That Back To School Itch

The hardest thing about being an adult is resisting the back to school aisle at Target.

It’s very much there and begging me to stop by and just take a gander… Just a little browsing can’t hurt, right? Everything is so fun and inviting. And new. And crisp. And clean. Maybe if I buy all the new stuff it will make me a new crisp, clean person? I will suddenly feel motivated to organize my desk/life… Maybe… That’s what the promise of every new school year holds, right?

But I resist. I’m not going back to school.

I know I could still buy myself new “work” supplies, but it just seems a little unnecessary to buy a new pencil box or 100 different fruit shaped erasers, you know? Unnecessary, but still very satisfying.

My sister sent me this photo of my niece, Lola, at her first day of “school” yesterday. When you’re two, school means daycare. But Lola has been begging to go to “big girl school” so there you go.

I texted back and asked if Lola was planning to hike the PCT later. I’m pretty sure she could fit a tent, a sleeping bag, 10 days worth of food, and her new big girl bed in that book bag. (That’s a Wild joke by the way.)

I can’t look at this photo without laughing. That bag is just so big on her tiny little body.

My first book bag was green with red hearts. I think it’s still at my parents house in my closet. It probably still has candy wrappers and dirty gum stuck inside.

No matter how old I get, this time of year always gives me the back to school itch. I want someone to send me a list telling me all the supplies I need to buy right now to make it through the next eight months.

Kleenex, gel pens, trapper keeper, paper that tears perfectly on the side without all the fuzzies (NEVER FUZZIES), markers, crayons with a sharpener on the back. I want it all.

You know what else I want? Back to school clothes. More specifically, this sunflower outfit.

If you look close enough, there’s so much 90s goodness in this old blurry pic of my sister, brother and I. Jade was going into 6th grade, Jordan into 3rd, and me into 2nd. We’d all just transferred to public school after being at the private catholic school- which was very scary… Norfolk public is a hard place, man. So many gangsters.

Clearly, I was taking full advantage of not having to wear a uniform anymore. I mistakingly thought that no uniform meant I could wear a big dumb hat. I was wrong.

My yellow socks with those sassy black shoes? Nailed it so hard. Jade’s cute pink top is actually a body suit, I know because I inherited it after she grew out of it. And my brother is just trying to shit his pants I think, while randomly holding a pear? I’m not sure.

My Pebbles bag came from a garage sale. But I was confident enough in myself to wear second hand accessories so I didn’t care.

That back to school itch may be creeping in, but I’m not letting go of summer just yet. I’ve still got another month in me. And if you tell me otherwise, I don’t want to hear it. Long live summer.

Also, what was your favorite back to school outfit? You know you have one…. Let’s hear it. Any other sunflower lovers in the house?

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20 Comments

  1. August 25, 2015 / 12:23 pm

    OMG, the captions for this photo were perfect! Your sunflower hat and your brother "trying to poop his pants while randomly holding a pear". This pic is perfection.

  2. August 25, 2015 / 12:28 pm

    hahaha that pic of Lola is awesome. she could definitely cheryl strayed herself. i love back to school stuff. i want all of the pens and that hat of course. i want some new saddle oxfords (because I was acatholic school girl)

  3. August 25, 2015 / 12:47 pm

    I had a sunflower outfit almost exactly like that one. And I was in high school!

    Seriously, that backpack is giant. She could fit all her classmates in there.

  4. August 25, 2015 / 1:16 pm

    That old picture is too good! I had a similar hat but it was denim with a sunflower on the front, hows that for the 90s haha!

  5. August 25, 2015 / 1:25 pm

    Please tell me that sunflower outfit was from Limited, Too! I had the same one. Along with a sunflower t-shirt and matching sunflower shorts. everything.limited.too

  6. August 25, 2015 / 1:29 pm

    Gel pens! Yes!

    My back to school outfit that I was super proud of was a pair of overall jean capris with fringes on the bottom. Pair that with a white t-shirt, my first training bra, and freshly crimped hair and you have me on the first day of school in Grade 6.

  7. August 25, 2015 / 1:31 pm

    I am so glad I still get to justify my stantionary purchases as I still have a few years of university left in me! The only thing I love about back to school season is browsing the stationary aisle. Theres something about brand new stationary that makes me extra motivated!
    I can remember my first ever school outfit, dungarees, white tights and white and pink light up trainers, I laugh at it every time!

  8. August 25, 2015 / 1:50 pm

    I totally thought I was the only one who randomly went down the school supplies aisle…. haha

  9. August 25, 2015 / 1:53 pm

    I'm loling so hard at that 90s pic. Love it. I had a similar outfit except it was a light blue denim dress with a flower and matching floppy ass hat, with a Barney backpack that was at least half the size of your niece's backpack (like, way too small, Mom, how can I fit anything in that??)

  10. August 25, 2015 / 4:06 pm

    In junior high I had a whole sunflower outfit. White denim shorts with sunflowers on them with a matching white denim vest with sunflowers all over it. Then a bay tee to wear under the vest with a sunflower right in the middle. I'm pretty sure I even wore sunflower perfume. I was rockin let me tell you. I SO wish I had a picture of that. I also totally had hats like yours but no sunflower. Pretty sure they were plain because I loved me some plaid. That actually hasn't changed. 🙂

  11. August 25, 2015 / 8:16 pm

    I'm pretty sure that I had that exact hat and dress! A big win for 90's fashion, right? And I always love the idea of everything being crisp and new and hoping that it'll make me organized but I just don't think it's possible for me.

  12. August 25, 2015 / 10:08 pm

    Uhhhh pretty sure I had that sunflower dress too! My favorite was this long sleeve denim dress that was long, too. Oh I loved it! Also, I'm such a sucker for school supplies. Seriously…I'm addicted.

  13. August 25, 2015 / 10:15 pm

    All of my back to school photos are ruined because I always broke down in to hysterical fits of laughter from nerves. EVERY.SINGLE.YEAR. I used to try to class it up by wearing a dress or an always versatile skort, but that usually wore off by the second or third day, and came back again around picture day.

    I get the back to school itch ever year too! I think it's because I'm mentally stuck in 5th grade.

    Martina
    http://www.asplashofmimosa.com

    (sorry if this posted twice, it kept disappearing when I hit publish)

  14. August 26, 2015 / 8:44 am

    Oh man I kind of miss the back to school excitement. But I don't miss any of the time after that first week!

  15. August 26, 2015 / 9:42 am

    My favorite back-to-school outfit was last year, which also happened to be my final year of education, when I threw on sweats and no makeup and walked out the door. The freshmen looked horrified. But you'll soon learn, my friends, you'll soon learn.

  16. August 26, 2015 / 11:37 am

    Oh my gosh, that picture does scream 90's. I love it! Ha, ha!

    I loved going back to school cuz everything was so fresh & clean & new – a new beginning it was. It was fabulous & I just wish as we got older we had that as well. I think we need it more the older we get.

  17. August 27, 2015 / 1:14 pm

    Seeing your sunflower outfit brought back SO MANY memories. I had a sassy sunflower printed romper. With, a tshirt built in. I thought I looked so cool. I need to find a picture of me in that outfit asap.

  18. December 30, 2015 / 8:39 am
  19. March 1, 2016 / 3:07 am
  20. July 19, 2016 / 11:19 pm

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