Mocha With Linda hosts a weekly meme called Flashback Friday. She’ll post a question every Thursday, and then Friday we can link our answers up on her site.

The question for this week is:

Did your family have any back-to-school traditions when you were growing up? Were you generally eager or reluctant to start school? Was buying school supplies a big deal or did you order them through the school? Were there any school supplies you particularly loved? Did you take your lunch or buy it at school? Brown bag or lunch box/thermos? Does the first day of school from any grade stand out? Did you ride the bus, walk, or go by car to school? Do you remember how early or late school began/dismissed each day? Did you go to kindergarten? Half-day or whole day?

I LOVED school, and I loved getting new school supplies and getting them all set up and ready — in a cigar box in elementary school, then graduating to those clear zippered pouches that fit into one’s 3-ring binder. There is just something about a new box of crayons, packages of new pens and pencils, etc. In fact, seeing all the neat new school supplies out in stores has made me wish I needed them! They have some really fun, cute stuff these days. I remember carrying books and such back and forth in a book satchel — something like modern day “messenger bags.”

We didn’t really have any rituals or traditions associated with starting school. We just bought supplies at the store.

We varied between taking and buying lunches. I do remember that the little cartons of milk only cost 5 cents, and I seem to remember even 3 cents in early elementary school. I loved the hard plastic or metal lunch boxes with matching thermoses. I don’t remember what any of mine looked like.

We varied walking, riding the bus, or having someone take us to school depending on where we lived at the time. My most memorable rides involved my grandfather, the one I have mentioned with the distinctive laugh. My mom must have had a job requiring her to be there early at the time, because I remember my grandfather taking me to someone’s house where I had breakfast and then rode to school with them. Almost every single morning in my grandfather’s car we heard “Mairzy Doats” and “Mr. Lonely” on the radio. I don’t remember the people whose house I went to or what they looked like: I only remember that the mom required us to drink the milk left in our cereal bowls, which I thought was really gross.

The only first days of school that stand out are from high school: one was on my August birthday, which I thought was atrocious since school used to start after Labor Day in September. And the other was either when I started high school or when we moved to a new school when I was in jr. high — I don’t remember anything about the day, but I remember my mom picking me up, asking about my day, me shrugging my shoulders and saying something noncommittal like “It was all right,” and her saying she thought of all the kids I’d have the most to say, and I had the least. We talked about nearly everything, so it was unusual for me not to bubble over with all the details about the day. I don’t remember why I seemed to have not much to say that day!

Kindergarten was not required when I was of age, so I started right in with first grade and did fine.

I eagerly anticipated school most years — new books and the glories within, new teachers, seeing old friends. I loved learning (most of the time.)

I wasn’t able to do last week’s flashback because we were in the throes of moving, but it had to do with what we wanted to be when we grew up. I went through various stages, wanting to be a movie star :roll:, teacher, psychologist, writer, but underlying them all was the desire to be a wife and mom, and I am so glad the Lord gave me that privilege. That encompassed a little bit of teaching and psychoanalyzing. 🙂 And I’ve had various opportunities to write a little bit — maybe He will give opportunity to expand on that. After boxes are unpacked!