William Henley shares how his first-day experience as a new English teacher influenced him to do everything in his power as a graduate student to mitigate the same first-day terror as a school librarian. He knew he had to get as much practical experience with school libraries as possible. These experiences added layers of invaluable context to what he gained from his courses in graduate school. In this article, Henley discusses what he learned from his engagement in practical experiences related to becoming a school librarian and provides suggestions for library science students, library science professors, and practicing school librarians.