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Early days of school? Great! I get nostalgic just by seeing a school building (any school, not just mine!).
Under this spoiler tag is a quick rundown of how school works very differently in Croatia from the US, so that everyone can follow:
Spoiler:
There's kindergarten, elementary school, high school and university. There is no middle school.
Elementary school starts at the age of 7, or 6, going on 7 (depends on your date of birth).
There's 8 grades of elementary school, and 4 grades of high school (some trade schools last 3 or 5). University (getting a degree) typically lasts 5 years.
Classes (sets of people you are classmates with) are constant and permanent. Classes are called 1st A, 1st B etc.
In elementary school, you have the same teacher for all (or almost all) subjects in grades 1-4, and that teacher stays with your class during this entire time.
In grades 5-8, your class has different teachers for different subjects, and moves between the teacher's classrooms during the school day. One of your teachers is your classmaster, in charge of your class - they take your class to field trips, hold parent's conferences and are your immediate superiors, regulators and dispute solvers.
High school functions similarly to grades 5-8.
My memories will now deal with the first 4 grades of school.
Early school days, part 1: Teacher
A tradition in my elementary school is to make a reception show to welcome the 1st-graders on the first day of school. This is held in the afternoon: parents and 1st-graders sit in the audience and 2nd-graders perform a little show with singing, there's a speech by the headmaster etc. Then the 1st grade teachers take to the stage and read out the names of everyone who'll be in their class. When you're called out, you join the others next to the teacher, and then the teacher takes everyone to their classroom, where we make introductions.
Our teacher had us make the "friendship net" to introduce ourselves on that first day. We put our chairs in a circle and teacher took out a ball of red yarn. Whoever catches the ball of yarn, introduces themselves and says something they like; then you wrap the yarn around your finger and throw the ball to someone who didn't get it before, in the process creating a red yarn net. We would make many more over the next 4 years with our teacher, including on our last day together at the end of 4th grade.
Once the net was made, we discussed and set some ground rules, first of which was "raise your hand if you want to speak". Our style of hand-raising had always been in a sort of V-sign. She walked us through what we'd be doing, told us what books we should bring tomorrow, and then we undid the friendship net (toss the yarn ball back to whom you got it from).
Our teacher was awesome. She taught us how to read and write, sum and subtract, multiply and divide. She was very nice, strict and fair. She was in many ways an extra parent to all of us during those 4 years - I often listened to advice or demands from her better than I did for my parents (who told the same things she did, but they told them all the time and they just got in through one ear and out through the other). She pushed me to go to art group and go to mathematics competitions, which at the time I was very lazy to do, but stuck with and did well on them later.
Usually, the grades in Croatian schools are 1 (insufficient), 2 (sufficient), 3 (good), 4 (very good) and 5 (excellent). There are no pluses or minuses next to the grades, at least none of my teacher ever used them, with one exception: our 1st-4th grade teacher had an extra grade in her system, the 5 with a star or *5. You got that for getting everything correct, the highest grade to aspire to (I got quite a lot of them, if I may say so 😄).
Also, we had a conduct grading system: if you were good that week, you got a star (that is, a *, as in a grade). At the end of the year, teacher would give everyone as many "gems" as they had gathered stars that year; the "gems" were colourful, pretty fishtank decorating baubles, each year a different kind. I can't tell you how beautiful and precious these things were. I still have them all in a small chest on my bookshelf, with some other nostalgic treasures...
Which I just now opened and inspected! Here's my first grade "gems" (large image):
Spoiler:
To this day I like to drop by my old school every now and then to say hi, to her and to many of my other teachers (I was the kind of child that gets along well with teachers, what can I say?).
Oh heck yeah I'm joining here! What's your name? I'm RadEmpoleon, or just call me Rad or Chris, I don't mind. What era did you grow up in? Late 2000s and early 2010s. Favorite toys as a child? my first DS (a pearl pink DS Lite), the Wii... that's all I can think of at the moment. Share 2 memories! I remember the first day I played a Pokémon game. It was Diamond, and on June 4th, 2010... I remember typing in my name with all capitals and the rival name as my brother's name (because he was showing me how to play), also in all capitals. I didn't realize there were lowercase letters for a while. I picked Piplup because I thought it was the cutest of the 3 starters and it has been my favorite Pokémon ever since.
