Centuries ago, I was an eleven year old embarking on my first year at Archer as a sixth grader. Okay. That’s an exaggeration — it was only seven years ago — but times have changed! Back then, Obama was our president, Instagram wasn’t popular among Archer students, teens all watched “Glee,” and we used Singapore math.

As most Archer students know, the sixth graders often do a lot of stuff with the seniors: bonding, locker decorations, singing, picnics. My English teacher, the wonderful Ms. Lee, would always tell us about the time in the far future when we, too, would be seniors, ready to graduate.

For my first few months, I privately disagreed; there was no way that I would ever be that old, and I certainly couldn’t see myself as a senior at Archer. But then it was January. 

And I adore January. I know that it brings the end of winter break, the start of the longer semester, and a seemingly endless amount of time before spring. But if you give it a chance, you’ll see that it’s the most special month of them all. September is the first month of school, October brings Halloween. November has Thanksgiving, early applications for college, the election. December is winter break and Winter Wonderland. During February, we give out candy grams and celebrate love. March has Spirit Week — the craziest week of the year! April gives us both spring break and prom. And May is graduation, moving up day, finals.

Yeah, yeah, all these months sound pretty cool. But January gives us a chance to breathe, to appreciate routine, to examine ourselves. Back in the January of 2011, I finally realized how much I love Archer and all it has to offer. Wrapped in my Sue Mill’s uniform and a pair of those trendy green knee socks, the calmness of the unbroken schedule showed me how much I enjoyed even the seemingly mundane parts of the school day. Plus, I adored the occasional rain shower that almost only ever happens in January!

Flash forward to 2017, and as I step out of the bus and walk to my locker, I find myself recalling my adoration for our school and feeling my love of Archer, routine, and January return in all its glory.