Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

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Friday, March 29

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R / March 14, 2012 5:24 PM

I realize this isn't starting prison time, but I had a very rough transition from grade school to middle school. Lord, that was the worst. I couldn't even look at the building when we drove by for years afterward, it was that hard.

Andrew Huff / March 14, 2012 6:18 PM

Moving from one town to another one a month before the end of third grade was rough -- and made worse by catching chicken pox for the last two weeks of school. So in fourth grade a few people recognized me as "the new kid" from the previous year, but nobody knew anything about me. It was weird and made me shy and awkward, whereas I was fairly outgoing at my old school.

Lakshmi / March 14, 2012 6:59 PM

Going back to college after taking a few years off. In college years being 23 was absolutely ancient and unfathomable to anyone under the age of 22.

fluffy / March 14, 2012 10:21 PM

moving to another country when I was 12 and not speaking the language well, and starting my period on the first day of school.
divorcing after 13 yrs.
being happily employed to unemployment
moving back and forth from the south to the midwest and east coast by myself
*change is good*

Roy / March 15, 2012 8:12 AM

This one time, I was the governor of Illinois for two terms, then I got convicted and now have to go to prison for 14 years. This could be the most difficult transition I've had to make.

Mike / March 15, 2012 10:14 AM

I moved from San Diego to northern Virginia after my sophomore year of high school. It sucked.

Mucky Fingers / March 15, 2012 11:32 AM

Parenthood; it's bottomless terror and limitless joy following each other in enormous waves.

Meems / March 15, 2012 11:55 AM

8th grade to High School - I was super shy and dorky, but I got contacts over the summer and starting getting attention from boys. I didn't know how to handle it, and pissed off most girls throughout high school.

Also, going from drinking too much to not drinking at all. Difficult to say the least, but certainly worth the struggle.

flange / March 15, 2012 4:47 PM

moving here in my late 30's. who knew that someone allergic to seafood wouldn't be able to drink tap water thanks to the colonies of mussels that gather around the intakes?

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