The death of summer

Today at 7:30 am another school year started on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Monroe.  Parking sucked, the bookstore was packed, the new on-line learning system has been down since Saturday, and it's hot out.  And yet, hope springs eternal.  Students donned their cleanest pajamas and Hollister wear as they learned ad nauseum about syllabi, attendance policies, and why cell phones are the devil.

There's something exciting about the first day of school, even for us professors.  Mostly for us it's a return to a schedule, and a return to doing what we love.  To see an urban campus like ours teaming with life and activity is really fun.  Yes, fun.  Of course the days will be long, and the work will pile up, and we'll get grumpy and stodgy come November, but for now, we can look with anticipation to a great academic year.  Reality will rear its ugly head soon enough.

I dedicate this blog to my mom, who is convinced that summer starts ending on July 4th, and is officially over on the first day of school.  Even now, some 30 years since I was walked into my kindergarten class, she gets melancholy about the first day of school.  Well mom, it's not a sad event anymore.  And it's Louisiana, it'll be hot until October.  So here's to the transition from summer to school.  I plan to raise a glass of cold vinho verde and toast new beginnings.