Anticipation
Originally Published July 2022
When I was a kid, I absolutely loved riding roller coasters. I grew up in Eastern Ohio and there were three or four amusement parks within two hours of my hometown, and a day trip to one of those parks was often my family’s summer vacation. Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh. Idora Park in Youngstown. Geauga Lake in Aurora. I looked forward to those park days excited that I would get to ride my favorite coasters.
Now getting to the coaster ride required negotiation. Neither of my parents would ride. My two younger brothers were too little at the time. So my big brother, David, was my ticket. (My parents wouldn’t let me ride alone.) And David did not like coasters. I had lots of ways to convince him to go with me, however.
Sometimes I took the sweet little sister approach. “Pleeeeeeeeze! You’re the best big brother ever!”
Sometimes I challenged his tough guy image. “Come on, Dave! What are you? A scaredy cat!?”
And sometimes I resorted to bribery. “I will give you all of my Halloween candy this year.”
Once I convinced him to go on the ride with me, I was giddy with excitement. And I loved going over that first big hill, hands in the air, screaming with the rest of the riders. But I think that the best part was actually the anticipation. Waiting in line and counting to see how many more trains would run before it was our turn. Trying to determine if we could get the first or last car. And of course, slowly going up that first hill, the chain pulling us clinking and clacking all the way. And then that little pause just before we went racing down the hill.
For me, the beginning of the new school year is a little bit like that roller coaster going up the first hill. The summer was spent planning for the new school year. From instructional planning to facilities maintenance; From hiring new staff to moving classroom spaces. The administrative teams met and prepared, and the staff will arrive soon. Everyone is slowly climbing that big hill, and anxiously anticipating reaching the peak and welcoming new students and families.
It seems that every year is another fast and exciting ride. There will be hills, twists, turns, and surprises. But at the end of it, all will be so glad they decided to ride this train!
