Back to school!

This morning when I took the pooch out for her business, I saw a school bus and what looked like a driver trying to figure out her new route, which got me thinking…

This time of year was like a pre-Christmas season for me. I would be so excited at the thought of getting new things. My addiction to school supplies started at a very young age – and I think it might have been transmitted by my mother, who used to be a school teacher before getting married (yep! My mom is from that generation who gave up their career once married to become a housewife and mother), so by the time I made it to first grade I knew how to write & read. (No I didn't go to pre-school, my parents thought I could do crafts and stuff at home, with them) My mother would get so excited when the list of needed supplies would come in. We would always have a good time shopping together for my new note pads, pencils, crayons, etc. We loved it. …and still do! Yesterday I walked in a little shop where they sold all sorts of supplies and I wasted a fair bit of time in there, looking at things, feeling them… I just love it so freakin’ much! It's an illness, I'm telling you!

I used to love going back to school. First because I was one of those nerds who truly enjoyed school, except maths! I hated anything to do with maths and logic. I loved being in school, with my new books, and the clean classrooms. I loved the anticipation of finding out which teacher I was going to get this year, and in which classroom such course would take place. The first few days were a bit worrisome, until I figured out the best route from my locker to my classes, with a quick pit stop by the washroom, but that was all part of the great excitement of being back at school.

I didn’t really care for the "social" aspect of school. From 1st to 6th grade I went to the same little school, ran by nuns. We didn’t get many “newbies”, some might have moved but most of us remained there for those 6 years. Then in high school the majority went to the local neighbourhood high, but I had asked my parents to go to a private school. I wasn’t allowed to wear jeans (until I was 18), so to avoid being picked on because of that, I asked to go where all students would wear a uniform. I was already a target for bullies by being a good student and some would say the teacher’s pet, so I wanted to go somewhere else. I would make new friends, that was not a real issue for me.

For the next 5 years I went to a private, snooty French (from Europe French, not Québécois) school where we had an assigned uniform. Blue blazer, white turtleneck jersey and grey pants for the boys, and for the girls the only difference was the colour of our blazer, which was red and the option of wearing a skirt. We were all the same! Or so I thought! I quickly realise that despite the uniforms there were still big differences in what one wore. I met a new kind of bully who would pick on me for not having the “real” Penny loafers, or for not wearing a Lacoste or a Ralph Lauren turtleneck… Before then I didn’t care so much for brand, nor did I really know of them. My parents worked hard for their money and brand names weren’t a priority in our household. Making sure we had all necessities and were well fed was more important than a little logo… Those five years exposed me to a lot of expensive items that made me aware of the differences in quality and prices, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I remember my first day there, standing in the back yard, looking at all those blue and red blazers and all those unknown faces, it was overwhelming. I didn’t know one person, except one girl that I recognized from the day of the entry tests. We actually became good friends.

Unlike primary school, at l’Académie there was a very big rotation of students. Every year we would get a bunch of newbies. Because of it status and location, in Westmount, we often had kids of politicians and diplomats in just for one year. We also had the “trouble” teens; those ones whose parents thought a little discipline would do them good. Each September brought its share of excitement with the new kids, add that to the mix of new subjects, new school supplies and I was on a high for a few days. Like all other highs, they wore off quickly, but still it was fun while it lasted.

It was also fun to see who was back, despite their wish to go somewhere else, who had actually manage to change school. That also applied to the teachers. L’Académie had a very permanent group of teachers. I had some of the same teachers through those five years teaching different subjects. My English teacher was also my Spanish teacher. My latin teacher was also my geography teacher, etc. The good thing about that was that you knew the teachers and they knew the student body, the bad thing about that was the exact same thing!

Through it all there was only one teacher I didn't like, monsieur Rochette. My enriched math teacher. He was a very intelligent mean old man. I remember telling my parents after my first math class how I didn’t like him. Through the years I realised that it was kind of a mutual feeling. I had such a hard time in there. It felt like I understood nothing of what he was explaining and yet I always managed to have good grades. My last year there I had asked to be moved into regular maths, I could no longer suffer Rochette. The school agreed to move me down. I was so happy and couldn’t wait to see who my new teacher would be. Yet another pleasure of starting a new school year!

First thing I did when I got my new schedule was to look at the name of my “new” math teacher, and was shock to see monsieur Rochette’s name. It must have been a mistake or something. I ask a friend in enriched maths who her teacher was. It wasn’t Rochette! During the summer months he had also requested to give the regular maths class! So, for five years I despised maths and my teacher…

Despite having to deal with the same old teachers year after year, the bullies and everything that makes those years awkward, I have found memories of those years and can’t help to think back with a certain pleasure about the excitement of starting something new, and of course, using my new school supplies for the first time! That was simply the best!!!