You might be a grown-up (or maybe you’re about to become one), but if you’re like me, the start of September gives you all the warm fuzzy feelings of going back to school.
It reminds me of some of the best things: freshly sharpened pencils, new binders, and blank pages ready to be filled with new ideas and knowledge. As a kid, every new year felt like a blank slate—an opportunity to become a better version of myself, to let every class form me into the person I wanted to become.
Online classes might not feel so nostalgic, especially when you take them one at a time, and you often don’t get a break delineating one year from the next. It’s often up to you to remember what year of school you’re in and to count down to graduation. You’re also working on a laptop, and you may not need school supplies or a tour of the school building. The point is: it feels different.
But it doesn’t have to.
At IWU, we like to celebrate every milestone, including the ones we make up ourselves. We think that no matter where you are in your program—even if you’re just thinking about it—you can go “back to school” with the kids. So grab your backpack (or laptop bag) and big pink erasers. Here are a few ways to mark your education journey and recognize how far you’ve come alongside all the kids this fall.
- Treat yourself to some school supplies. Do you remember the smell of sharpened pencils? The satisfaction of a brand-new box of crayons? If you have hard copy textbooks, pick up some colored flags to mark important pages. Whatever you choose, use it to make your study space and study habits a little more fun.
- Take a photo at your front door or in front of the education center where you attend class. And then do it again next year! Post it on social media (you can tag us, too, so we can celebrate with you @IWUglobal) and let your friends acknowledge the journey alongside you.
- That nice shirt you keep seeing in online ads? Maybe you should buy it. And save it for the first day of your next class, when you finally put that shirt on. There’s something special about an outfit saved for a specific occasion and what it means to finally reach that day.
- Reorganize your workspace. What better way to signal to your brain that it’s a new year with a fresh start than giving yourself some fresh visual cues? You don’t need to spend any money to make your favorite study spot a little cozier or better organized.
- Make a new tradition. Do something to celebrate the milestone of a new school year, because this commitment to continue your education is important and worthy of recognition. Celebrate on your own or make it a friends and family affair.
When your next class starts, channel your inner child and get excited about a new year of learning and growing. And don’t forget to let your people (and your school) rally around you to celebrate!
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