“Someone to Share in an Adventure”: 3 Quotes to Open the School Year

Starting middle school feels like embarking on a grand adventure. There are new faces, unexpected challenges, and many chances to discover who you really are. But this feeling of beginning an adventure isn’t just for the students. I feel it too — every year, as a teacher stepping into a new classroom.

When I welcome a new 6th grade class, I like to begin the year by sharing inspiring quotes for back to school. These are not random words. They come from stories that mean a lot to me. These stories have shaped how I see the world and what learning really means. The quotes challenge my students and me. They remind us how important and wonderful the work we do together is.

Sharing these quotes creates a space for reflection, connection, and curiosity about the unknown ahead. It helps all of us see the school year not just as a series of lessons, but as a shared journey — an adventure we’re about to undertake side by side.

“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

This is my absolute favorite way to start the year. It’s not just a sentence — it’s an invitation.
(If you like, you can begin by reading the first pages of The Hobbit, up to this moment — I sometimes do, and it’s a great way to spark students’ curiosity.)

It reminds us all that middle school is a journey best taken together. It encourages students to look around, to seek out fellow adventurers, and to realize that what makes this year meaningful is the friendships and support they build along the way.
For me, it’s a way to say: “We’re in this together.”

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

This quote captures the delicate balance between excitement and uncertainty that comes with new beginnings. Starting middle school means stepping into uncharted territory — a place where surprises abound, both joyful and challenging.

It reminds students that uncertainty is part of the adventure, and that staying present, resilient, and curious is how they navigate the unknown. For me as a teacher, this is a powerful reminder that I cannot control everything — that sometimes the best I can do is support my students as they find their footing and discover their path.

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

This is a powerful reminder that who we become depends more on the decisions we make than on what we can do. It invites students to reflect on their own power and responsibility in shaping their experience.

For me, it’s an encouragement to create a classroom where every choice matters — and where kindness, effort, and integrity are the true measures of success.

Read aloud, talked over, and tied back to the stories they come from, these quotes become more than words on the board — they become a shared moment at the start of the year, a reminder to students and teacher alike that what we’re beginning together is a real journey. I’d love to know which quotes or stories you reach for at the start of your year — tell me in the comments.

Thanks for reading, and here’s to an adventurous and inspiring school year ahead!

Chiara

If this resonated, you might enjoy two more ways I open the year: Starting 6th Grade with School of Rock — on voice, identity, and community, and Teaching with October Sky — on curiosity and perseverance from day one. Both turn the first weeks into something more than routine.