BACK TO SCHOOL
I Was That Kid Who Hated Summer
When your home life is hard, school is your savior
Growing up, Mom took me to the mall every August for back-to-school clothes. I can still remember my favorite pieces. The navy and red leather lace-up loafers. The striped blouse with the ruffled Princess Diana collar. The pink floral top with the puffy sleeves. And always a fresh pair of corduroys to stay warm during the biting Ottawa winter.
Those shopping trips are some of my happiest childhood memories. Mom would be in a rare good mood because she loved clothes shopping. There was also the anticipation of showing off my new outfits, all of which I wore the first week of school, sweltering since it was still T-shirt weather.
But the real joy was what those trips represented — going back to school.
Most kids are excited about summer break and dread September. Not me. Labor Day brought the prospect of hanging out with my friends in the crisp fall air. It meant school plays, student council, and debates in history class. But mostly, it meant spending the day away from home.
There are many reasons, social and academic, why some kids don’t like school. But for me, it was where I felt seen, respected, and appreciated. Home, by contrast, was an emotional…
