I love the start of the new school year, buying school supplies, picking out the first day clothes, buying books, feeling full of hope & promise at what the school year will bring. I will probably be 90 years old, school will be way in my past, I will be watching my grandchildren start college, & every August I will still be nostalgic about a new school year.
I watch new faces showing up in our college town. I see nervous freshman with their nervous parents wandering around the store picking out pencils, notebooks, bedding, using maps to find buildings while walking around campus. I look at them & remember crying when my parents dropped me off my freshman year & telling my dad I still felt 17, "Daddy how can I be here?" And his reply was, "How do you think I feel. I'm 45 and still feel 17. How can I be dropping my kid off at school?"
I want to run up to those kids & tell them to have fun, have a blast, don't get caught up all the seriousness of relationships, of drama, & of all the small things. I want to say "make new friends, see new places, try new things, learn new languages, date different people, do something a little wild, go on great trips, have a fun "college" job, call your parents, call your grandparents, call your brothers & sisters. Enjoy this part of your life, it goes fast. It goes on to good, make that great things, but it does go fast!"
Today I was walking on campus where I have walked a million times. I have walked there as a newbie to campus, I have walked there as a non-newbie, I have walked there as a newlywed, I have walked there pregnant, I have walked there as a new mother--I have walked there at so many different stages of my life. I was walking the sidewalks my grandmother, grandfather, mother, father, walked when they were my age. They were having babies, choosing careers, finding a balance of parenthood & school. And here I am, it's my turn, & I was pushing a stroller with the cutest face that I couldn't bear to part with this year. And he looked so big, so happy, & he was giving me kisses.
I knew that it would all be worth it. I knew that he would all be worth it. And I was happy with my decision. But I went by the store & bought a new pencil and notebook, just because it's August and that's what you do in August.
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19 Amazing Comments!:
What a sweet story. I get nostalgic in August, too, but more for the sweet, long days of summer than the quickly approaching school year.
So you put off starting for a year so you can spend more time with your son? I completely understand. Good luck to you. hopefully it will all work out!
Again...awesome post! I am also in love with my university...among many other things, it's where I met my husband; where we got married; and the last time I was there, I was pregnant with the girlies. We can't wait to take the girlies there for their first visit, maybe next summer.
Our University campus also holds special memories because I met my husband there.
August always brings a rush of different emotions for me, firstly because I'm a teacher, so it means the return to work. This year, my oldest starts school, so that's a whole other set of feelings.
As a woman...is it just me, or is there also something about August that also makes you want to buy your fall wardrobe? (I suppose for a Canadian like me it's different, as my summer and fall wardrobes are vastly unalike!)
Great post!
Beautifully written, Kate! Thanks for giving me the glimpse of what college feels like there. Btw, Lboy looks sooooooo darn cute! :D
Great post. I still have yet to go to college. Hoping to do it in 2 years. I will be old then. At least old compared to all the other newbies.
There is just something about August...you are so right. And if only those new freshmen would listen and understand what we ALREADY KNOW, their lives would be so much easier! It's such a wonderful time in life.
I still take classes here and there, just because I love the feeling of going to school.
i've never thought about it before, but it would be fun to watch the influx of newbies if i lived in a college town.
THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL! In-fact I have been writing the same blog post in my head but you said it much better than I could.
My wife and I also went to the same school and we love taking our daughter there to show her the campus. After reading this, I think we'll take our daughters there when all the students are eagerly scurrying about the campus.
Beautiful post :) I love your dad's comment.
I love this time of year too. I thought i was the only one who loved the rush of buying things for school. Sigh. I miss that nervous flutter.:) by the way I love how serious your son looks in the 2nd picture. So cute!
I so wish that someone had told me that back when I was in school- at the time, everything seems SO dramatic and like such a big deal. I wish I had just enjoyed.
I wish I would have enjoyed my time more, but in the end....I had a blast. I can't wait for my kids to be in school so I can buy school supplies and new school clothes! hehe. Thank you for stopping by!
Oh boy! I have these feelings come August too. I get excited to put on my sweatshirts and curl up in the crisp autumn air with a good book.
Gotta love fall!
There's nothing wrong with keeping up the tradition!
I can see there are fond memories in the campus & it's so lovely to walk along with your boy on the same path now :-)
One of my most favorite times of the year for sure!!
I know how you feel about August and missing out. I took a semester off after my freshman year and August definitely brought nostalgia. I wanted to buy school supplies and get nervous about new classes. I'm heading into my last year of undergrad and I know this time next year I'll be feeling the same way you feel now. I'm sure I'll miss it.
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