"Back to School"

Today is the first day of school here in Rochester, NY. Even though I'm not going back to school, I still very much get that "back to school" feeling and I LOVE IT.

I LOVE BACK TO SCHOOL.

Things I love:

1) SCHOOL SUPPLY SHOPPING

2) Back to school clothes shopping

3) The feeling of a "new beginning"


Even though I'm not going back to school, my job's calendar year resets in September, so I still get a similar sensation at work. And I am doing my darndest to make my version of back to school as wonderful as possible.

1) School Supplies: I am using my new planner and thoroughly enjoying it.

Last year I switched to the Erin Condren Life Planner. This was a massive shift in my life (I know you think I'm kidding but I seriously struggled to make this decision for about a month). Previously I was using a planner that had a horizontal layout and was lined. My new planner has a vertical layout and is not lined. That's a HUGE shift! However it gives me the chance to decorate it (I suppose I could have decorated the other one though...) and gives me more space, so in addition to tracking meetings and appointments, I also make note of different things I've done throughout the day. I. love. it.

Here's how my old planner looked...

And the new one!

Obviously this is the current week so Wednesday is still a work in progress, but you get the idea.

You might be asking yourself... who cares about planners this much. Well I do. And so do a lot of other people! There was a class about paper planning that I tried to sign up for but couldn't because it was sold out! See??? People like paper planners!!!

2) Back to School Clothes Shopping. Remember how I cleaned out my closet and dresser drawers? Well I obviously need to fill them back up, duh! I went shopping over the weekend and got a few pairs of pants and some new shirts, all of which sparked joy. 

The best part of back to school shopping was listening to the dressing-room banter as I was trying on clothes. I do not envy parents having to drag reluctant kids to the mall. Mom - I hope I wasn't that bad!

3) New Beginnings. What is it about them that I love so much? Seriously, nothing gets me as excited as the thought of a fresh start. New School Year, the actual new year, the start of a new month, a new season (as long as it's one I like)... the start of a new challenge or a new diet. I love starting things, and maybe even more than starting things, I love to plan how to start things. Maybe I like back to school because it is also the unofficial start of Fall? Turns out I really like Fall, so there's another reason I like this time of year!

But before the school year starts.... you get one more weekend of summer fun. Labor Day weekend! Here's how I spent mine:

Saturday - Back to School Shopping!

Sunday - Day in Buffalo with the In-Laws (Ali was visiting from DC and Chris is moving away soon, so the final hang of all in-law siblings for awhile)

Monday - Horse Races!! Andy and I had a great time watching the horse races (we didn't do well with our bets). On the way out I played one slot machine and holy cow!!!!! I hit it big!!!!!!

Not a bad way to wrap up the weekend huh?

I hope you're enjoying this back to school time of year too!