The First Day of School

I've never been a New Year's Eve observer. Although I'll join in on the midnight kissing, my fresh start doesn't happen on January 01. The true start of every year in my life has been marked by something else entirely - 'back to school'. The smell of new notebooks and the bright white of a brand new pair of gym shoes makes me feel excited. I love how freshly scrubbed everything (including me!) is. I love new outfits and new agendas and new classes and new friends.

Today was my first day of school in my B.Ed program at the University of Toronto. All in all, it was pretty status quo and all the usual suspects were present: the motivational assembly (where the music of Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" ushered us into the auditorium ... huh?). The new teachers. The picking up of the student loan documents. Nothing really remarkable happened. Why then, did I feel all goosebumpy all day? Why did I want to burst into some sort of emotional display of happiness (tears, singing, etc)? I can't wait to be a teacher. It sounds stupid, but I knew as soon as I walked into the building that I was doing the right thing for my life.

I don't really have much to say right now, except that I hope everyone has a good first week back - whether you're a teacher, a student, starting a new job or simply pulling your favorite fall jacket out of the closet. Summer is coming to an end, but everything feels like spring; fresh and new. I'm so lucky to have chosen a profession where I get to experience this renewal every time september comes around.