Middle School Survival Guide {Part 1: The Locker}

I can't believe it's almost school time again! I can literally hear your groans. Yep, I feel your pain. =) But, you have to gain knowledge to go places in this world, so it's not so bad. Really. One day you'll even be thankful for it!  Really.  Can you believe it - in a few weeks, you're about to become an official, true blue {no, true azure (Remember that word?)} middle school-er!  Does that factoid excite you, scare you silly, make you wish you'd failed 5th grade, make you wish that wonderful 1st day was tomorrow or 100 years from now, or a bit of all those emotions rolled into one?  Believe me, it's completely & totally normal to be jittery, hopeful, & scared all at once!  That's how I was.  Sixth grade was my favorite year of middle school!  It was an amazing time to find my independence & discover/explore things I was good at.  I hope it will be an amazing time for you, too!  That's why I'm creating this Survival Guide, so you'll have a head start to a fantastic 1st year of middle school!  


In middle school you get your first ever locker & it's pretty exciting to have your own small personal space at school.  I used to think of it as my 'school closet.'  Some lockers are stacked (one on top - one on bottom), & some take up the whole section (sorta floor to ceiling models), also, some have built in combination locks & others have to have a removable combination lock, but both unlock the same way.  

How to open your locker...  No, 'open sesame' won't work. =)

     

Decorating Your Locker

Okay, so the locker above may be a dream locker.  Your locker, in reality, will likely look more like this...

But hey, don't worry! You can turn a blah locker into a mini home-sweet-home with a few decorative touches.  Here's some ideas for ya...

Use scrapbook paper, photos, pages from magazines, &/or wrapping paper to cover the inside of your locker.  Instant "wall paper" - just add tape!  I did this in high school using loads of magazine pictures!

Wash out a soup can, cover the edges with felt or fabric (note: the top edge may be sharp), & then embellish to your heart's content.  Add a strong magnet on the back for a locker-friendly pencil/supply cup.  These are oh-so-handy + the tin can is magnetic, too, so you could add tiny magnets & notes directly to the pencil cup.

Create places to clip important notes, deadlines, & (of course) photos by decorating clothes pins & adding a magnetic strip to the back!  So easy!

Turn old bottle caps (plastic caps from soda or water bottles work, too) into artsy magnets.  Just decorate with paint or a picture & add a strong magnet to the back.

Remove the sticker labels from a bottle of hand sanitizer & add your own stickers, ribbon, paint, Sharpies, etc.  Perfect for storing in your locker & keeping the germs away in between classes.

More Items You Might Just Want to Have in Your Locker:

-plenty of supplies (paper, pencils, pens, etc.)

-a mini calendar (to keep track of your schedule)

-a dry erase board (for important memos & such)

-a magnetic mirror (for a quick check in between classes)

-a mini hair brush

-snack (make sure it's nothing that will rot, stink, or make a mess=)

-air freshener (You know those little decorative papers you can get at the department store to spray a sample of perfume on?  I punched a hole through one of those, laced some ribbon through, & spritzed it heavily in a fancy perfume & hung that in my locker.) 

Final Advice:

Make sure to keep your locker safe by never giving your combination to anyone.  One way to keep it secret is to write it down in an alphabet code until you have it memorized.  For example, 2, 18, 20 would be B, R, T because B is the 2nd letter of the alphabet, R is the 18th, & T is the 20th.  When leaving your locker, spin the dial once or so & try to open the locker to make sure it is locked.  Lastly, make your locker your own.  Add your own personal touch through photos, posters, even something small/inexpensive from home that represents you like a little figurine, photo frame, or trinket. 

Love,

Ms. D.

P.S.:

Do you know I was walking through Walmart the other day & stumbled upon a locker chandelier!  It actually lit up & everything!  So cute!  I wished they'd had that when I was in school!  


(All photos are via Pinterest.)