Throwback Thursday: Back-to-school nerves looked familiar in 1986

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new school year can bring excitement, anticipation and a few nerves. Forty years ago, Cape Fear students were feeling many of the same emotions.

This week’s Throwback Thursday looks back at WWAY’s coverage from August 1986, when cameras captured students preparing to head back to school.

For some of the youngest students, starting school for the first time was a major milestone. But when WWAY asked how they felt about it, the answers were mixed.

“I’m happy to go to school,” one student said.

Another wasn’t quite as enthusiastic.

“I don’t wanna go,” the child said.

For parents, the start of a new school year also meant adjusting to a new daily routine.

“Very excited about it. It’s kind of a new pattern in my life now,” one parent said.

The nerves didn’t necessarily disappear as students got older.

At Hoggard High School, incoming students attended an orientation to prepare for their first year. Even with the introduction to their new school, some students admitted they were still feeling a little nervous.

“I’m a little scared, but, you know, I’m trying to get used to it,” one student said. “I have a lot of junior friends that are helping me out.”

Another student had a more optimistic outlook.

“More excited than anything,” the student said.

Four decades later, the start of a new school year still comes with many of the same feelings for students and parents across the Cape Fear. Schools across several districts welcomed students back on Monday.

The segment is part of a weekly Throwback Thursday series that features stories from WWAY’s historical news archives. That archive can be accessed here.