  Before Pre-School
My parents were computer class teachers at a Catholic school, and often I would go with them to class. I talked to all their students, and don't remember being especially anxious or nervous in social situations. Sometimes, if someone talked to me in public, like at the mall or store, I would hide behind my mom and not talk to people. I didn't talk to most family members, especially those I didn't see often.  Pre-School
I didn't say a word on my first day of school. Even when I went to my parents' class, I wouldn't talk to their students, the same people I had talked to before. I can remember the looks on their faces, they were so confused about why I wouldn't talk to them anymore. I just couldn't. No words would come out. It was like I had become a different person. It was ignored, and people said I'd grow out of it. I didn't make many friends, but 'Marie' was nice to me, we would play games and follow each other around. I didn't really care about friends, though. I didn't have any before that, and I didn't really know what friends were. I didn't know that part of the reason you went to school was to meet new people. So I just went through the day on my own, not thinking about making other people like me. At home, when I would wake up on my days off, I would go upstairs and help my mom unload the dishwasher or something, but I couldn't talk to her for a few minutes. Once I was around her for a little while I could talk, but every day, I couldn't talk to her right away. She doesn't remember this, but I do. For pre-k graduation, we had to do the 'I'm a Little Teapot' song. I did all the motions, but I didn't sing. I actually remember being surprised by the fact that I wasn't nervous when we did this. I thought it was the most fun part of pre-k. I didn't even think it was unusual that I wasn't singing, I kind of felt the singing was optional, that if you wanted to you could sing but you didn't have to. Next page
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