1) It’s a new year! Yes, yes, I recognize that by a tradition that makes no astronomical sense, we celebrate New Year’s in December. But I did 12 years of regular school, 11 years of post-secondary, and now work at a university. As far as I’m concerned, September will always be the start of a new year.
2) New years are full of new opportunities. New things to learn, new chances to grow. I like the feeling of possibility that saturates the air this time of year.
3) And speaking of the air, how about that fall crispness in the evenings? Not to mention the smells of fall – burning leaves and roasted pumpkin and the fresh ink scent of new textbooks, full of new secrets to discover.
4) Back to school shopping. When I was a kid, we lived in a lot of small towns, so this meant the Sears Catalogue. It was so much fun poring over the pages, picking out what we wanted to wear (although I imagine less fun for Mom, who had to perform complex mathematical calculations to determine which size would fit in September while leaving room to grow). I still do the bulk of my annual clothes shopping in preparation for fall.
5) Back to school photos. Granted, I look demented in most of mine, but I still remember the year Mom was working nights and my Dad crimped my hair for me (it was the late 80s). His finger burns took a couple days to heal, but he did a wicked job for a man who’d never touched a hair appliance before.
6) This commercial:
http://youtu.be/KvQO0jrRj6I
What about you? What do you love or hate about back to school time? Comments from parents especially welcome!
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Best time of year! Just bought 18 pre-sharpened pencils (for myself). My birthday is at the start of school, so this will always be my New Year’s!
Oooh, fresh office supplies. Definitely an item for the list! I just treated myself to a variety pack of sticky notes with foxes on them – can’t wait to use them!
Personally, I think we should move New Year’s to the spring equinox. As far as the start of a new school year goes, I always have a feeling of dread – the sun is waning, the weather is cooling, and my days are about to be sucked up by hours and hours of reading and writing things that, while interesting, are still mostly not of my own choosing. And the inside of it all! I hate being trapped inside on a beautiful sunny day. Routine, regimentation… Something in the core of my being hates it. I really was meant to be a freelancer, wasn’t I? Haha! (But I DO love getting new stationery supplies. That’s my silver lining!)
I totally agree with you – indoor weather and darkness are not my favourite things, which is why I like the winter solstice so much. It’s a sign of hope! I do kind of like routine, though. I find it comforting.