Happy Back-to-Schooling!
Posted in The Life of the Historian and tagged with School, Shopping, Teaching on August 11, 2009There are a few times of the year I really like, and I have memories associated with them. My favorite is probably Christmas time…I can see my childhood bedroom decorated for Christmas, only lit up by the lights on my minature tree.
Another favorite time of year is May, as everything is ending. That’s when there’s more fun to be had at end-of-the-year bashes and the days are starting to get long and warm. When I think of this, I picture myself leaning over the side of our backyard play area fort as I’m eating ice cream with my Girl Scout friends.
A third favorite time of year is definitely back-to-school time. When I was in school, it was preceeded with my favorite type of shopping: school supply shopping. Everything was fresh and new, from the clothes I was wearing to the pencils and notebooks I was using. Then there was the difficult night-before sleep, delayed with anticipation and excitement. As I got older, school supply shopping was less important, but book-shopping and syllabus-reading filled those first few days with joy (I don’t think I need to add the disclaimer that I’m a nerd, do I?). When I worked at Walmart, I enjoyed checking out school supplies because they were so small and usually organized. I could always get the best items/minute count during those days.
When I graduated for the last time, I knew those days were behind me. I really thought it’d be hard to not be a student, but it suprisingly wasn’t. Since it’s been 8 months, it shocked me that I finally reacted emotionally yesterday, and was at the point of tears. Just for a moment…and then the moment was gone.
I’m thankful that I still get to participate in small ways in this time of year. I get the new beginnings in Sunday School and AWANA. A teacher friend lets me help her shop and make posters for her classroom (and rumor has it she’ll even let me help her set up her paper organization system…a treat for me, really). And I even went on a small shopping spree for clothes (more because of the raise, than the time of year).
So, whatever your role in this time of year: student, parent, teacher, parent/teacher, I want to wish you a Happy Back-to-Schooling!
Photo by D. Sharon Pruitt
August 11th, 2009 at 7:10 am
goodmorning FGD…I remember when I graduated from high school (25 in my class) how I didn’t want to get out of high school. Then fall came, and i think I was the only one who didn’t want to go back to high school. Had I matured??? I think not. A small school is so different from the large high schools of today. I still keep in touch with my favorite friend, we are 76, and he is still a favorite.
August 11th, 2009 at 8:56 am
I always enjoyed getting a new pencil box and a lunch box. I think I liked the crayons, too. Strangely enough, I can’t stand the smell of crayons now. Something about them overwhelms me.
I get to be a Sunday school teacher starting in September to our 4th-6th graders. I’m looking forward to it.
August 11th, 2009 at 10:19 am
I miss school in some ways. I miss learning, meeting new people, taking interesting classes, and experiencing the college life. However, it has been three years and I really don’t miss the homework, mid terms, finals, and other deadlines. But I still love school supplies. Not sure why.
Twitter: amandalou01
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August 11th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I love back to school :) I just bought (most of) my books yesterday – how my bank account is crying! I also got my school supplies, though, and that’s always fun! Empty notebooks waiting to be filled!
Re: your comment on my blog, I agree. I hope that my political activity represents who I am in Christ as well. Because I’m involved in politics “professionally” it’s really not conceivable to work outside the 2-party system we have now, hence my being a registered anything.
August 11th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
We share a lot of the favorite times of the year! I’m totally with you on the school thing, especially since my career was in the classroom, too. I’d never known anything different!
August 11th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I LOVE back to school time too! I always think of the movie You’ve Got Mail, when they talk about sending a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils. Oh it makes me smile and I can’t wait for the opportunity to go back to school myself, and some day when I have children of my own going to school! What an exciting time of year! Beginnings! =]
August 11th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I love love love back to school time! Getting myself and my kiddos prepped is so much fun. Shopping for school supplies makes me absolutely giddy. (And now I have revealed what a nerd I truly am…oh well)
August 11th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Liz, How exciting! I LOVE that age!
Pam, I miss a lot about school, but I don’t miss the actually classes themselves.
Chere, I’m curious about your comment about my comment. Going to email you!
Sarah, I’ve forgotten about that!
Cole, at least it’s not just me!
August 11th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Ah! Fall is by far my favorite season – although I don’t think it has as much to do with back to school (even though NOTHING is better than new pens/folders/notebooks) as it does with slightly cool weather and pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING :)
August 11th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Since we needed to get homeschool work done this summer (she had a month off in May while moving and getting settled in CO) back-to-school doesn’t hold as much anticipation. We will be taking next week off and then starting up for the ‘new’ year the following.
But I do hold dear my childhood memories which are very similar to yours.
Thanks for the best wishes!
August 12th, 2009 at 1:36 am
Once I’m feeling better, I’ve got to get out to the shops to buy files, pencil cases and a rucksack for my son who is starting school next week!
Twitter: caitysparkles
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August 12th, 2009 at 1:38 am
And a happy back to schooling to you, too!
August 12th, 2009 at 9:25 am
I too love school supplies (been buying them for a long time); it’s dangerous to let me loose in the school supply aisles. Tuition not so much. $6000 yesterday. Ouch. (sidenote: I love the look of your blog.)
August 12th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Brittany: I’m not a fan of the cooling temperatures. I LIKE it hot!
Mama-Face: Tuition is definitely not a “fun” expense. I’m still paying for mine!
August 12th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I still love school supplies. I always manage to sneak in a notebook or two and some pens for me when I’m buying stuff for my daughter (4th grade) and my husband who goes to our local Community College.
August 12th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Fall has always been my favorite time of year because of back to school, dropping leaves, apple harvest and Thanksgiving.
I’m especially looking forward to back to school this year as I know how good it is for Kaia to be in school. She needs that interaction and learning. I’m not looking forward to keeping track of all her assignments and all the stuff that comes home enticing my daughter to join every club or attend every expensive function.
My Sunday School teaching ends at the end of this month, and for that I’m thankful. I usually love it, but being in the third trimester has given me far less patience for the kids and their antics. Plus once school starts, I’m that much closer to meeting our boys!
August 12th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I graduated from college 3 years ago. I always have to buy myself some new school item when Back-to-School time comes around. New notebooks and folders are divine.