It's a weird sensation walking back into your old high school for the first time after you've graduated. The place that was most likely your home away from home is now a place far away from your new home. Whether you've gone away to college or have entered the job market, it can be an emotional experience to return for the first time.

Being overwhelmed by your emotions.

Before you even walk in the door, you’re overcome by expectations of re-entering these hallowed halls. You’re confused and far too excited. You’re nervous that the reality of your old high school won’t live up to the expectations in your head.

Wow their policies have changed.

You’re required to get a dreaded visitors pass in the main office and you must fight the strong urge to yell “Don’t you know who I am? I used to run this school!” Suddenly you feel like an intruder in what used to be your home away from home.

Wow so many things look different.

The old familiar carpets have been ripped up and replaced by hardwood, the old classroom has been refurbished as a makeshift storage closet and the creepy shop teacher who gave you pizza in class has since retired. You feel like a stranger.

Seeing teachers you haven’t seen in a while.

Suddenly you’re greeted by a familiar face and all is right with the world again. Your favorite teachers’ faces light up when they see you for the first time in ages.

Answering their questions about your life.

It’s amazing how much your old teachers actually want to hear about your life! The obligatory questions that everyone asks whenever you come home seem slightly less irritating when they are coming from the people who helped shape your prime schooling years.

Trying to act like you actually are an adult to make a good impression.

You have to remind yourself that you are no longer a student here. You are an adult. I repeat: YOU ARE AN ADULT. You feel oddly compelled to try and prove this to your former teachers by informing them of all the grown up stuff you do like getting out of bed before noon on a Saturday. They don’t need to know that’s not actually true.

Wow, those kids look young, I never looked that young did I?

You see all the kids sitting in the same seats you sat in just a few years ago and can’t help, but notice how shockingly young they look. You may offend some juniors by assuming they are still freshmen. You could not have possibly looked that young in high school, could you? No you haven’t changed at all it must just be the GMOs or some other weird conspiracy causing these youngsters not to age.

Realizing how amazing this school was.

You stand in the back of your old chorus class and listen to the new group of student singers and watch as they sway to the beat of their songs, much like you did in your time here. A student or a former teacher may ask you to speak to the class briefly or offer advice and it hits you that this school truly had a significant impact on your life.

Missing it like crazy.

You begin to romanticize your time in high school and an overwhelming feeling of loss comes over you. The realization that you will never sit in these seats again or walk down these halls as a student chokes you up a bit.

Dress code flashbacks and bells ending periods. You’re glad you’re in college.

Suddenly the bell rings and the hallway floods with matching blue polos and khaki pants. This high pitched ringing that used to give you such joy, signaling that the period was over, sends chills down your spine. Even more so, you can now avoid that god-awful dress code. Thank God you’re in college.