Diary entry about first day at school (6 examples)
A diary entry about your first day at school starts with the date and day, opens with Dear Diary, tells what happened in the past tense, says how you felt, and ends with a closing and your name. Below are 6 complete model entries, from a short one for young kids to longer ones for class 9 and 10, plus phrases, steps and a page to write your own.
Diary entry format for your first day at school
Every diary entry follows the same simple pattern. Teachers and examiners look for these parts, so put all of them in, even in a short answer. See the full diary entry format guide if you want more detail.
- Date, day and time at the top left, for example: 16 June 2025, Monday, 9:30 p.m.
- Dear Diary, as the greeting on its own line.
- The body in the first person (I, me, we) and the past tense (I walked, I felt, we laughed).
- Feelings before, during and after the day. This is what makes it a diary and not a report.
- A closing such as Good night, See you tomorrow or Love, and then your name.
Many school and exam questions ask for about 100 to 150 words. Always check the word limit in the question and stay close to it.
Short diary entry about first day at school (for kids)
This one is about 80 words. It suits grades 2 to 5, or anyone who needs a quick, simple model.
Notice how it uses short sentences, one or two details (the fish, the pink pencil) and a clear change in feeling from nervous to happy. That change is the heart of a good first day entry.
Diary entry about first day at new school in 120 to 150 words
This is the length most often asked for in class 6 to 10 English exams. It has every part of the format and a clear beginning, middle and end.
Why this scores well: the date and time are complete, the events go in order, there is one real moment of feeling (hot cheeks, shaking voice), and the ending looks ahead. It also stays inside the word limit.
Longer diary entries about the first day of school
These longer models are good for creative writing tasks, class 8 to 10 practice, or when you just want ideas. Each one tells a different kind of first day.
First day of high school
First day at school in a new country
A funny first day at secondary school
First day at school as a new teacher
Some exam questions ask you to write as a teacher. The format stays the same.
Useful words and phrases for a first day at school diary entry
Feeling words
- Before: nervous, anxious, jittery, excited, curious, worried, shy
- During: overwhelmed, lost, awkward, surprised, welcome, amazed
- After: relieved, proud, happy, tired but happy, hopeful, homesick
School words
- uniform, school bag, timetable, assembly, register, homeroom
- classmates, class teacher, principal, head teacher, seat partner
- corridors, staff room, library, labs, playground, canteen, cafeteria
- break time, recess, lunch hour, last bell, home time
Ready phrases
- I could hardly sleep last night because I was so excited.
- My heart was racing as I walked through the school gate.
- Everything felt new and a little strange.
- I had butterflies in my stomach when the teacher called my name.
- A friendly classmate offered to show me around.
- By lunchtime, most of my worries had melted away.
- I was nervous at first, but the day turned out better than I expected.
- I cannot wait to go back tomorrow.
Use two or three of these, not all of them. A real detail from your own day (a smell, a name, a funny mistake) always beats a stock phrase. For more topics to practice with, see our list of diary entry topics.
How to write your own first day at school diary entry
- Write the date, day and timePut them at the top. Writing the time (evening is common) shows you are writing at the end of the day.
- Start with Dear DiaryThen write one opening line that says what today was: "Today was my first day at..."
- Say how you felt before schoolWere you excited, scared, or both? One or two sentences is enough.
- Tell the main events in orderArriving, meeting your teacher, a classmate, lunch or break, one lesson. Pick two or three moments, not everything.
- Add one detail and one feeling to each moment"My hands were shaking" or "she shared her snack" brings the page to life.
- End with a thought and a closingWhat did you learn, or what are you looking forward to? Then a closing like Good night and your name.
Want to practice now? Tap a card to start a page in the diary at the top, or read the full guide on how to write a diary entry.
New school
Your first day somewhere new
Back to school
The first day of a new year
A funny mistake
Something that went wrong
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting the date or the name. These are easy marks. Do not lose them.
- Writing in the present tense. Diary entries look back on the day, so write I went, not I go.
- Writing in the third person. It is your diary. Use I, not he or she.
- Listing events with no feelings. "I went to class. I had lunch. I came home." reads like a timetable. Say how each part felt.
- Ending like a letter. Do not write Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely. A diary closing is warm and simple.
- Going far over the word limit. In an exam, a tidy 130 words beats a messy 300.
Younger writers can find more help in our guide to keeping a diary for kids and in these journal prompts for kids. For more model answers on other topics, browse our diary entry examples.
Questions people ask
How do you start a diary entry about your first day at school?
Write the date, day and time at the top, then Dear Diary on the next line. Your first sentence should say what the entry is about, for example: Today was my first day at my new school, and I could hardly sleep last night because I was so nervous. Starting with a feeling pulls the reader in straight away.
How many words should a diary entry about first day at school be?
Follow the word limit in your question. Most class 6 to 10 exam questions ask for 100 to 150 words. Younger children can write 60 to 100 words. For creative writing homework without a limit, 200 to 300 words gives you room for details and feelings without dragging on.
What tense is a diary entry written in?
Mostly the simple past tense, because you are writing about things that already happened today: I walked, I met, I felt. You can use the present tense for how you feel right now as you write, such as I am tired but happy, and the future for plans, such as I will draw a map tomorrow.
Can I write about feeling scared or sad on my first day?
Yes. Honest feelings make a diary entry stronger. Many good first day entries start with fear or loneliness and show a small change by the end, like a classmate sharing a snack. If the whole day was hard, it is fine to say so and end with one hope for tomorrow.
Should a diary entry have a title?
Usually no. A diary entry needs the date, the greeting Dear Diary, the body, a closing and your name. Some teachers ask for a heading like My First Day at School above the entry, so check your teacher's instructions or the exam pattern for your board.
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