Back to School

2007 August 24
by Kirsten

I just have one feeling as back-to-school time is upon us: Pity.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved school all the way through. I eagerly set out my clothes the night before, organized and color-coded all binders and folders and had butterflies before the schoolday started for at least the first week.

But I also lived in Colorado and not Texas. Don’t worry, y’all, I’m not messing with Texas. I’m just being honest.

These poor, young Texans. When they go shopping for new school clothes, they can’t try on all the cool winter clothes the stores have out. The peak of summer hasn’t even hit when they return to school, and the stale summer clothes will have to be worn into October, at least.

And they can’t walk to school like I did, along the bike paths, and not just because the sun would cook their sandwiches within their lunchboxes. At least in Waco, there are no bike paths or even sidewalks. Once fall hit, I would walk along the gutter, crunching all the leaves. The leaves don’t fall or even change colors here. It’s blasphemous, if you ask me, to have autumn with green leaves still intact.

Instead of unloading their shiny new supplies, and I’m just guessing here, I think these young people have to line up and recite a pledge to the Texas flag in harmony and with the perfect twang. Once they finish applauding their state, they take their seats to start their Texas history class or sign up for FFA animals.

Please, correct me if I’m wrong. I’ll appreciate it if I don’t have to feel sorry for the children every time a school bus drives by.

4 Responses leave one →
  1. August 25, 2007

    we used to be our own country you know.

  2. malia permalink
    August 26, 2007

    Haha oh man, I totally love this post. This is how I felt when I went to college in Texas, leaving my homestate Colorado behind. How did I survive, melting in the heat while walking to and from classes? I always missed the changing of the seasons, and now that I am back in Colorado, have a deeper appreciation for multi-colored trees and snow in the winter! Not to mention the purple mountains majesty:)

  3. greentheo permalink
    August 28, 2007

    As a native Texan and Colorado transplant I can say this…Colorado is like Texas (big, fairly conservative, friendly, football loving, multicultural, used to be a part of Spain and Mexico, has Native American Heritage, loves beef etc. etc.) only with 2 distinct and clear advantages:

    Mountains
    4 Seasons

  4. September 13, 2007

    Every summer, from as far back as I can remember, I have hated living in Texas. Each summer I wish I was born somewhere else or at least that I could leave the State for those six months of sweltering heat. To make matters worse I grew up in East Texas where its full of trees and you can’t even feel the wind blow to give you any relief. The roughly two months of decent weather come in Spring and Fall.

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