how big the building seemed from the sidewalk.  After taking a few deep breaths and walking up the stairs, I realized that I am a "newbie" again, but hopefully I will be able to be that beacon of light for at least one new student walking the hallways and stairwells.  I can relate to what it feels like to be overwhelmed in a new place.
     I expected the hallways and stairwells to look the same, and to some degree they did, but with a new and fresh paint scheme, it seemed like a completely different school at first.  After walking the main corridor, I however remembered the smell of the building.  It brought back many memories of being a freshman in high school. 
     I look forward to being able to spend more time exploring and getting to know the old school again. I can't wait to see what futures unfold in the hallways and classrooms of CFHS.