Back to School

Ugh. “Back to School” is back again. All the stores are filled with posters of happy, smiling kids with notebooks and markers, apples and ham sandwiches, all promoting sales on animal-print three-ring binders or fifty percent off mega-packs of Post-it notes. Can you believe that summer is over already?

Going back to school is somewhat hard to do, what with getting out of bed before sunrise and having to actually coordinate an outfit instead of just throwing a tee over your bathing suit. Oh, and not to mention, homework… (Is that the theme from the ‘Twilight Zone’ I hear?)

Returning to school means returning to friends, bagged lunches, gym shorts, and, of course, peer pressure. After a summer of fun in the sun, it can be difficult to find your ‘happy place’ again. You know, that place where you can forget about what others think?

Summer tutoring helps students keep up with their studies so that they are fresh-minded when the new school year begins. But unfortunately, there isn’t much tutoring for self-esteem during summer break. We all need to remember how important it is to be ourselves and to keep our goals in mind as we tackle the new school year.

So, when your friends all sign up for soccer try-outs and you really want to play the tuba in the marching band, don’t be afraid to be yourself! Do what makes you happiest. Your true friends will understand! Try new things and keep up with old activities that you love. Make new friends and keep up with old ones. Keep focused and never lose sight of your goals. Going back to school can be tough, but if you approach it with a confident and positive attitude, you can enjoy yourself and make lasting memories. (Oh, and getting rid of the ‘Twilight Zone’ theme song that’s stuck in your head isn’t such a bad idea, either…)