Our 6th-grade blogger Nathaniel Cain checks in with a report after his first full week of middle school in Brooklyn.

On Thursday, the first day of school, I was VERY, VERY nervous. I didn't know anyone—except one friend, who was in a different class. It turned out great—all my teachers are amazing. They're super nice and I can tell that they will be teaching me a lot. I can tell this year is going to be great!

It definitely took some small adjustments, though. In elementary school, they have the learning materials. In middle school, especially a large one like mine, they expect you to have everything in your bag, in the moment. Also, going from class to class took some adjusting, too. The 8th-graders tend to dominate the hallways and it's very, very crowded.

However, the hardest thing to adjust to is having a locker. A locker is a blessing, yet a burden. Sometimes, the lock doesn't always open. During homeroom, I forgot a book, so I went to my locker again to get it, but as I was turning the lock, the bell rang. Also, the locker can get very messy, which is an issue. But, worst of all, I have a bottom locker. I am always hitting my head on the top locker. The top locker door is still open, and my head really hurts.

Middle school, while it seems big and scary, is actually pretty easy to get used to. You just have to listen. That's the key; in middle school they don't "baby" you. They say things once and once only. In elementary school, teachers will walk all over the building just to hand a notebook to you, but not in middle school. The key is just to listen.

This week, I read "The Bridge to Brilliance" by Nadia Lopez who is the principal of Mott Hall Bridges Academy in District 23. That book was amazing. It was so nice to learn about people who are different than me. The book also taught me how to succeed in middle school. As long as you ask for help and you're motivated, you'll succeed.