Back to School- for Everyone….
My kids have spent today diligently writing their names on countless notebooks, folders, dictionaries, and items of clothing in preparation for the onset of the new school year that comes to our neighborhood on Thursday. This is always a bittersweet time of the year- they are eager to get back to their friends and learn new stuff, but sad to see summer go. Of course, it’s back to school for Mommy too, even though I am not lecturing this semester. The dawning of a new academic year brings new graduate students, happily, a new technician for my lab, and a thesis defense for one of my doctoral students. All of these passages are good things, and renewing after the heat and drama of the summer at home and in the lab. So what wisdom have I accrued after going through this process over and over again for myself and my kids? Well…
1. Start the new school year with a clean slate.
One of the great things about a new school year, whether you’re a 4th grader or a Professor, is the opportunity to do it a little better than you did last year. This can mean a new attitude, a renewed work ethic, but at is most fundamental, it means new notebooks, a new lab books for new students, and new computer files to record the glory of this new year. Psychologically, starting with a clean slate, a fresh lab calendar, a new assignment notebook, and numerous blank pages is incredibly rejuvenating.
2. Enjoy reconnecting with people you haven’t seen in a while.
After a long summer of family vacations, swimming, grants, manuscripts, conferences, and play dates, it’s nice to check in with people and see how things are going. My kids always seem to discover some new friend during this period, and I’ve made collaborative connections over conference tables with folks whose summers brought them a new research idea or direction.
3. Spiff up your wardrobe.
Back-to-school shopping is essential for my kids, of course, because they grow like weeds, but I do spend some time before the new year starts polishing shoes, pitching out things I can’t or don’t wear, and getting my closet in order for dressing like a grown-up on a daily basis.
4. Be open to new people and opportunities.
When an academic year ends, students, teachers, and professors often feel a sense of relief and, perhaps, fatigue from a year of hard work. Returning after a period away can show you new people, opportunities, and possibilities that might just not have been on the table at the end of the last year. We always encourage our kids to meet new people and find new friends, and we must be open to doing that ourselves.
These are the 4 things me and my kids are concentrating on as we head back to school. For them, the opportunities are clear and evident; for me, I may have to look a bit deeper, but I return to the new academic year with renewed purpose and lots of blank paper.
Tags: back to school, coaching