This post is brought to you by Mina @ The World According to the Little Fish. It may seem out of place on an August day to be wishing you a Happy New Year— but read on to see what she means:
My father was a university student when I was born. I was in the third grade when he received his PhD. I went straight to college myself after graduating high school, and got married during my junior year. My husband started a master's program as I was finishing my bachelor's degree. And my two oldest children were in school when he finally decided not to pay to write a dissertation for a doctorate in history that he no longer planned to use. My oldest child is about to start ninth grade and my baby, second.
My entire life has revolved around the traditional school calendar.
I guess it makes sense then that I always feel a greater sense of renewal and starting afresh on September first than I do in January. In September we start new routines, we advance grades, we buy new clothes, new backpacks, and new supplies. In September we make new friends and reacquaint ourselves with old ones. We start new sport seasons in new, larger cleats. We are assigned new teachers and occasionally adjust to a whole new school. In January we merely pick up where we left off before the Christmas Holidays. And occasionally make resolutions that have generally been forgotten by February.
Last year was a stressful one for my family. We moved 900 miles away, built a house and a warehouse, faced a family tragedy and business and personal financial struggles. Many good things happened, too, and overall I feel blessed. But I approach this new school year ready to move on. I look forward to a year where we are settled into our surrounding environs and routines. Where the stressors we encounter are every-day, garden variety stresses. Where we have only one house payment and our business is all located in one state under one enormous roof. I look forward to getting more involved again at my kids' schools. As the four of them will be spread among three campuses, this should keep me plenty busy.
Just for good measure, I'll throw in here that I look forward to weighing about 15 pounds less than I currently do. But I'm sure that effort will be abandoned by October.
Mina
The World According to the Little Fish
8 comments:
I feel the same way about the new year in September. I love the smell of new books, pencils and crayons. It is a reminder to me of starting anew.
Even from a non school aspect, the end of Summer does seem like another year is done!
2 Busy-- It's like Joe Fox in You've Got Mail: "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."
i love this!! yes, happy new year to you, as well, Mina! i feel the same way, for different reasons, i suppose, but the sentiment is the same.
I had forgotten that. Now I need to watch that movie...
Very nice Mina. It is a time of new beginnings, with my oldest starting first grade in two days and my youngest starting preschool. It's a bit bittersweet!
The start of the school year definitely has a fresh-start feel to it. I like January too. And I like the end of the school year. Summer is its own deal. I love it.
Thank you Mina for your New Year's in August… much like Christmas in July I guess.
My wife loves the back to school feel and always looks forward to a new school year even though both of her children have graduated many years ago.
Working at a University keeps me in touch with the school calendar year more than when I was working in the corporate world. You know when the students are back because there is a lot more buzz around town.
Post a Comment