I'm not really fond of this time of year.
The last days of August and the first week of September was a time I didn't look forward to. The start of school signalled the end of summer, the end of freedom from studying, exams and homework. I wasn't a bad student, I wasn't a great student, I guess I was a reluctant student.
This time of year brings out a recurring dream I have - I'm rushing to an exam for a class I never attended and haven't studied for. It always comes back around now. I'm sure people who analyze dreams have a deep-rooted explanation for it, but those are the mornings when I'm not too upset at my dog for waking me up barking at the birds.
I always felt sorry for someone
who had a birthday at this time of year. For most kids, there are two really great days in the year, Christmas and your birthday. The birthday was special because, for the most part, you didn't have to share it with anyone - it was all yours. You'd count the days until your birthday, plan out your party and who you'd be inviting. It was a day you'd look forward to, and it couldn't come fast enough.
But what if your birthday was at the beginning of September? You're torn between the anticipation of your birthday and the desire to delay the start of school - that would be tough. Sure, the weather is nicer than other times of the year, but you'd be wishing away the summer. And the chances of your friends being around for your party were pretty slim.
Late August and early September are all about getting back into a routine. School starts, while soccer, hockey and other sports get underway for the season. The light summer traffic ends so the commute gets a bit longer. It's back to normal time, after having a nice break with the good weather. It's a routine we've grown up with and come to expect.
This year, our routine has a bit of a wrench thrown into it with the teachers' dispute. Not having a defined date for school to start is a bit unnerving. Even the retailers aren't sure what to do - what does back to school really mean this year? Back-to-school sales usually start in July, but I haven't seen too much of it yet. Maybe I'm just blanking it out of my mind. I'm not much for shopping in the first place, so, for me, back-to-school shopping never really had a chance.
I know that we'd all like to get back to our routine, and none more so than the teachers. The anticipation of setting up classrooms and greeting a new group of students is part of why they chose the profession. I'm hopeful that, in the next short while, an agreement can be reached and we can all get back to normal. I'm sure the kids would like a bit more time off, but believe me, the days of not knowing when school starts will be filled with wondering when it will, which takes all the fun out of it.
If your birthday is coming up, I hope the sun shines and you have a great day.
And a happy birthday to you, Glennis.