Another fun memory of mine was recess in elementary school. There was a swing set, monkey bars, rock climbing wall, balance beam, and all sorts of other jungle-gym type things around. Many days I'd race around, trying to get on everything before recess ended. I always started at the beams where you could do flips and stuff (idk what it's called) and always ended on the swing set. Sometimes I'd even jump off the swing. Other days I'd play in the dirt or play with acorns. I remember one time I made a pile of leaves and got people to jump in it.
First off, welcome RadEmpoleon to the club - hope you have a wonderful stay!
Now, are you guys ready for the next memory trip? This time we're going to the online world. What were your early internet days like? Did you visit sites like Kongregate or Newgrounds, what were some of the first videos you've watched on youtube...
The first website I ever started visiting was Serebii and, thanks to the archives on the site, I can tell you that I first visited the website sometime in the week between the 6th and 10th of January 2008, which I take as the beginning of my online life. I routinely check the site for over 12 years at this point. Speaking of which, Serebii had a link to PokemonWorld magazine's website at the time, which I would also visit occasionally. One of the users which posted comments quite often went by the name "LucarioLVX". At that point in time, Lucario wasn't my clear-cut favorite Pokemon, but once it did become, that was the username I decided to go by, before eventually switching to LucarioBread a couple of years ago.
From Flash games, I remember playing a bunch of point and click adventure games with my aunt when I'd go for a sleepover, as well as all kinds of Mario games - especially Super Mario Flash where you could build your own levels.
The first ever online account I've created was for the official Pokemon website. Which was incredibly bare bones at the time, but it did have those minigames like Munchlax's Berry Bonanza, Turtwig's something and Pachirisu's clik-clak attack (I think it was called that). Once I collected enough coins, I had the Pokemon Center background with a Treecko plush. As for what my trainer looked like, I can't remember.
I went on a hunt to find the first youtube video I remember watching, which my dad put on before sleep when I was ill. The only thing I had to go by was that it was a DP Wi-Fi battle and with somewhat quiet female vocals after which a Swampert is sent out. 2 or 3 years ago, I went through dozens of old Wi-Fi battle videos and I actually managed to find it! It is "Pokémon DP: Wi-Fi Battle 29! VS Ulttimaa!" by Mukubird.
The first youtube channel I started following was Marriland, although I don't remember how I found him. Maybe through the Pokemon card maker on his site. The first full let's play I have ever watched was Chuggaaconroy's Earthbound during a phase when I wanted to know more about other franchises feature in Smash Bros.
Ah yes, the internet of the mid to late 2000s. The main thing I remember is the old GirlsGoGames site before it was overloaded with cringe and ads along with early YouTube (Rainbow filter, Tutorials using Notepad, etc.) One particular thing that stands out was Happy Tree Friends. For those that aren't in the know, HTF is a cartoon involving cute animals with a lot and I mean A LOT of violence. I probably should not have seen the things I've seen, but that's the internet for you.
I didn't use the internet all too much as a kid, not until 8th grade. I played a lot of Poptropica and ABCya at school. (Everyone talks about cool math games but I've never heard of it. ABCya is where it's at.) The first youtube video I watched (I think) was a video of someone defeating the hidden final boss in a video game. I watched a lot of a channel called Smosh which, as I look back, was a mistake because it definitely isn't the right content for 9 year olds to be watching. I would quote their videos, but not realize what I was saying was inappropriate. The only poketuber I can remember watching was the Jwittz.
To answer the topic question, my early internet days were kinda barebones. I mostly remember trying to get help for my homework online, reading articles and doing other research for science projects or history reports.
One of the ways I do remember enjoying passing free time on the net though was by hunting for personality tests and tools. I sometimes spent my whole weekends on sites like Quizilla that no longer exist, answering questions to find out things like which Greek god are you? Would you survive until the end if you were a horror movie? Which Star Trek character are You? Which Star Wars character are you? If you were a genre of music, what would you be? Another site I visited from time to time was Blogthings.
