Patna, March 26: Anurag is desperately waiting to meet his friends next Wednesday and Sakshi is excited about another new year at school.

Most private schools in the city will start the 2016-17 academic session from March 30 and April 4 and students across Patna are enthusiastic to return to class. For some of them, it will be their first step in school and for others a source of joy to join a higher class.

Notre Dame Academy is opening on April 4. An excited Sakshi Pandey said: "It will be my first day in Class VI. I have got my new textbooks and already started to read the English stories. Besides, I have received many gifts from my parents for clearing the Class V final exam with good marks. I have a new school dress too."

Anurag Anand, a student of Delhi Public School, is a bored kid at home since his Class VIII exams. Now, promoted to Class IX he is "eagerly waiting for school to reopen" on March 30. "I am missing all the fun with my friends as I could not meet them during the break," said the boy.

Although he's looking forward to enjoy with his friends at school again, he knows he has to work hard too. "I have to study hard as the subjects will become more complex this year," said Anurag. "I am also planning to start participating in sports activities, with swimming as my priority."

Parents are glad too that their wards will soon return to school.

Mansi Shrivastava, whose son studies in Class I at Loyola High School, is one of them. "My son is getting restless at home," she said. "He is eager to go to school and meet his friends. The new session will start from March 30."

The school administrators have their share of advice and good wishes for the students too.

Mary Alphonsa, the principal of Don Bosco Academy that reopens on March 30, said: "The beginning of a new session is a time for new hopes and renewed dreams. I want the children to study hard at the beginning of the session so that they don't feel burdened by any subject later. This way they will score well throughout the year."

St Michael's High School principal Armstrong Edison advised his students to work hard. "Students should maintain the balance between academics and co-curricular activities," he said. "The new academic calendar will be published within a week or two."

The school will start the new session from April 4.

St Joseph's Convent High School will also resume classes from April 4, said principal Lucina.

She added that the institution would put in its best efforts to groom personalities of the children with a blend of academics and recrea-tional activities.