Hello, gals!
Linking-up with Erin at Perfectly Port for her “1o on the 1oth” series. Today’s prompt: 10 Back-to-School Must Haves”. As of this moment, I don’t even have the first substitute librarian assignment, so I may not be going back-to-school for sometime! But when I do get that first call this year to cover down for another librarian in the district, here’s my game plan.
Morning Routine
Must-haves for my morning routine would be quiet time for prayer or reflection, Bible study, a few minutes spent writing, a few minute of exercise in my favorite room in the house. My loft. With a flavored cup of coffee and my kitties. Have been doing The Miracle Morning since last spring, read more here.
Packed Lunch
Not always successful, but most of the time I try to have a plan for lunch the night before, even if it doesn’t get packed until morning. My daughter gave me a Thirty-one thermal lunch bag for Christmas with my initials embroidered on it. Love having my initials – in green, of course – so I can easily find my lunch among all of the other lunches stuffed into the teacher’s lounge frig. Must have a back-to-school lunch bag.
Water Bottle
We are told that in order to be truly healthy, one must drink half their body weight in water each day. Ever obedient, I pack a water bottle in my tote every day. This must have comes in the form of an aqua blue Contigo that fits nicely in the cup holder in my car.
Agenda or Calendar
While Erin Condren sells a planner to suit any need, and I even have one, I really prefer making a daily to-do list. The format or style of your calendar or agenda isn’t what matters. Using it is. As a substitute librarian, I really use my agenda to keep track of where I am subbing and when. So, my second back-to-school must have would be an agenda. Check out Erin Condren’s lovely planners, here. And I wrote an exhaustive post on daily organizers, here.
A Back-to-School New Outfit
Remember as a child how excited you would get about that first day of school? Having sharpened pencils in a pretty new pencil case? Unbroken crayons, and if you were lucky, the 64 pack with the built-in sharpener in the back of the box. Most of us started each school with a new outfit. Or at least new shoes.
I may (do) have lots and lots of school appropriate clothes, but on that first day back, a new outfit is a must have.
Clothes Picked Out the Night Before
Happily, selecting my outfit for school is usually a pleasure these days. Unless I am trying to squeeze into my denim skirts that have curiously become quite snug. Working on that now.
Sometimes a struggle comes from deciding which of several options I should pick to wear. I try to lay out my clothes the night before. Must have at least some idea what I am going to wear before heading to bed.
An Organized Purse and Tote
For this substitute librarian, having an organized purse and a tote packed with a few favorite children’s picture books is a must for back-to-school. I am usually going into libraries where I’ve never worked, sometimes at schools where I’ve never been. Having some of my favorite books with me feels something like taking along a few old pals. Once signed in at a job, I usually go straight to the library shelves in search of a few more familiar friends.
Memento
Because I work at many libraries in a school year, I sometimes feel like a vagabond or gypsy. It helps to take something with me from home. A portable security blanket of sorts. Might be a photo of PC, or a memento from summer vacation. Something that helps me feel comfortable in my new surroundings.
Positive Frame of Mind
For me, it’s important to get to bed early the night before the first day of school. And important to get up a little earlier than usual that first morning, too. Most importantly, I want to head back to school with a positive frame of mind. That comes from feeling rested, organized and ready to take on the day. Must have a positive frame of mind. And a back-to-school prayer can help with that.
Plan for Labor Day
My final back-to-school must have is a plan for the long Labor Day weekend. It’s the last hurrah. Summer’s sweet swan song. And a darn long time between it and Thanksgiving break. So we try to make it especially fun with an overnight trip somewhere, or just staying home and sleeping late again for a day or two.
Now I wait for that first assignment, that late night or early morning call or sometimes, an email, asking me to sub.
Your Turn
Are you or some you love going back-to-school? What’s on your list of must-haves? Please share in a comment below.
I think no matter how long its been since we’ve been out of school ourselves, there’s something a little magical about this time of year. And then comes fall!!! Woo hoo.
Speaking of school, today I am lunching with about 20 friends who all worked with me at some point at Schuster Elementary School. There were 11 of us who started the fall of 1991 at Schuster. Although we have all gone our separate ways, we keep up with one another on Facebook. So looking forward to seeing everyone. Good times.
Hugs and kisses,
Karen Strand
Gosh I loved this post Leslie! Totally on pint for me thats for sure. When I read the title, I thought for sure it would be the usual: sharpened pencils, boxes of kleenex etc. But this is a perfect reminder for me to start getting back into my routines. Lunch organized and outfit picked out every night are a must for me! If I don’t do those 2 things, if I happen (read: when I happen) to wake during the night, I will panic that I won’t find anything to wear (clean, ironed etc) or anything (healthy) for lunch! Also, I dearly love that prayer. I will be copying it into my planner to pray each morning. Thank you for a lovely post my friend and I hope you get “the call” soon!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, Karen, thank you! I am still waiting for “the call” to return to subbing in a library this year. Of course, the kids haven’t even gone back to school yet! There’s still hope. So glad you enjoyed this article. Thank you for coming by. Praying you have a wonderful school year.
Andrea@WellnessNotes
That’s a great list, Leslie! Some planning and mindfulness makes such a difference…
The kid goes back to school on Monday, and I don’t feel ready. He is switching schools from a private school to our public school, and his summer was quite short as he didn’t get out of school until the end of June… I ordered him a new backpack, which should arrive today. We didn’t buy any new clothes, and I hope his old pencil case will hold up… Wish us luck! Not sure who is more nervous… 😉
Leslie Roberts Clingan
What grade is your babe in? Looks like about a fifth grader, maybe fourth? Such a cutie. Hope his pencil case holds up. This is an expensive time of year, so saving anywhere we can is a good thing.
Erin Port
I love what you said about the 64 pack of crayons if you were lucky – yes yes yes. I also love that you get up and have a time of fellowship with the Lord and take some time to start your day and that you have a name for it! I have been getting up early thanks to all my blogging friends’ inspiration (Like you!) and its been awesome! Of course a new outfit is also a favorite of mine! I hope you have a great year! xoxo ERIN
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you so much for coming by. Nothing like that 64 pack of crayons, huh? Not sure I ever used the sharpener but sure liked having that option.
I did a back to school presentation for regional librarians yesterday and today and wore old outfits but want to treat myself to at least one new back-to-school ensemble. I love fall clothes, though, so will probably wait til they start showing sweaters and plaids and those pretty autumn colors.
The Miracle Morning is such a great challenge to do each morning. Got off track this past week but back at it tomorrow.
Please come back again!
Sheila DelCharco
What a great list! I love that it wasn’t all tangible things! I do love school supplies but alas I’m going into my last year of homeschooling! But maybe I’ll keep teaching my writing class. So a new outfit is on my list! Sweet Michael Ann sent me a surprise package of a few supplies as I enter my last year. Wasn’t that so sweet of her?! Love that girl! And I get to see her next week!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
That Michael Ann is pretty dear! Didn’t know you were thinking about giving up homeschooling. Will be you be looking for another job?
I want a new outfit just because back-to-school is about new clothes, at least in part, but waiting for the fall clothes to come out. Love those textures, colors, patterns.