In “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto, the theme is that things seem terrible before you get to know them. Victor starts the first day of seventh grade unsure of what it’ll bring, but at the end of the day, he likes seventh grade.
Victor goes into seventh grade nervous. He is taking a French elective for class. He talks a bit with his friend, Michael, about scowling and he leaves to go to class. On the way to class, he meets the girl he likes, Teresa. He finished English and math and goes to eat lunch. After lunch, he has French class. He fakes knowing French and the teacher doesn’t rat him out, remembering what it was like when he was in love. At the end of school, he thinks that school isn’t so bad after all.
Many things seem terrible at first, but after it’s done you realize it isn’t so bad, such as flu shots. Everyone has something they are scared of but overcome. I used to be scared of the dark but I once went to go to the restroom at night and I realized “this isn’t so bad,” which is what got me over my fear of the dark.