And I kind of was thinking out loud and I said have I ever used algebra in my life, in my world? I don't think I've ever used algebra. So welcome to the Only Child Diaries podcast. I'm your host, racy Wallace. Have you ever felt like you didn't receive the how-to brochure on life, that you didn't get enough guidance about major life issues? So did I. You don't have to be an only child to feel this way. In my podcast, we'll explore some of the best ways to better navigate adulting, while doing so with humor and light. Welcome everyone to the Only Child Diaries podcast.

Today I'm going to talk about back to school. This is the time of year when all the kids, the teenagers, the young adults get ready to go back to school, and it always brings up to my mind those special days, the lingering last days of summer vacation and the anticipation of the new school year, of the new school year. I would get some new outfits to wear, my new notebooks or binders, a new set of pencils, pens and maybe a new pair of shoes, sneakers, and get ready for that. First day of school Would be in my classes. Would I like my teachers? Things like that, right, and it all felt so fresh. You'd get your new books and the anticipation of everything being new. It all felt so good. And it felt fresh for what? About a week or so, and then after that it was just back to the old grind. I remember the Pee-Chee folders with the different illustrations of the athletes. I don't know that I really had a lot of those myself. I preferred three ring binders with pockets. That was my thing. I didn't really have a backpack. I'm not sure why, but I didn't like carrying everything. It was too heavy, or maybe I knew I was going to have back trouble later on in life and so I didn't have a backpack. Today it seems like every kid has a backpack.

When you're in elementary school at least, you'd have the same teacher all day, right. So you really it was like a new relationship. You get to know your teacher. Did you like your teacher? You were stuck with your teacher. So whether you liked it or not, you had to get along with that teacher. And that's probably a really valuable lesson, because as you go through life, you have to get along with the people that you're with, and then, going into middle school and high school, you have several teachers every day that you have to navigate. Then there's college, but I just remember the freshness of the books and everything seemed so wonderful. You'd start reading and doing the homework and all that stuff and it didn't seem so fresh and it didn't seem so wonderful anymore.

I remember the last days of summer. Vacation seemed so precious to me because I loved being on vacation. I didn't mind school. I don't know that I necessarily loved going back to school. I know I didn't love getting up early, never been a morning person, so getting to school at eight o'clock in the morning was always a stretch. But it is what it is right. I think some schools start a little later now, but probably most of them start pretty early. So getting to school early was always pretty rough for me and those last days of summer or any vacation like holiday break or spring break, was always pretty cool because it meant I could sleep in. I've always been a night person, but lately I've been getting up early and I still get sleep. I just have a more regimented schedule, which I'm not sure I like, but that's what it is.

Anyway, in our neighborhood we have one elementary school and I don't know if it was bad planning or what, but it's on the street. There's one street in and out of the canyon and that's where the school is, and school it's the same elementary school that I went to. The school has grown over the years, unfortunately I mean fortunately for the school. It's a good school, but fortunately it's grown, and so that means that there's more kids going to the school and more drop-offs and more pickups. I don't think I've ever seen a school bus dropping kids off, so parents have to either pick up or some of the kids walk home if they live close by, I think. So there's a lot of traffic and so in that regard, I've also enjoyed the summer break because the traffic has been a lot better. I don't have to plan leaving to an appointment or coming home around the school schedule, which would be fine if it was the same time every day, but they have certain days of the week where they let school out early.

It gets kind of hard to keep track of, like I don't have enough to keep track of, right, but school and school days, those were good times. When you look back on it, you know in the past those were good times with your friends, your fellow students, your teachers. Those are good times. And even if you go back and take a class when you're an adult, it's still not quite the same thing as it was when you were growing up. So for every time there's a season, right? Is that the saying?

So do I miss school? So do I miss school? Well, I don't know. I'm glad to be out, but I was just talking to somebody the other day and asking them um, it's a woman that I know, that's probably about my age, and she's been taking some classes and she's taking geometry. No, no, she's taking algebra. And I kind of was thinking out loud and I said have I ever used algebra in my life? In my world? I don't think I've ever used algebra. So that's neither here nor there. So, anyway, I hope if you have somebody in your family that's going back to school or you're going back to school yourself, you're all set and prepared for that and you've had a good summer. And, irregardless of that, I hope you've had a good summer anyway and you've done some great things during your vacation or during your summer. It's been super hot this summer here.

I think, in honor of back to school, I'm going to go back and keep reading my book that I got. I just started reading a book. I wanted to do some summer reading and that seems like a good pastime, right? That's all I've got for today, folks. Next week we'll tackle another topic together. I hope you'll join me. If you like this episode, please follow the Only Child Diaries podcast on Apple Podcasts or other platforms you might listen on and consider rating Only Child Diaries and writing a review. It helps others to find us. Please share it with a friend you think might like it as well. Visit my Instagram page Only Child Diaries or Facebook Only Child Diaries Podcast. Thanks for listening. I'm Tracy Wallace and these are the Only Child Diaries.