I was wondering when we’d see a writing prompt about the beginning of the school year; here’s today’s:  As a kid, were you happy or anxious about going back to school? Now that you’re older, how has your attitude toward the end of the summer evolved?

I loved going back to school for most of my kindergarten through ninth grade years.  Finding the right lunch box for elementary school, new school clothes and shoes that would be reasonably fashionable for junior high, and calling friends once we got our class schedules in the mail, kept us busy for the last week of the summer.  It always seemed that the weather would cool off the week before school started–you could smell the start of the beginning of the school year.  Wearing our new corduroys or new sweaters would be a great  idea on the first day because the air was cool and brisk.  However, we’d be sweating to death when we got off the bus to get home, and the sweater would be left on the hook in the coat room, because (technically) it was still summer!

Much of my career has also revolved around an academic year calendar.  The summertime we hope things will be “slower”, time to catch up and do some planning, but finding that’s never the case.  As we push past the Labor Day weekend things around the office return to “normal”; everyone is back from vacations and meetings are well attended.  Normal also means that it will take longer to get to work in the morning if I leave, even a few minutes, late because buses seem to stop at the end of every driveway now.

On the other hand, back to normal also means that I get to do some back-to-school shopping for myself; new office supplies, new sweaters and shoes–even a new lunchbox.  After all, grownups deserve to get excited about the crisp, cool air and the chance to start something new, too.

Today’s thank you goes out to the all the folks who help make the start of the school year successful for all the kids in my neighborhood!

Back to School Bloggers’ Blues

• Back to school? Ye… uh.. nope!
• AS A KID I HATED SCHOOL!
• August Blues
• Even more happy, School is back in Session
• Back to School Days…
• Daily Prompt: August Blues – just an extension of July really.