BACK TO THE SUBURBS
By Mike Gerhard
Well here I am, back at Minnetonka. It’s been a year and a half since I left and I wondered what it would be like to return.
I came here three weeks into the final quarter after recently moving back to the area from Minneapolis where I attended Central High.
Going to a school such as Central is such a contrast to Minnetonka. At Central people were themselves and were not ashamed of it. If someone was into punk rock, he was not afraid to wear far-out clothes, and wear an interesting hair cut. I may not have liked all of the styles but it was a pleasure to see such originality.
Well, I had to leave Minneapolis because of personal problems, but it wasn’t long before I was walking in the front doors of MHS for the first time in a long time.
Familiar faces walked by whom I have been going to school with since junior high. It was kind of nice to see them even though we don’t know each other anymore.
After walking down the hall a ways, the bodies began to blend together. My eyes have become accustomed to denim, blouses, t-shirts, windbreakers, maybe some corduroys.
Suddenly, I had more khaki pants surrounding me, I had more dock siders shoes trampling around me with loads of NIKE’S by their side. More make-up layered on by females, and enough designer jeans to supply China for the next two years.
I didn’t get too far before my comfortable jeans along with my weathered windbreaker and my unpolished tennis shoes were catching odd glances. I went out to the pit for a smoke and found they blocked off the side entrance which was strange, but what was even funnier was the only people out there were from Mini-School.
Is it because these high achievers or mainstreamers were afraid to be seen (by their lookalike peers) entering through the doors by the Mini-School exit?
Later I spoke to the coordinators in Mini-School and told them about my problem of transferring out of Central and loosing credits because mainstream wasn’t prepared to help me.
They were very helpful in enrolling me promptly and seemed more than willing to help.
I have to admit in my previous years, I had my doubts about this program, but after minutes I began to see some originality again, and some interesting people.
I began to feel that I was with people that knew who they were and didn’t need to impress anyone but themselves. The staff and the students in this program are really enjoyable individuals and I’m delighted to be a part of Mini-School. I’ll take denim over khaki anytime.