I got briefly obsessed with playing on Neopets, and buying food, toys and pet pets for the cute pets I had, and trying to make neopoints.
I would watch amv, especially the Sailor Moon ones. And as a pokemon fan I would of course search for pokemon-related things online, and try to find the latest in pokemon news. I stumbled upon lots of bogus cheats and glitches, and attempted to perform them on my game, including the obligatory wild goose chase for Mew.
I also have endless fond memories of fanfiction.net. I would read Dragon Ball fics, Inuyasha, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings.
Speaking of The Lord the Rings, I have to say now that I have answered the topic question that this is a fandom that occupies a special place in my heart. I was just re-watching the trilogy this week actually. Being a passionate ringer growing up, I think LOTR deserves a special rant down below.
No matter how many years have passed or how many times I see Lord of the Rings movies, they never fail to make me feel the same way I did when I first saw them in the theaters as a child. I may perhaps love them even more with time because I notice tiny details as an adult watching these films that I didn't pick up on the first time watching them as a little one, while also feeling the rush of excitement and nostalgia of returning to some of the bright places of my childhood.
My mom took me to see the Fellowship of the Ring in theaters when it was first released because she had read Tolkien's books growing up, and thought it would be a nice thing to share with her own daughter. I didn't know anything about The Lord of the Rings at the time, other than what she told me, but I instantly fell in love with the world of Middle Earth as soon as I saw it on the big silver screen. I was hypnotized by the sights of all the beauty of the elves, intricacies of the world, glorious pans of New Zealand's expansive, vivid landscapes, and the sound of the mighty orchestra with its horns and drums.
I made us go back to see it probably a dozen times, and went of course to see The Two Towers and The Return the King when they were finally in theaters, got the Lord of the Rings books to read, then read fanfics like I mentioned--especially Legolans Greenleaf ones, bought the films once they were on DVD, covered myself in all sorts memorabilia, even had a repoduction of Galadriel's ring Nenya. These are the kinds of memories that this club is made for sharing :)
What Era Did You Grow Up In: Mid 2000s - Early 2010s
Favorite Toy Growing Up:
It was an electronic Yahtzee game from the 2000s. I used to spend hours racking up high scores. If only I didn't lose it in 2008...
Share Two Memories: My parents kept a tube TV in our living room until I was about 10. From Arthur reruns to Chowder episode premiers, I watched everything on that thing. As a result, I have a special fondness for TVs from that era. I still collect them to this day!
One of my most vivid childhood memories was the day of Barack Obama's election. The elementary school I attended played his speech in the cafeteria. While the other kids focused on breakfast, I was blown away by the power in Obama's voice and the confidence he exuded. Even before I knew the full significance of that moment, I was still entranced.
So, since National Ghost Hunting Day was yesterday, let's get spooky with our memories.
Did you have any local urban legends? If not, what was the scariest urban legend you were told?
The closet thing to a local legend that I heard of was a building that used to be a sort of metaphysical/witchy shop. After I bought a book from the owner, he told me that the building was apparently a funeral home before where some guy accidentally got embalmed when he was still alive and the poor guy ended up haunting the place. I also had my dad's side of the family live close by and had grandparents visit Gettysburg (PA), so I got my fair share of urban legends from there.
On the side of internet legends, I was around long enough to see the rise of Creepypasta (before it became overrun by edgy teenagers) with Jeff the Killer, Slenderman, Smile Dog and Sonic.Exe (looking back on it, I don't know why that one scared me so much when it was just poor writing). I also remember some old Pokepastas including Snow on Mt. Silver, Lavender Town Syndrome and Pokemon Strangled Red.
This evening I watched The Nightmare Before Christmas. I hadn't seen it in some years. I watched some very intense movies earlier this week that had me feeling unnerved, and have also had a very rough last few weeks, so I wanted to watch something fun tonight to help me forget my worries for a moment.
