School Reunion

What a title.  There's a Doctor Who episode with that title.  Yesterday, after much travelling, I arrived at one of my former schools.  It certainly holds a special place in my mind, as it remains my favourite school.  The establishment was celebrating its 90th anniversary, and the alumni association invited all former pupils in its extensive history.  Much to my delight, there were some from my own year, as well as my teachers.  It was a stunning day, though on arrival, I immediately threw a spanner in the works, with the few words, "I haven't RSVPed."

However, the organisers were superb - they soon made allowances at the dinner tables, which were packed full.  It's an incredibly small school, and the alumni present could probably cover the entire register of the senior school.  Most of the people I recognised responded in kind, and of those, most assumed I was on the course that I am studying.  One exception to this was one of my favourite teachers - I loved parts of the course, but was hopeless at a vast majority of it.  Nevertheless, my teacher had such confidence in me that when she recalled which year I had left, where I'm currently studying, she asked with great certainty that I was reading the course she teaches.  I cringed.  Another teacher present informed her that, "She's doing xxx, of course." Still, it's a great compliment, however I look at it.  

Another delight was to chat to a teacher who I've not had chance to in almost four years.  She retains some of her distinctive interests, and is largely to thank for my continued interest in the course - she was very careful to keep some challenges to the course, and prevented any tediousness that might have occurred.  The marvellous thing of this particular school is the confidence everyone shows to you.  They are thoroughly convinced that anyone can be spectacular - and if you believe that as well, you really are.  I'll never be a teacher myself, but those people deserve the highest praise.  

Returning to hall, the place is once again packed.  We also have a new Hall Warden, whose initial speech was cringe-worthy.  Having returned to hall early for exams, I met him last week.  Within a day, there was plenty of gossip flying, and fuelling a fire is fun for a character such as his.  However, even within such a short space of time, he's convinced that I'm intelligent.  Perhaps convincing him of other parts of my character may distract him from being a sycophant.