something new

For as many years as I can remember, the first day of school was always full of anxiety for me. I'd be up half of the night before, organizing my backpack three different ways, making sure my pencils were lined up in my pencil holder, wondering what my new school year would hold. The morning of would tpyically consist of running around like a chicken whose head has been chopped off trying on myriads of outfits, and eating my hastily conceived breakfast with a slightly queasy stomach. Even when I quit the school scene as a student, for at least my first five years of teaching, I had similar experiences. My syllabii, classroom rules, first day speeches all lined up, I'd still feel apprehensive for the first hour of the day, then I'd start running on adrenaline. So, this year, with no school to start, I guess what I am missing most is the adrenaline, not the anxiety. The excitement, the newness, the starting over. To capture a teensy part of that feeling, I've started something new this fall. This time I haven't had queasy stomachs or lost sleep, just sore muscles. But, the excitement of starting something new is still there. The stirring up of a desire to achieve something different and new is all there. I love getting up for aerobics, I even like meeting some new people (a real strain on me typically). And, I can't wait to see what it's going to do for me. So, even if you've dumped school long ago (or even a short time ago), go find something new and start it.