Nostalgia encompasses the concept of longing for something long ago- to former, happier circumstances. When I walk through the school hallway and see the younger students, I feel a sense of nostalgia. Remembering the 6th grade Switzerland trip or my 8th grade classes, it hits me that now, we are the oldest students in school. It is a weird feeling, not having anyone look at you and see the glint that nostalgia ignites in their eyes. It seems that for many, the hallways of FIS are not just our route from one class to the next, but rather a capsule of time. It is a touching reminder of how quickly time passes. 

As the school year comes to an end, and we will soon be given the title of ‘senior’, I felt it important to give voice to the 11th graders and their experiences throughout their time at FIS. I asked students in my grade that have been attending FIS from 8th grade or earlier to submit their favourite memories from their time at FIS, whether that be a funny incident, a significant event, or just a quiet, meaningful experience.

Growth is a big concept when growing up so tightly next to others. As we can imagine, many of us are moving through FIS as a very different person than who we were when we were welcomed at orientation day. Zac, who has been a student at FIS since grade 7, also reflects on the changes that have happened around him: “I remember the last day of school in 2021. A lot of people were leaving and there were a lot of goodbyes and tears but weirdly enough it was a really significant memory because of how much love and appreciation for each other was shared. Like, we knew we’d all stay in contact so we weren’t all devastated, but it was really just a moment of genuine love for each other and it’s really stuck with me. I have this one photo that really resonates with me because it’s all 25 of us in a group photo and we all have the biggest smiles on our faces (…) i miss the way it was back then ❤️”. 

While Zac’s recollections emphasise emotional goodbyes, Thomas, who joined FIS in grade 4 shifts our focus to a lighter, more humorous incident that showcases the surprising twists of school life: “One time he approached the handshake with a jump, and the momentum from the jump made him flip around in the air before slamming on the floor face first. My bad… He was flying for around three seconds – one of the most bizarre things I ever remember experiencing. It remained one of my most memorable experiences at FIS due to how incredibly odd that few seconds were.”. Many other responses remembered summers and the water fights on the field, the Manderscheid trip where many “got super close with my classmates in a time disconnected from the rest”. Mark, who started FIS in first grade, marked the beginning of his football career right on our very own pitch: “[I remember] scoring from 20 meters over the goalie – this was a very important goal needed to win the game and everyone went nuts.”. 

Many also treasure the simple act of bonding on sports trips or character-building trips, which push the core values of teamwork, responsibility, and problem-solving. Catie, a student that has been at FIS for 14 years mentions “Sports teams and seasons, sports days in primary school, Switzerland leadership trip and Special Olympics because I was involved in serious, yet fun, activities that made me get many friends and experiences from them.”. The skills that we learned from these trips are not only found within Catie, but also Vicky, who joined FIS in 3rd grade: “The trip to Rothenburg in 7th Grade is probably the best trip I’ve ever been on. I was able to bond with lots of my friends, as well as making new friends. What stuck to me the most was the team game where we had to find the 3 missing Princes, and solve riddles and find clues. Overall, it was a really fun trip for me.”

Finally, let us not forget that many grew up on our sister campus, in Wiesbaden. Sophia, who joined the Wiesbaden campus in grade 2 helps paint a vivid picture of the traditions that shaped her school life: “For me, the most memorable memories are the plays we performed as a class in grades 2-4. This was at FIS Wiesbaden, so we were just about 23 in number. Everyone participated – we all sang, we all danced, we all painted tree-backdrops in art class and learned our lines. These performances were a completely new ‘thing’ to me at the time, and in grade 2 I barely spoke English. I believe they have a lasting impact on who I am now, in various aspects including my personality, passions and values. The performances were a group achievement which we were proud to perform multiple times to parents and the rest of the campus. Everyone appreciated them and celebrated us, which is what made them so special.

That brings me to another memory: whole-school assemblies with our ex-head of FISW: Mrs. Andrea Rosinger. At the end of the assembly, we always sang “Take one hand, put it in another, take some love, give it to me…” while making our way back to classrooms. (Really, every single time 🙂 )

I loved reading periods, too. As an English learning support student at the time, it was difficult at first. But I loved spending that time with many Magic Treehouses and A to Z Mysteries, in one of the pillow-corners that belong to the flair of the elementary school classrooms. But reading time was not restricted to reading on our own: Once a week our grade teacher would read aloud another chapter from a book which we finished together throughout the school year. Everybody listened, huddling on the colourful carpet in front of the smart board, listening to our wonderful teacher and reminding her that her glasses were on her head when she couldn’t find them. At this point in our education, we were still at the stage of being taught playfully and with more familiarity by our teachers, and these reading times were such a significant part of that.

And I can’t leave out the forest days! Every few weeks we would trudge out- we had to bring day-packs, water bottles, and snacks: that alone was enough excitement for a second-grader. And of course the sunscreen! We would explore the forest, play flag-wars and share our snacks. The end of the forest day was always a sadness for all.” 

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit a story for this article. It is not with a light heart that I write about these memories, because it makes me tear up slightly to remember all these cherishable moments. Though, my favourite memory goes hand in hand with Zac’s memory. Each year in middle school, we would take a picture on the boulevard. Now, aligning these pictures one after the other, it is clear how we have all changed. Throughout the sequences of pictures, people are added, people leave. Some have completely different hair or are hugging different friends. However, I can say with certainty that one thing has stayed the same: our pride to have walked into these halls together, and our anticipation of exiting them together too. 

Now, I know what you all are thinking: You guys haven’t even finished writing your EE, half of your IA’s, done mocks, or finished CAS. Why are you sentimental already when you are just in the first leg of your IB path? 

Well, the reason for this article isn’t meant to just look back, it’s also about preparing ourselves for what is to come. As we step into our senior year, and we tackle our EE, our IA’s, our mock exams and fight our way through CAS until final exams, we also need to remember to appreciate the time we have left together. It sounds extremely cheesy now, but I assure you, when we walk onto that stage in about one year and accept our diplomas, the late night study sessions and stress will be stories that we will cherish for many years to come. In other words, I am proud to mark off my journey through this school, having shared so many laughs, tears, jokes, and stories with the people that have made these school years something to describe as ‘nostalgic.’