Pam’s Back to School Jitters

What cranked you up and made your stomach roll as the school year started?

So here it is, back to school. If you're a parent, you obviously know that most public schools in Connecticut are opening for the year this week. All of us, regardless of the parent status, are equally aware, because the school buses have started the parade of traffic that you find yourself sitting behind.

As a childless person, I don't have the highs and lows of sending my kid back to school. But once I see those school buses roll, it brings back very clear memories of the first week of school. Let me begin with my shallow end. My first week wardrobe.

I now see the sense of a school uniform! Even at an early age, I was laying my school clothes out way in advance. Since we didn't go back until September, I clearly remember first week back to school heat waves, and me sweating in my wool skirts, snappy turtle necks and tights.

Back to school time also brings back thoughts of my book bag overflowing with more spiral notebooks and pens than any one person truly needed. This was, of course, before the world of backpacks and roller bags being the norm in school. My stomach was often in the lurch with the fear of dropping all that junk right as I tried to get on the bus.

There I was, a small, slightly sweaty mess, praying not to miss the school bus, because my mom didn't drive, and it was a long ass walk to school. All I wanted to do was get in, get knowledge, enjoy classes, make some friends, and eat my favorite chicken in the cafeteria.

Watching those big yellow buses make me realize school was worth every moment of angst. That, and I'm glad I made it out successfully, and it's over.

Listen to Pam Brooks weekdays from 10-3PM on 95.1 FM, online at i95rock.com/listen-live/ or by downloading the radioPup app for your mobile device.