Where is your I.D.?!
No dorky outfit is ever complete without the Townsend Harris I.D. card!
Binder. Check.
Extra loose-leaf. Check.
Folders. Check.
Pens and pencils. Check.
I.D. … I.D.?!?!
“Noooooo,” I moaned to myself, as a frown crept over my face. I frantically looked through the contents of my bag. Where was this precious piece of plastic hidden? It was only the first day of school and I had no desire to get reprimanded by the security guards so early in the morning and so early into the academic year. I was finally a sophomore, but I felt completely like a freshman. The “I forgot my I.D. card” crisis was common amongst Townsend Harris newcomers, but after a year of experience, I was ashamed of my forgetfulness.
In my high school, the I.D. was not simply an identification card. It was essentially one’s golden pass into the school. No pass, no entrance … or at least no entrance without an embarrassing scolding at the front door and a few dreadful demerits to go down in one’s record. Unfortunately, I was out of luck. I was a block away from school without my I.D. and there was no turning back. I took a deep breath before taking my first step inside. I opened the door and made a pathetic attempt to scurry past the security guards. “Young lady,” one of them yelled, “WHERE IS YOUR I.D?” I was caught and stood frozen in my tracks. I could feel my face turning scarlet red, as I slowly turned to face her. Suddenly, I felt a lie fumble out of my mouth, almost like an instinctive reaction. “I’m a freshman. I-I-I didn’t get mine yet,” I managed to stutter. “Oh, well okay then,” she replied. My heart was pounding and I hurried to the nearest stairwell. I ran up the stairs, amazed at my own escape from humiliation and punishment.
When I returned home later on that day, I was confronted with the typical first day of school question. “So, how was it?” my mom asked. I groaned and began my story with a detailed account of my morning and the I.D. card incident. When I finished, she laughed and said, “What’s the big deal with the I.D.?” I sighed. She did not understand. In fact, I do not know if anybody outside of the Townsend Harris community can ever really understand how important that I.D. card is, or at least, how important my high school makes it seem.
Not surprisingly, the anxiety that comes with forgetting an I.D. at home is still very much alive at my former high school. When I hopped on a Q46, early last Thursday morning, I saw two younger girls get on the bus after I did. I glanced at them for just a second, but I instantly noticed their I.D. cards glistening, as they hung around their necks. Typical, I thought. They were definitely Townsend Harris freshmen. I smiled to myself and shook my head. Two months into the school year, and they already knew just how important these little cards were. Of course, wearing one’s I.D. card outside of school is considered a dorky move, even for a Harrisite, but for a freshman, fearful of those demerits and security guards, there seems to be no hesitation in wearing it on the bus. I suppose I should have been more like them on my first day of sophomore year.
6 comments
I know how you feel. At one point, I went and got an extra I.D. and kept it in my locker to be on the safe side. I got had about 5 demerits just from not having my ID. I liked how you accurately described the importance of our IDs the way we saw it. A piece of plastic usually was a source of anxiety haha
My freshman year of high school, we had the same rule. We would get demerits for not having wearing the I.D.’s around our neck. So many students would not wear them and it became so hard for faculty and staff to keep order that they got rid of that rule. Beginning my sophomore year, we no longer needed to wear I.D.’s which made life easier for students and administration.
Haha I hated that feeling of panic every time I realized I didn’t have my ID card.
Hey, do you have your schedule on the back of your ID card?
My ID has three bar codes tattooed on it’s sides. Moreover, I was stuck with the same adolescent freshman year picture for four years.
I also got stuck with my freshman school photo til graduation!
If schools weren’t this strict with IDs, that would allow trouble to occur, so as annoying as it was , i didn’t really mind it (even though i racked up on demerits because of it).