Preparing for the start of another school year

School Days

Mmmm, new! There will never be another smell that brings meaning to the word new like that of a fresh box of Crayola crayons. That odor stands for the beginnings of all those years in elementary school when that box of pointy, unbroken, beautiful crayons was a symbol of the exciting year to come.

One sniff and you are immediately taken back to those feelings of excitement and terror that a new school year brought each September.

First you went school-supply shopping, usually with a parent who didn't understand why you just had to have those particular folders, or the binder that zipped up, and why the lunch box with cute little bears would ensure that no one would ever trade sandwiches with you.

Negotiations continued as you tried to maneuver Mom or Dad into getting the special markers that smelled, the really cool pencils that screwed up and down, the metal rulers, the pointed-ended scissors, the fat pink eraser, and the pencil box that glittered.

Then you went to work to plead for the largest box of crayons you could find, the one with the sharpener on the bottom. Sometimes you got only 64, which was just minimally ok . . . but if you were really lucky and you got that huge box with all the great colors like cerulean and magenta, then life was good.

You knew you were one of the big kids when you had to have a protractor, compass and dictionary. The backpack that you chose could definitely affect your entire school year, since you would be expected to make it last for the entire year, and your personal social standing could be challenged by picking the wrong one.

Next came the ceremonial marking of all items with your name, using a sharp black permanent marker, and your very best handwriting. Each item had to be marked, the pencils all sharpened, the fresh package of notebook paper placed in the binder, and then the small items sorted carefully into the new school box, ready to be casually whipped out on the

First Day Of School.

During the days before school started, the new things would be taken out, looked over, and agonized over to decide if they were really the cool ones or would instead condemn you to the ranks of someone who didn't get it!

When The Day came, all of the supplies would be tucked neatly into the new backpack, and after kindergarten and first grade you would plead to be allowed to take the bus, not be driven by . . . gasp . . . your mother.

As you entered the school you would subtly check to see if your clothes, shoes, backpack and lunch box were the same as everyone else's. Then you entered your new classroom, full of excitement and terror. It was sparkly and fresh, and had all kinds of things to look at, but you didn't notice them at first.

You had more important concerns. Would your best friend be in the same room? Would the teacher like you? Would you like the teacher?

Would you sit by someone great, or next to that person you just hated? And finally, did you have everything on your supply list? Whew . . . everything looks OK . . . ready for another year!