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By Jennie Guido

It’s here. August has kicked off in style with an earlier than normal back-to-school date. That first day is much different than mine back in the day. There are camps for the preschoolers before their first day to get the nerves out. There are drop-off days for school supplies. There are backdrops for that first picture in the foyer. We stood in front of the fireplace at home with our new tennis shoes and backpacks in tow.

In preparation though for those that will get burned out on the pick-up line or the Friday non-uniform days, let’s take a minute to think about this. Kids go to school for a reason. They are there to learn all they can before heading out into the big world by going to college or starting their adult lives. 

I’ll be honest. My first year and a half of college was a breeze because of the education received from Cathedral. All of those freshman must-take classes were simple. Studying was something that wasn’t completely necessary because I had learned so much of what was being taught while I was in high school. 

It wasn’t until I really got into my classes for my major that I realized I had to work a little harder. Papers didn’t write themselves like they once had. Learning about the history of the English language was a semester that required late nights and a few tears. I will say that I’m thankful for the green pen in high school that helped me develop a work ethic that got me through those tough classes and a couple of degrees.

I will say this. I may not be in the classroom or dealing with kids after school doing mounds of homework, but I have read a couple of thank-you notes over the last few years from local high schoolers. Some were impressive and made me feel good about the future ahead. Some, though, were in need of a proofreader in the form of Mom or Dad before they were sealed, stamped, and sent.

And I’ll be honest again. I also see some stylistic choices on social media and in work emails that make me question how some individuals can call themselves adults. “On Wednesday” or “on yesterday” are not phrases that make logical sense to me. It’s too wordy and actually a little repetitive if you think about it. Drop the “on” and stick to the one word depicting the time frame you’re looking to describe. Also, commas are not (and I’m serious about this one) confetti. They have meaning and purpose. When I see either of these grammar errors, my eye twitches and my skin crawls. 

Good luck, kiddos, on that first week back in school! It may not seem like it, but those years fly by and the adult world awaits.