Unless you need to fart, there is no need to be scared on your first day of school.
That is according to Fynn Goat, aged 8, and 7-year-old Mira Jung who have advice for kids starting school.
And with millions of children about to head back to classes after the summer holidays, their tips for kids — and parents — may be invaluable.
The friends from Rapid Creek in Darwin have just been through the early days of Nightcliff Primary School and know the lay of the land better than anyone as they enter year three.
Mira said making friends was daunting on day one.
"You would go into class and see anyone who seems nice and say 'hey' and they'll say 'hey' back," she told ABC Radio Darwin's Miranda Tetlow.
"Just keep saying hello and stuff and you'll probably be able to begin making friends. That's how I got my friendship with Fynn."
Always a plan B
Many schools make it easy to make friends and Mira said the kids were all aware that everyone should be included in the community.
"If you don't have friends by lunch there's probably something like a buddy bench," she said.
"I would say: 'are you alright and do you want me to play with me?'
"They'll obviously say yes, so you'd go play together and that's how buddy benches are".
Farting rules
The friends said there were procedures in class which must be adhered to — like watching your bodily functions.
"I would probably say 'excuse me' but other people laugh and you feel embarrassed," Fynn said.
"With some teachers you have to fart outside."
But Mira reckons flatulence is not worth the humiliation.
"People laugh and you're embarrassed and you feel like nothing but a rat," she said.
Back off mums and dads
School has also come a long way since your grandparents had to march miles to class, barefoot in the snow carrying a bag of coal on an empty stomach.
Fynn said grown ups needed to back off and not push their own experiences onto their kids.
"Parents in the olden days, it was a bit strict so they got taught really fast and they probably learned their times tables when they were five or something," he said.
"Strict, strict... 'You have to read this, you have to do this maths, you've to do this geography, you have to do your homework, you've to do your reader folder, you have to do a thousand things'.
"Mums and dads don't get how bad school is.
"They don't see we've got a little brain and we don't know much about the world yet and we're already getting bossed around to do work.
"If [your kids] are doing a test one day and you get 48 per cent you shouldn't get that angry at them; it's just a test."
Their top tip?
Mira said students should prepare for a scare on day one but parents should rest assured.
"The second day will be alright," she said.
"Don't worry they're going to be excellent. You don't need to boss them around to do extra work.
"They're just starting off so you can just let them go and they'll be excellent by the end of the week."
Fynn's parting advice is for the belly.
"Definitely pack their lunches. Definitely," he said.
