When Morgan Dreyer looks back on her first years at De La Salle Holy Cross College, one memory stands out: falling asleep on the bus after a Grade R trip to the zoo.

Rather than wake her, her teacher carried her into the classroom, settled her on a beanbag and let her sleep for the rest of the day. It is a small moment, but one that captures the warmth Morgan remembers about the school she is preparing to leave behind.

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Now a matric learner, Morgan recently returned to her original Grade R classroom as part of the school’s Stayers tradition, revisiting the place where her journey began and reflecting on how far she has come.

“It’s been like a long time, but when I see classes and stuff, I remember such fond memories,” she said. “The nostalgia hits me very hard.”

Not all her early memories are quite as peaceful. Morgan also recalls tripping over one of the school’s cement water fountains and chipping a tooth. With her father being a dentist, she knew exactly whom to call.

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Looking around the classroom, Morgan said much of it remains familiar. Some of the teachers are still there, while the creative and welcoming atmosphere has stayed with her throughout her school years.

She hopes her younger self would be impressed by the person she has become.

“I’d like to think I’ve achieved quite a bit,” she said, adding that she is grateful to still have many of the friends she made in Grade 1.

Those lasting friendships are among the things she will miss most when she leaves. Morgan describes De La Salle Holy Cross College as a community built around family, where friends and teachers have supported her achievements and growth.

“Not seeing my friends and the people that have helped me achieve what I’ve achieved and supported me, not seeing them every day, I think I’ll struggle,” she said.

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But leaving school does not mean saying goodbye for good. Morgan plans to return as an alumna, attend school events and reconnect with the community that has been part of her life for so many years. Her next chapter will take her beyond familiar classrooms and school corridors. After matric, she plans to travel overseas to work as an au pair, an opportunity she is excited about as she prepares to experience more of the world.

For now, returning to Grade R has given Morgan a chance to appreciate the journey behind her: the funny childhood mishaps, the teachers who showed kindness, the friendships that endured and the community that helped shape her.

And perhaps, if her younger self could see her today, she would recognise something important: growing up does not mean leaving every part of childhood behind. Some of those early memories, and the people who made them special, stay with you long after you leave the classroom.

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