It was so delightful to see this movie again. All of the creatures are so clever and imaginative. You don't see beautiful stop motion animation like that these days, and I really appreciate all that attention to detail in every model. It's a feast for the eyes. After these years, the whacky props still take me by surprise. This movie will always be a classic. I just love the character of Jack the Pumpkin King.
Nightmare was part of my childhood. Growing up I had action figures of Jack, Sally, Lock, Shock, Barrel and the Mayor. My nostalgic movie night also got me thinking about the many hours I poured into Kingdom Hearts as a child. It was my favorite game after Pokemon, and I distinctly remember Halloween Town among the highlights of my gaming experience. I personally found Oogie Boogie to be the hardest fight of all the Disney villains-- assuming we're not counting optional bosses.
I felt good just seeing the intro to Nightmare Before Christmas, and was singing along in my heart tonight. I still remember the words.
I like this movie for our current time of year because it has themes of two important holidays Halloween and Christmas, and it makes me get the holiday spirit for autumn.
Since that time of year's coming again, I think I'll share some holiday memories.
(CW: Suicide)
Spoiler:
My first one comes shortly after Thanksgiving (American Thanksgiving, to clarify). The night before I was due to go back to school, we got information from my dad's family that a distant cousin of mine was dead (Later found out that he had shot himself). I don't remember how exactly I felt initially as all I remember from the next day was emailing my teachers telling them why I wasn't in class that day (All I said was a family emergency) and settling in at my great-uncle's place. The next day was the funeral at the local fire station where I felt not exactly sad, but more exhausted. I just remembered not really leaving the guest room that much and reading a book I brought (I do remember getting Hot Chocolate from a local cafe). One thing I do remember was a dream I had the night after the funeral where I saw the cousin smiling and a dove coming out of his hand. I think this might've been a sign saying that he was a peace, but I don't know whether it was real or just me trying to cope. A week or two later, I remember my film class being taken to see The Force Awakens in theaters with just the class and a few kids in our auditorium. I would say that it helped me get my mind off of things for a little bit.
On a more positive note, I do remember a light display that came to the county fairgrounds every Christmas where you initially driven through it before walking around. Some things they had were a nativity scene with real donkeys, a tree that talked to you and an entire room with a train display. A few years ago, I think they added a guy in a Grinch costume that would walk around and occasionally stop for photos. Sadly, it's all drive-through only for this season, but I guess it's better than nothing.
I just heard a song I haven't heard in years today and boy did it bring me back. I liked it at the time, but not as much as other songs by the same artist. The whole time I was listening to it, I was like "oh my gosh, I remember this!" and I was thinking back to the good ol days.
(And yes, it's a Skrillex song, okay?)
I have been drawn to happy and nostalgic content these last few days to see me through tough times.
When I was a little girl I was sent to stay with relatives in the countryside every summer. I during my stay with her my aunt was thoughtful enough to offer me the Sunday morning "funnies"/comic strips while she was reading her newspaper. The stories with kids or animals as the main characters would usually catch my attention like Garfield, The Peanuts, Dennis the Menace etc.
There is one particular comic strip character that I have been recently thinking about, and that's Little Orphan Annie. I came to know her best through the musical Annie, which has a lot of differences to the original Howard Gray comic strip it is based on, but I think they are both funny and also interesting to look back at for insights into the times they were products of.
I love Annie. She's fun and full of hope, but also clever and a strong protector and a survivor. Plus she's a dog lover like me!
It might be sentimental to some folks, but for me the song Tomorrow is very uplifting to hear, and I have found peace focusing on the message and lyrics. They're simple, but true. It's also a Broadway song that every day people can sing. It doesn't have to be virtuoso, so long as it is sung with all your heart.
I have seen the Broadway revival of Annie with the great Australian baritone Anthony Warlow starring as Daddy Warbucks. I also have watched the 1982 film version starring Albert Finney.
I was on my school chorus during 6th-7th grade. At the end of the term everyone on the choir had to write a report on a musical of their choice. I picked Annie. On the day of my presentation I played the scene from the movie where Annie sings Tomorrow to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. It was a movie that had come out years before I was born, but I didn't see it as old-fashioned as a kid watching in the 2000s, I just saw a good movie, and feel the same as an adult looking back at it in the 2020s.
