Dear Mom and Dad by Rhea JonesPersonally, I try my very hardest to ignore these advertisements and pretend that summer is a never-ending concept. Unfortunately, despite my wishful thinking, summer does eventually end and it’s back to reality.
September can often be an emotional time for everybody, youth especially.
This is because it is hard to transition from sleeping in until noon and having minimal expectations, to waking up at 7 a.m., going to school for seven hours a day as well as managing all extra-curricular activities.
Although this can be overwhelming, returning to school is also an exciting time. You get to reunite with all the people you didn’t see over summer holidays, as well as try new things.
Dear mom and dad, although September can be stressful, here are some of the ways we can help each other make the transition back to the school year easier for all of us.
Before things get crazy busy it can be helpful to have a conversation about what goals and commitments we would like to make for the year.
That way we can transition back to routines knowing what it is that we are trying to accomplish, as well as what things we should prioritize. Despite the urge to ignore the approaching school year, preparing yourself early can be beneficial. Starting a new year is a time that can often be full of uncertainty.
According to Nora Doering who will be starting middle school at École Okotoks Junior High School, the biggest thing she worries about is having to make new friends, as many of her current friends will be going to a different school. However, Nora has done the planning to make sure she is prepared. She even knows what she will be wearing on the first day of school. Although these details are small, planning them ahead of time can help prevent the last-minute scramble and stress.
Back to school not only affects students but also parents, teachers, and school staff as well.
Ken Zelez, a teacher and athletic director at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, said that going back to school for teachers means “a lot of excitement in regards to making this year even better than previous years. No teacher goes into the school year thinking that this year will be the same as the last. We are always trying to improve our methods.”
With his 22 years of experience, Ken was able to point out some of the behavioural traits in students that are unique to the first few weeks.
“Students are often nervous and unsure of themselves at the beginning of the year which can lead to them missing out on some of the early activities and clubs that start up,” he said.
He also notices that students tend to get very attached to their friend groups and may be hesitant to start new friendships. The best advice Mr. Zelez could give to students when starting a new year of school is “be open-minded and willing to embrace to the culture of the school and what it has to offer you. School is way more fun when you’re engaged in activities instead of just going to class.”
With this advice in mind, let’s all try our best to go into September prepared, positive and, most importantly, excited for an awesome school year. Next month’s topic will be the new trend of vaping. Parents, what are your thoughts on this habit? Kids, is vaping a good thing or not? Let me know at [email protected]
Rhea Jones is a French immersion student at Foothills Composite High School who loves to write and share her ideas. Her goal with her column Dear Mom and Dad is to encourage youth to read and participate with the Western Wheel.
