--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And being at school was awful in the…" description: "\"“And being at school was awful in the beginning. Every new class I had was like a new chance for kids to “not stare” at me. They would sneak peeks at m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/r-j-palacio-2789_contagious_and-being-at-school-was-awful-in-the-beg_65006.jpg" --- # And being at school was awful in the beginning. Every new… ![“And being at school was awful in the beginning. Every new class I had was like a new chance for kids to “not stare” at me. They would sneak peeks at me from behind their notebooks or when they thought I wasn’t looking. They would take the longest way around me to avoid bumping into me in any way…” quote by R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/r-j-palacio-2789_contagious_and-being-at-school-was-awful-in-the-beg_65006.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/r-j-palacio-2789_contagious_and-being-at-school-was-awful-in-the-beg_65006.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/r-j-palacio-2789_contagious_and-being-at-school-was-awful-in-the-beg_65006.jpg) > ““And being at school was awful in the beginning. Every new class I had was like a new chance for kids to “not stare” at me. They would sneak peeks at me from behind their notebooks or when they thought I wasn’t looking. They would take the longest way around me to avoid bumping into me in any way, like I had some germ they could catch, like my face was contagious.”” [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator describes early school experiences marked by social avoidance and fear of contagion, reflecting how visible differences can trigger alienation. **In simple terms:** Social exclusion due to perceived difference. Key Takeaway Difference can provoke fear and avoidance. Themes Social stigma Bullying Otherness Empathy Inclusion Mood sad isolated vulnerable Type personal narrative social commentary When to use this quote - First day of school - Classroom interactions - Peer observation - Navigating new environments Key Concepts Identity Perception Fear Community Practical Applications - Developing inclusive classroom policies - Designing anti-bullying programs Questions to Reflect On - How does visible difference affect peer dynamics? - What can educators do to reduce fear-based avoidance? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [If you start in the pit of despair with these profane, awful things, even a glimmer of hope or awareness is going to occur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/if-you-start-in-the-pit-of-despair-with-these-profane-awful-things/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I felt like a germ that had landed, like the first penicillin microbe, not only in a culture where it was totally at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-felt-like-a-germ-that-had-landed-like-the-first-penicillin-microbe/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [I suffered from social anxiety as a kid - the dread of homework and being back at school was awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhod-gilbert/i-suffered-from-social-anxiety-as-a-kid-the-dread-of-homework-and/) [Rhod Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhod-gilbert/) > [I went to a girls' school, and it was awful. The combination of my teenage anger and their jealousy meant I was always getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-velazquez/i-went-to-a-girls-school-and-it-was-awful-the-combination-of-my/) [Nadine Velazquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-velazquez/) > [I worked in a watercress bed, picking weeds out of watercress when I was at school. It was awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-worked-in-a-watercress-bed-picking-weeds-out-of-watercress-when-i/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [Attitudes truly are contagious, and from time to time we need to ask ourselves, 'Is mine worth catching?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-anderson/attitudes-truly-are-contagious-and-from-time-to-time-we-need-to-ask/) [Mac Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-anderson/) > [Courage, like cowardice, is undoubtedly contagious, but some persons are not liable to catch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/courage-like-cowardice-is-undoubtedly-contagious-but-some-persons-are/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Humor of all types is notoriously subjective. That's true not only between different people but even within an individual at different times. This subjectivity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/humor-of-all-types-is-notoriously-subjective-that-s-true-not-only/) [Robert Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mankoff/) > [“Move aside Ebola, smallpox, and AIDS; make room for narcolepsy. I would become shunned and avoided. Perhaps the people at the casino thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-talmage-mathis/move-aside-ebola-smallpox-and-aids-make-room-for-narcolepsy-i-would/) [John-Talmage Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-talmage-mathis/) > [“Remember: Research shows that emotions are contagious. How will you infect others at work today?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kjerulf/remember-research-shows-that-emotions-are-contagious-how-will-you/) [Alexander Kjerulf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kjerulf/) > [“It was nice to meet you,” I say loudly in a more formal tone than I used when we were alone. And then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-christine-parker/it-was-nice-to-meet-you-i-say-loudly-in-a-more-formal-tone-than-i/) [Amy Christine Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-christine-parker/) > [They say hitting is contagious, but I think defense is, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/they-say-hitting-is-contagious-but-i-think-defense-is-too/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [It's a great historical joke that when the Spanish met the Aztecs, it was a blind date made in serve-you-right heaven. At the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/it-s-a-great-historical-joke-that-when-the-spanish-met-the-aztecs-it/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Enthusiasm is by far the highest paid quality on earth, probably because it is one of the rarest; yet it is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bettger/enthusiasm-is-by-far-the-highest-paid-quality-on-earth-probably/) [Frank Bettger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bettger/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## More by R.J. Palacio > [“I think there should be a rule that everyone should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives because they overcometh the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/i-think-there-should-be-a-rule-that-everyone-should-get-a-standing/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“That’s when I saw Daisy sitting near my bed. I mean, I knew it wasn’t Daisy, but for a second I saw a shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/that-s-when-i-saw-daisy-sitting-near-my-bed-i-mean-i-knew-it-wasn-t/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Funny how sometimes you worry a lot about something and it turns out to be nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/funny-how-sometimes-you-worry-a-lot-about-something-and-it-turns-out/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“The