Today is S’s first day back at school. He took the summer off instead of taking summer classes like he usually does, but now he is officially back in the game.

I always liked the first day of school. Picking out my clothes, packing my new notebooks, seeing my new classmates for the first time… Everything seemed fresh and exciting.

 

S isn’t like that.
At the start of every semester, he gets nervous. He worries about how hard the classes will be, and the amount of homework he’ll have to do. He looks up online reviews of all of his professors. He visits the campus early to find his buildings and classrooms so that he knows where he’s going on his first day. He’s concerned about his GPA and how this semester will change it.
Then, after about two weeks, he settles down. He’s oriented, knows what he’s dealing with, and has a plan for moving forward.
He’s a funny guy.

August is actually one of my favorite times to go shopping – right up there with the days following Valentine’s Day and Easter, when all that candy is marked down. In August, all the school supplies are on sale!  And my gawd the selection! Pens! Notebooks! Highlighters! Sticky notes! Staplers! Colored paperclips! There’s about three aisles in Walmart that it’s best I just stay out of. I adore office supplies. In my defense, I’m a writer, so I at least use them and don’t just hoard them.

…although, I do have a small stack of notebooks that are empty and brand new. But here’s the thing: I can’t just pick up and use a beautiful, brand new, perfect notebook. No, no no. This notebook must be properly absorbed into my life. When I buy a notebook, it must sit out on a counter where I can see it for a while. After it’s been there a few days, its use will occur to me – because every notebook must have a designated use.

This month is a month of new beginnings and fresh starts for a lot of people. Good luck to everyone going back to school!

(S’s backpack – a sight I’ll be getting used to)

(I am a good wife. I only took one mechanical pencil, and it was purple AND it matched my blogging notebook! I’m so jealous he got new school supplies.)