By Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
Not long ago,
I said my first word and walked
my first steps.
Not long ago,
I learnt how to swim and fell
in love with the water.
Not long ago,
I made my first friends and
started crèche.
Not long ago,
I moved countries for
the first time.
Not long ago,
I learnt how to speak fluently
in a third language.
Not long ago,
I started dancing and
singing to bollywood.
Not long ago,
my little sister
joined the family.
Not long ago,
I moved countries
once again.
Not long ago,
I met my best friend
and got a dog.
Not long ago,
I pursued the guitar
and fell in love.
Not long ago,
everyone was quarantined
for too long.
Not long ago,
I moved back
here.
Not long ago,
I started competing
in the water.
Not long ago,
I somehow figure
myself out.
Not long ago,
my favourite person passed
away and left me behind.
Not long ago,
going in the water made me
want to rip my skin off.
Not long ago,
I sat my first exams
with surprising confidence.
Not long ago,
I decided my future
and career path.
And in a year,
we’ll graduate, I don’t
know about you
but right now,
I don’t know what I’m doing
or what’s going to happen to me.