The streets are slowed by the big yellow monster1); moms stifle2) the sniffles3) as they let go of that little one's hand. Teachers full of hope open that door to a classroom that reflects their heart， soul and many weeks of preparation. The freshly shined floors of the school hallways echo squeaks4) of brand-new sneakers that mom and dad worked so hard to purchase. It is beautiful chaos.

I am not so old that I don't remember each and every first day. With a name like Cherimie， hair like a horse， and head as hard as concrete5)， first days weren't always smooth sailing. How I wish I could go back and tell that awkward little girl all the things I know now.

I would tell her not to worry about how difficult it is to pronounce her name. One day that unique name won't be quite so bad. Those boots you love so much will one day be more than the brunt6) of the cool kids' jokes. It is OK to outrun the little boys， even if everyone tells you to let them win. It is equally as acceptable to excel in math and understand football. All those stories you write in detention7) may be worth more than you know.

Don't be afraid to answer the questions out loud: being smart is far more important than being pretty. It lasts longer and costs less. There are some things worth fighting for; just prepare for the consequences and the sore8) hand. Those thick glasses and metal braces are temporary: the glasses will help you see the mean girls coming and the braces will perfect your smile when you see them going.

Talk to the new students; they are scared and alone， too. Always stand up for those who are called nerds9); you will be amazed at what they become. Don't ever hide in the bathroom because some boy breaks your heart; he isn't worth missing cheerleading10) tryouts11). That day you will learn how to smile even when life hurts. Never， ever， allow someone to be made fun of， laughed at or discarded12). Never.

Don't waste time and tears over not getting invited to all the parties. Don't lower your head one millimeter when those girls say and do things that make you feel like you have been bush hogged13). They are mean， mean for sport14). Pretty soon you will be in high school and those same girls will be sitting in the stands watching you cheer. Keep smiling; they never change but neither will you. There will always be someone hoping you fail， laughing at your mistakes， pouring salt in your wounds， and pretending to be your friend. You will always know who your friends are; cherish them. Quality trumps15) quantity.

Enjoy every moment; thank Momma and Daddy for being so hard on you. These days will reflect who you will become， hair still as coarse16)， head still as hard， but all in all， not so bad.

那輛黃色大校車駛過(guò)一條條街道，路上的車流減速避讓；媽媽們?nèi)套〕橐砷_孩子們的手；滿懷期待的教師們打開教室的門，將孩子們引向那間他們精心布置了好幾個(gè)星期的教室。孩子們穿著爸爸媽媽辛苦工作掙錢買來(lái)的嶄新運(yùn)動(dòng)鞋，學(xué)校走廊新擦亮的地板上回響著他們走過(guò)去時(shí)發(fā)出的嘎吱聲。真是一派美好的混亂景象。

我還沒(méi)有年老到會(huì)忘記每一個(gè)開學(xué)的日子。有著Cherimie這樣一個(gè)名字，頭發(fā)又粗又硬，還是個(gè)死腦筋，我的每個(gè)開學(xué)日并不總是一帆風(fēng)順的。多希望我能回到過(guò)去，把我現(xiàn)在所知道的一切都告訴當(dāng)年那個(gè)青澀的小女孩。

我會(huì)告訴她不要擔(dān)心自己的名字太難念，總有一天那個(gè)獨(dú)特的名字不會(huì)再那么糟糕。你特別喜歡的那雙靴子總有一天不再會(huì)只是那些酷小孩拿你開涮的東西。比男孩子們跑得快也沒(méi)關(guān)系，就算每個(gè)人都說(shuō)你該讓他們贏。你同樣可以數(shù)學(xué)頂呱呱而且還懂得怎么玩足球。你在課后留校時(shí)寫的所有那些故事也許比你以為的更有價(jià)值。

不要害怕大聲回答問(wèn)題，頭腦聰明遠(yuǎn)比長(zhǎng)得漂亮重要。它更持久而且花費(fèi)更少。有些事值得你為它們打一架，只要準(zhǔn)備好承擔(dān)后果，知道手會(huì)疼就行。厚厚的眼鏡片和金屬牙箍只是暫時(shí)的：眼鏡可以幫你看見(jiàn)那些走過(guò)來(lái)的壞女孩，而牙箍會(huì)讓你在目送她們離開時(shí)笑得更好看。

和新來(lái)的同學(xué)說(shuō)說(shuō)話，因?yàn)樗麄円埠湍阋粯庸聠魏ε?。要始終為那些被叫做“書呆子”的同學(xué)打抱不平，他們?nèi)蘸蟮某删蜁?huì)讓你驚嘆。永遠(yuǎn)不要因?yàn)槟膫€(gè)男生傷了你的心就躲在洗手間里，他不值得你為他錯(cuò)過(guò)拉拉隊(duì)隊(duì)長(zhǎng)的選拔賽。那一天你將學(xué)會(huì)如何微笑，哪怕生活傷害了你。永遠(yuǎn)不要坐視任何人被捉弄、嘲笑或者被拋棄。永遠(yuǎn)不要。

不要因?yàn)橛幸粓?chǎng)派對(duì)沒(méi)邀請(qǐng)你就荒廢時(shí)間、掉下眼淚。當(dāng)那些女孩的言行讓你覺(jué)得顏面無(wú)存時(shí)，你也不要低下頭，哪怕一分一毫。她們尖酸刻薄，只為一時(shí)之快。沒(méi)多久，你就會(huì)升入中學(xué)，而那些女孩將會(huì)坐在看臺(tái)上，看著身為拉拉隊(duì)隊(duì)長(zhǎng)的你在場(chǎng)上表演。保持微笑，她們不會(huì)改變，而你也不需要改變。總會(huì)有人盼你失敗，笑你犯錯(cuò)，在你的傷口上撒鹽，還假裝是你的朋友。你總會(huì)明白誰(shuí)才是你的朋友，珍惜他們吧，朋友貴精不貴多。

享受每個(gè)時(shí)刻，感謝爸爸媽媽對(duì)你的嚴(yán)加管教。在學(xué)校的這些日子將預(yù)示你會(huì)成為什么樣的人，雖然頭發(fā)還是那么粗硬，為人還是那么固執(zhí)，可總的來(lái)說(shuō)，還不差哦。

1.big yellow monster: 此處為比喻，指校車。國(guó)外的校車通常為黃色，且個(gè)頭大。

2.stifle [#712;sta#618;fl] vt. 抑止，制止

3.sniffle [#712;sn#618;fl] n. 不斷的吸鼻子

4.squeak [skwi#720;k] n. 吱吱聲

5.concrete [#712;k#594;#331;kri#720;t] n. 混凝土

6.brunt [br#652;nt] n. (指不愉快事情的)沖擊，打擊

7.detention [d#618;#712;ten#643;n] n. (處罰學(xué)生的)課后留校，放晚學(xué)

8.sore [s#596;#720;(r)] adj. 疼痛的

9.nerd [n#604;#720;d] n. 書呆子；蠢人

10.cheerleading [#712;t#643;#618;#601;li#720;d#618;#331;] n. 帶領(lǐng)拉拉隊(duì)

11.tryout [#712;tra#618;a#650;t] n. 選拔賽，選拔表演

12.discard [d#618;s#712;kɑ#720;d] vt. 拋棄

13.bush hog: 一種割草機(jī)的名稱，這里用來(lái)比喻，意指(像割草機(jī)割斷草叢一樣)讓人的顏面或感情蕩然無(wú)存。

14.sport [sp#596;#720;t] n. 消遣

15.trump [tr#652;mp] vt. 勝過(guò)，超過(guò)

16.coarse [k#596;#720;s] adj. 粗硬的