The Roller Coaster Ride of Going Back to School

Who is more nervous about going back to school? The teacher or the students? If you ask me, it's a tie.

After 17 years of teaching, I am still nervous about going back to school. Why? Shouldn't I have this down pat by now? I think I am feeling uneasy because starting the school year is like getting on a roller coaster. There are going to be highs and lows, twists and turns, moments that are thrilling and moments when it's all a little too fast and a little too much. And the roller coaster lasts for 180 days.

"Summertime and the livin' is easy." Sing it Ella Fitzgerald! It is SO true. I have been waking up when I want instead of rising before the sun. I have been doing as I please instead of living life in 45-minute increments punctuated by a bell.  I have packed up the lanyard with my school identification tag and settled into my summer uniform of leggings and t-shirts that transition well from pajamas to lounge wear to trips to the gym. Do you remember the gym? It's the place people go to exercise. I know that some of my anxiety is related to the fact that going back to school will require me to do a lot more "adulting."

It is not easy coming back from a long break. It's only natural that I'm nervous, right? I bet even Batman gets agita once  the Joker and the other bad guys return from their hiatus. I mention Batman because he's my favorite superhero. Unlike Spidey and Superman, Batman doesn't have any superpowers. Batman is just an ordinary human with a good heart, a lot of courage, and some amazing tools at his disposal. Hmm. Sounds a lot like a teacher. (I know, I know, Batman could never afford his posh lifestyle on a teacher's salary.) Teachers don't have superpowers, but they do some pretty magical things in ten months.

Maybe it's human to be nervous. Maybe nervousness is excitement in disguise. So if you're starting your first year, your last year, or something in between, good luck to you. Buckle up, hang on tight, and enjoy the ride.

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