I recently rewatched some clips from the movie I hadn't seen in years on YouTube, and it made me laugh and forget my troubles. The comedic timing of the Carol Burnett is just brilliant as Miss Hannigan. And when two more legends Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters show up as Rooster and Lily St Regis to chew the scenery it catapults to simply beyond delicious! Everyone was not only funny, but the dancing was so darn good. I could watch Easy Street over and over and never get tired of it. Ah, the many faces of the divine Tim Curry!
I still have a pair of earrings that my best friend gave me at my 7th birthday, so they're 11 years old more or less.
Spoiler:
Sorry for the less than ideal quality
I don't wear them that often, but I usually wear them on my birthday. I'm wearing them today since it's Valentine's Day and they're hearts. I feel kinda sad since we've drifted apart over the years. I switched schools and I guess we went our separate ways... obviously we still know each other, but we don't talk that much to each other...
Okay everyone, now that I'm back, I might as well revive this!
Number 1: A very VERY late welcome to the newest club member, NipahRika! Please, excuse this neglectful club owner >.<
Number 2: For those that are still around, let's get the discussion going once more! The question I've come up with is this: Do you remember the first time you've met your best friend? Are there some specific memories with them you'd like to share?
In the grand scheme of things, this encounter was completely inconsequential. I should not be able to remember it in such detail and yet I still have it in my memory. It all happened when I was 14, the school year had just ended. It was me, my brother and his friend. I had the pistachio and vanilla ice cream, my favorite to this day. I bit into the cone and looked to the ground as a drop of ice cream fell when my brother's friend said he's going to meet with his girlfriend near the square and invited us to come meet her. So we went.
Once we reached the square, there was a lone girl waiting. And not in a million years would I have guessed that the person I just said "Hi" to would one day become one of the most important people in my life.
The two of them then went alone to the fair, while my brother and I returned home. This "Hi" would be the only thing I've ever said to her for the next 4 years. That's when on a trip with my school's Biology group, she asked if the bus seat next to me was free. We figured out we both liked drawing, video games and anime (specifically Magi and Recovery of an MMO Junky). And it was after that trip we began properly hanging out.
Here are a few wacky memories I have with her, which I don't feel I could've made with anyone else.
One is just sitting on the side of a basketball field late at night and me rambling about Fate/series and her saying sarcastic things like "okay, but why is Nero a girl?" or "of course that's how you transfer mana, why wouldn't it be".
Another one is when I was hungry and wanted to make myself an omelet. At the same time, she began sending me photos of her cat which was going into labor. And whenever she'd send me a pic of a newly born kitten, I'd reply with a picture of my omelet in the making. After receiving the photo of the final kitten, I remember just sending her the photo of my table cloth because by that time I was already done with eating and the dishes lol
A fairly recent one was after this year's summer fair. We moved away from the center of the town to just walk around in the dead of the night. And as we were walking near a stream, we noticed there were a lot of frogs around. So we started running around like little children trying to catch them, managing to catch whopping 0 of them.
I found a portrait which is a replica of my grandmothers home.
I have one parent and wasn't always into her activities, so I would ask if I could be dropped off at my grandmothers house instead. Ended up bonding with her heavily and in retrospect I'm glad I had a relationship with a grandparent such as this.
Last visit to her house was Summer of 2017. We did some cleaning after she passed.
Do you remember the first time you've met your best friend? Are there some specific memories with them you'd like to share?
I have had a life that people sometimes entered for limited periods of time, and then circumstances seperated us, but that doesn't make those moments any less precious.
I have had more than one best friend, but the firsr best friend I made was when I was 8 years old. Her name was Jessica, and I met her when she was a new student at my elementary school in Los Angeles. She was in my class in 3rd grade, Ms. Connery's class. I immediately took a liking to her, and wanted to show her around on her first day. She looked kinda like Jenna Malone, pale and thin with short brunette hair in a bob. I seem to remember her wearing a blue dress to school, and she was a gentle, sweet, sensitive, intelligent girl. I can hear her high, clear voice now.
