first day of school.

though i had a surprisingly excellent first day of school, i miss the first days of school from back in the good old days. there is nothing like the thrill of returning to school as an elementary-aged child. looking back on it, it all seemed so magical-- the excitement of catching the school bus with backpack full of fresh school supplies, the anticipation of meeting new classmates and a new, smiley teacher, and the first opening of a long-lost lunch box filled with a homemade pb&j and a cutesy note from a loving mother.

first days of school have changed dramatically for me. catching the school bus has turned into making the long haul up to campus with a 43-pound backpack strapped on. meeting one smiling teacher has been replaced by meeting several new professors in one day, all with different personalities and expectations. first impressions with new classmates have been replaced by weaving in between the thousands of students, meeting a handful of new faces every day for the first three weeks (and consequently forgetting their names three minutes later). and that note from mom in the lunch box has turned into a thoughtful "good luck" text in the morning from a wonderful mother.

looking back on my childhood, i realize how lovely it truly was. though i miss those days, i am in a crazy yet exciting time of my life. my classes are all very interesting, and my first day exceeded all expectations. so i have a lot to be excited about at present. and maybe someday, i will be able to make my children's first days as magical as my mother always has for me.