Toby Anstis' Blog

I've regressed!

Want fish fingers, mash and peas for lunch. Want to cycle home, watch Grange Hill and play on my ZX Spectrum.

I've gone back to school. Literally. Went back to my old school Desborough, in Maidenhead yesterday afternoon. Exciting, yet surreal. When I arrived, it all came straight back. Parked up outside the main building, and walked in to the reception. Except the reception is now the staff room. If i'd walked in like that 18 or so years ago, i'd have been yelled at and put straight on detention! But now, it was like, "hey Toby, great to see you! Lovely to have you back. Cup of tea?".....felt weird!

Then my old form teacher Mr Nunn came in. He's now Head Of Year, with numerous other responsibilities. Equally as welcoming. And I still felt like I should call him "Sir"!  Have you been back to your old school and had the same thing? Strange isn't it?

Still that same clammy stench of class rooms and old wooden desks, and still the same grafitti on some of them. In the chemistry lab, was half expecting to see "TA was 'ere" in Tipp-Ex. Thinking back, that was a pretty stupid thing to do considering the inflammability of Tipp-Ex around bunsen burners!

Most of the class rooms were still in the same places. One or two permanent structures had replaced the tired old terrapins (temporary buildings). The sports hall has been refurbed, and there's a new sand pit for the long jump, but otherwise still the same as it was when I was there.

Sometimes it's good to go back and revisit something that was such a big part of your childhood. Like therapy almost. Scary how quickly time flies though! Felt like yesterday that i was cycling to school, getting a new time table for the new year, taking exams and generally having a brilliant time with very little to worry about.

How things change.......

Toby

Posted by Toby Anstis on March 05, 2008 at 09:01AM

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