Before Jessica I didn't have someone who I would call a best friend, or even friends in general. I was more of a loner kid. I remember talking to other kids from my school in a casual way like during recess or at after-school programs, and playing with the kids next-door sometimes. Maybe during holiday visits to relatives I would do stuff with children my own age in the family, mostly cousins, but Jessica was different. She was the one I was most excited about, and thought of as a best friend.
I have some specific memories of her. I remember her visiting the apartment building where I lived on weekends, and us watching Disney movies and Cartoon Network, eating snacks, showing her my doll collection and playing with barbies together, singing songs and talking about dogs and cats.
I never went to her house though. This was probably because she didn't have one. I didn't fully understand it at the time, but she and her mom were living in a shelter without her dad. She would say things like, "We have to get back before the shelter's curfew, or they will lock the doors." I didn't really know what that meant at age 8 though.
I did notice though that my mom was generous to Jessica, though we were low-income and struggling ourselves, she would find old clothes of mine and toys to give her, and make sure that she had as much as she wanted to eat. She understood as an adult what this little girl was up against.
It's very poignant looking back on those days now as I get older.
I remember we had a school project I think related to news, and it was really important to Jessica to highlight some stories about domestic violence, and she recruited to me to draw some pictures to accompany her text, because she said she couldn't draw well enough, so we worked together. In retrospect I think she was probably drawn to that topic because she herself was a survivor, and that's why she and her mom were living in an emergency shelter, trying to get out of an abusive household. She never told me about anything bad happening to her as far as I remember, and we were just two kids hanging out together.
My friendship with Jessica would abruptly come to an end overnight, she just disappeared from the school and seemed to have left town. I think she had to relocate suddenly and without contact information or explanation because the circumstances that she and her mom were fleeing may have caught up with them, and they had to go underground for protection. I don't even know if Jessica was her real name or not. If it's the kind of situation I believe it was then she may have had her name changed so she couldn't be stalked. I also don't have any pictures of her, again it may have been dangerous to do. I remember her though as clearly as if I had a camera, and hope that she is doing well today, and went on to have a better life, maybe she even has a memory of me too. Be safe Jessica, you deserve a wonderful life and I am wishing you great karma and happiness.
Thank you Lucario Bread for your kind words. I did a Google search using her first and last name to see if anything came up. I saw photos of a woman who also had contacts in the city we went to school in. I don't want to get too excited because it's a very common first name, the last name that I knew her by was a little more specific, but still a name that I have heard before, and Los Angeles is a big place that could potentially have multiple people with the same name. This is also assuming that she is still using that name, because it could have been changed to protect her identity. That being said the picture could look like an older version of her, even styling her hair the same way. I kinda hope it is her. If so then it looks like creating quite a life, had a smile on her face, was working as a reporter covering earthquakes and social issues, and is a poet who has won awards.
I am in a good mood, and if it's alright then I would like to pose a question to everybody.
Are there any mascots that you remember with nostalgia, I.e like from commercials or franchises, school etc?
I always have adored Poppin' Fresh the Pillsbury Doughboy. He is so ridiculously cute, with that sweet laugh when you touch his doughy tummy. Not to mention that Pillsbury cookies, biscuits, crescents etc all were delicious, and those were the first things I learned how to bake as kid, because it's pretty to follow the instructions. I especially liked their chocolate chip cookie with walnuts,vand would leave plates of them for Santa on Christmas Eve.
The Energizer bunny is also a classic, and I even had a mini Energizer bunny-shaped flashlight that ran on Energize batteries I suppose. He had the tm drum and sunglasses, looked like the bunny in the commercial.
Another mascot that makes me smile to look back on was a warthog called Wally. He was the mascot for the minor league baseball team in my hometown down south. At halftime during baseball matches someone would come out in warthog costume wearing a Baseball uniform and cap to boost morale and get folks cheering. Everyone would say, "Slide Wally Slide!" Then this big teddy-bear like warthog would slide to home base as the crowd screamed. It was so charming.
