Things I Miss

It occurred to me the other day that this is the first fall in about 18 years that I have not been in school. And quite frankly, it is a little bit weird.

All my life so far, well minus the first few years, every time August came around you new summer was almost over that that school would therefore begin. For me, every time we got home from our Lake Powell trip in August we new summer was over. After that we would begin to get ready for school. We would make sure that our schedules where correct, that we had the supplies we would need, and get the clothes we would want to wear on the very first day. First impressions stuck with you all year, you didn't want to be the kid who blew it on the first day.

With this being the first year that that did not happen, it has taken me a while to realize that it is fall and that summer is officially over. It has also made me realize that there are a few things that I miss about being in school. Some of them are a given and some of them surprised me that I did miss them. Some of them are from college, some from high school, and some even from way back when in elementary. (I don't think that there is much I miss about Jr. High) So here are some of the things that I miss from being in school:

*First day of school photo (this one surprises me. As much as I hated getting the photos taken growing up, it is one thing I miss having.)
*Eating lunch with friends and laughing until you absolutely had to drag yourself off to class
*sleeping in the sun between classes
*seeing friends everyday
*attending football games with fellow students
*free food at the institute
*recess and playgrounds (do you think they could install these in work areas?)
*Being in Choir
*A class just to do art
*Learning new and interesting things
*peanut butter bars
*funny teacher stories
*socializing with people my age (when you teach kids that doesn't happen very often)

You see, I was one of those people who loved being in school. I loved learning and I loved to be with people, I loved going to school. So even though I am glad to be done and I am grateful to have my college degree, a part of me wants to be back in school. A part of me misses it and everything that it brings with it. Foe me, school is what always marked fall. It is what always marked a new year of life and new opportunities to come with it. I guess this year I will just have to find something else to mark. For I have found that life is there and it is always new with many new opportunities around the corner. All you have to do is look for them.