Back to School

The sales are in full swing. Boxes of crayons and glue and multi-colored folders can be purchased for mere pennies on the dollar. Stores are moving summer clothes to the 70% off racks and making room at the front for sweaters and vests and tights. . . .

This can only mean one thing: Back to School.

For some, school has already started. For others, it will start in the next few days (or weeks, for the luckiest ones).

Teachers are heading back for in-service and workdays; students are crossing the final days of summer vacation off the calendar. . . .

There’s the inevitable flurry of angst and excitement:

Did I change enough from last year to be cool? Will I be popular this year? Will so and so fall in love with me? Will I ever really learn to add and multiply letters? (For me, the answer to that last one was a resounding no.)

I always thought of summer as a catalyst for change, but how much can happen in two months? Were things ever really that different when I started a new year?

(groans)

Today I had “back to school” flashbacks. Those butterflies flittered in my stomach. My palms started sweating. . . .

Then I remembered: I’m twenty-seven years old. I haven’t started a new school year (as a student) in years. . . .

And I breathed a *huge* sigh of relief.

Those of you who are gearing up for 2009-2010: I wish you the best. Hang in there. :)