first look I got of August, well, it made me want to cover my eyes and run away screaming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/the-first-look-i-got-of-august-well-it-made-me-want-to-cover-my-eyes/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“We’re kind of like Beauty and the Beast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/we-re-kind-of-like-beauty-and-the-beast/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“No, it’s okay,” I said. “Let’s just go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/no-it-s-okay-i-said-let-s-just-go/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Or, what does a poor man have, a rich man need, and you would die if you ate it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/or-what-does-a-poor-man-have-a-rich-man-need-and-you-would-die-if-you/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Sometimes when I have the feeling like I’m almost crying, it can turn into an almost-laughing feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/sometimes-when-i-have-the-feeling-like-i-m-almost-crying-it-can-turn/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“My name is August, by the way. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/my-name-is-august-by-the-way-i-won-t-describe-what-i-look-like/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Actually, I prefer not to even try to imagine it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/actually-i-prefer-not-to-even-try-to-imagine-it/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Her smile hugged me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/her-smile-hugged-me/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Here I was looking for symbolism and metaphors and um . . . sometimes a duck is just a duck!"--Mr. Tushman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/here-i-was-looking-for-symbolism-and-metaphors-and-um-sometimes-a/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Shall we make a new rule of life... always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/shall-we-make-a-new-rule-of-life-always-to-try-to-be-a-little-kinder/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“August is the Sun. Me and Mom and Dad are planets orbiting the Sun. The rest of our family and friends are asteroids and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/august-is-the-sun-me-and-mom-and-dad-are-planets-orbiting-the-sun-the/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“So,” Mom said. “How did you meet Summer if she wasn’t in any of your classes?” “We sat together at lunch,” I said. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/so-mom-said-how-did-you-meet-summer-if-she-wasn-t-in-any-of-your/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) [Explore all 135 R.J. Palacio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) ## More Contagious quotes > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Enthusiasm is by far the highest paid quality on earth, probably because it is one of the rarest; yet it is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bettger/enthusiasm-is-by-far-the-highest-paid-quality-on-earth-probably/) [Frank Bettger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bettger/) > [It's a great historical joke that when the Spanish met the Aztecs, it was a blind date made in serve-you-right heaven. At the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/it-s-a-great-historical-joke-that-when-the-spanish-met-the-aztecs-it/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [They say hitting is contagious, but I think defense is, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/they-say-hitting-is-contagious-but-i-think-defense-is-too/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) > [“It was nice to meet you,” I say loudly in a more formal tone than I used when we were alone. And then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-christine-parker/it-was-nice-to-meet-you-i-say-loudly-in-a-more-formal-tone-than-i/) [Amy Christine Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-christine-parker/) > [“Remember: Research shows that emotions are contagious. How will you infect others at work today?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kjerulf/remember-research-shows-that-emotions-are-contagious-how-will-you/) [Alexander Kjerulf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kjerulf/) > [“Move aside Ebola, smallpox, and AIDS; make room for narcolepsy. I would become shunned and avoided. Perhaps the people at the casino thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-talmage-mathis/move-aside-ebola-smallpox-and-aids-make-room-for-narcolepsy-i-would/) [John-Talmage Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-talmage-mathis/) > [Humor of all types is notoriously subjective. That's true not only between different people but even within an individual at different times. This subjectivity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/humor-of-all-types-is-notoriously-subjective-that-s-true-not-only/) [Robert Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mankoff/) > [Courage, like cowardice, is undoubtedly contagious, but some persons are not liable to catch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/courage-like-cowardice-is-undoubtedly-contagious-but-some-persons-are/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Attitudes truly are contagious, and from time to time we need to ask ourselves, 'Is mine worth catching?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-anderson/attitudes-truly-are-contagious-and-from-time-to-time-we-need-to-ask/) [Mac Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-anderson/) > [“Putting this all together, Moore and Reiber predicted that the germ would prod people to seek out the company of others early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/putting-this-all-together-moore-and-reiber-predicted-that-the-germ/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [You really watch basketball and study basketball, the more you realize, the pass really is beautiful. I'm not just talking about the pass where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-gasol/you-really-watch-basketball-and-study-basketball-the-more-you-realize/) [Marc Gasol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-gasol/) > [How to Piss Off A Woman : After sex tell her the doctor assured you it isn't contagious. Then faint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/how-to-piss-off-a-woman-after-sex-tell-her-the-doctor-assured-you-it/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-is-so-contagious-as-enthusiasm/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are not going to change the whole world, but we can change ourselves and feel free as birds. We can be serene even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-not-going-to-change-the-whole-world-but-we-can-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 451 Contagious quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And being at school was awful in the beginning. Every new class I had was like a new chance for kids to “not stare” at me. They would sneak peeks at me from behind their notebooks or when they thought I wasn’t looking. They would take the longest way around me to avoid bumping into me in any way, like I had some germ they could catch, like my face was contagious.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.J. 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