It’s the place where we made the friends that have become some of the most important people in our lives, where we discovered that the rumor about bouncing, school cafeteria hot dogs was true, and where we found out what the phrase “the good old days” really meant. For many, elementary school was the peak of their education, not necessarily because of academic excellence, but because we were taught what it meant to interact with others.

We were all happier because we were cared for and not constantly pressured to be the best. Recently, there have been heated debates between students about which elementary school is best. I’m not biased but — we all know the Garden Hills Bullpups are the best! But, hey,  does it really matter which one is better? The important thing is that almost everyone remembers and loves their elementary school because of how much better our lives were during those six years between kindergarten and fifth grade.

One of the most common complaints coming from high school students is that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to complete piles of homework and get adequate sleep. Why, then, do we not receive a naptime like we got in kindergarten? Surely, teenagers who get an average of six hours of sleep need it more than energetic kids who go to sleep by 8 p.m. every night. Similarly, the times where we were able to have a recess and enjoy each other’s company for more than just a 25-minute lunch period every day have been so violently ripped from us when we most need it. With each year that passes, students are becoming more and more exhausted, yet, for the sake of money, schools seem to care less about our well-being. Maybe that’s the reason we talk so fondly of our elementary days, because we could enjoy learning and not be forced to grow up so quickly.

To state the obvious, elementary school criteria was simple. It was the foundation for everything we learn now in high school. However straightforward it was, the reason learning was so much fun in these times was because of the teachers who enjoyed what they did and truly wanted us to gain the passion for learning that they had. Don’t get me wrong, I know so many teachers at North Atlanta who are the same, but elementary school teachers always made sure to put in extra effort to make sure everyone was on the same page and happy. (I still miss you, Ms. Eyermann!)

Teachers are the people who drive our academic careers and those elementary school teachers who took the time to know and care for us helped each of us get that much further in school and life.

Asking for naptime, snacks and recess may be an unreasonable request for high school students to make, but what our fondness of elementary school really speaks to is our desire for the school system to invest in and care for us more. High schoolers aren’t adults quite yet and sometimes we wish our hands could be held just a little bit longer as we are taught how to grow up. Call me crazy but maybe that starts with a resurgence of naptime. Preferably right after challenging calculus tests, right? Or maybe we really do need a longer lunch period.

Something needs to change. We want some elementary school feelings again even as we trudge through high school. Tell you what: Can you let me know when they are selling blankies in the Warrior Store?