I think that kids enjoy going back to school more than many people seem to think. As I remember it, each September brought a renewed sense of optimism for the coming school year. I felt ready to tackle new classes, happy to see my friends on a daily basis, and excited to try new hobbies and activities. It was a total fresh start!
Most adults I know still hold on to a little piece of that back-to-school magic at this time of year -- here's what the OOM team had to say about the back-to-school traditions and habits that they still have today!
Mike B finds himself trying something new every September -- this year, he signed up for a gymnasics 101 class!
Stephanie still honors a tradition that began when she was in preschool -- apple and pumpkin picking! She assumed that the tradition would end when she started college, but her sorority planned a trip to a nearby farm at the beginning of each fall semester. Now she plans a trip to an orchard every September!
Morgan finds herself lingering in the pencil and paper aisles at the drugstore in mid-August (who didn't love getting new notebooks each year?), but mostly she finds that back-to-school is a great time to assess her personal goals for the year and check in to see how she's doing with her New Year resolutions!
Lia, our resident color-coder, loved getting new school supplies and spent hours looking for the just-right layout and color code for her planner. As her fellow OOMers can attest, nothing has changed.
Michael S used to take a vacation during the first week of school, but since his kids are starting school this year he is reverting to his backup back-to-school activity of buying a gazillion assorted Sharpies!
I relate with so many of these habits, and I always find myself reassessing my approach to things at this time of year. To me, September feels like permission to work toward being an even better version of yourself in the coming months!
Let us know: what are the back-to-school habits and traditions that you have?
Photo via Flickr
