So I am in elementary school.
And they have this thing called Eureka or G.T. or something where you take a test.
And it, basically, decides whether you have to stay with the rest of the class every Friday.
Or, on some of these Fridays, you get to leave
the class, and go to the lake, and study the scientific relevance of tadpoles, and learn about microbiomes and that kind of stuff.
Everyone gets their results back.
But I get asked by the teacher, and a man, who might have been an administrator, to leave my things at my desk and please follow them.
Guessing you have some idea where this story is going.
So I get marched into a large classroom full of empty desks and no other students.
They cross their arms and sit together on the big teacher style desk in the front.
Or more like they lean against it.
And I am asked to sit across from them in a student desk.
My hands clasped on the desk, and feet crossed at the ankles, in good southern girl posture, which I had already learned.
And then the questions start.
How did I take the test?
How did I come up with the answers?
How was I thinking about the questions I was responding to?
First of all, the teacher was definitely there and monitoring us for the first test, so…
But it is funny what you *sense,* and get, as a kid.
I know behind everything they are saying is,
when we look at you, based on what our minds can see,
your scores don’t make sense to us.
And so with both of them leaning against the desk watching over me, they had me take the test again.
I don’t think my parents even know this story, okay.
Because I don’t think I ever told them.
Whatever score I got on that shadow test, lol,
that second test, must have been satisfactory.
Because along with some of my other classmates, I was going off to learn about tadpoles, and frogs, and stuff on some Fridays.
But here’s the thing, I know I didn’t get the highest test score in all of the region, or something, because, you know, they would have mentioned that, if not to me, then to my parents.
And obviously other kids had tested in, so it wasn’t like unheard of for kids to get the scores they were looking for.
I mean, there were a good handful of us on those little trips.
And yet there I was explaining that I don’t know, I just thought about it and took the test. And knowing what the heart of all their questions really meant.
I had, well, a few moments like this in school.
But I also had a lot of exceptional moments, and exceptional teachers.
Like really exceptional moments. And really exceptional teachers.
And some of my favorite memories in all of life were in school, or somewhere learning something from, or with someone, or even better, out and free to learn, and discover, and explore, and enjoy things I am interested in myself.
Some of those favorite days in all of school were Planetarium Days, with their energy, passion, and excitement.
Which is where the Planetarium Days on my page comes from.
Actually Planetarium Days are still some of my favorite moments, as an adult.
And some of my favorite memories and experiences I’ve had in all of life.
~ NP.
10/30/2025 8:27pm.
// Written By Nika Patrice.
Attribution: Nika Patrice.
© 2025 All Rights Reserved. //