August: Unofficial End of Summer?
By Susan Hunt-Bradford
When I think about August, what jumps out to me is “back to school!” which can be exciting for students craving something new, teachers eager to get back into the classroom, and parents happy to see their children grow and learn. There’s a positive experience awaiting all.
I always looked forward to the back-to-school season. When I was little, my mom would take my sister and me shopping for clothes, shoes, and school supplies at places like Sears, Woolworths, and Montgomery Ward. Mom made it a special day by taking us out to lunch. We rarely ate out, so this was a big treat. Even though that was around many decades ago, I still get happy just thinking about our special day. I also took my son John back-to-school shopping every year, but it wasn’t quite the same. His school list of items from his grade school was much more extravagant than any items I had to get when I was young. One year, he had to buy a “special” calculator. There was no such thing when I was a kid. Also, lunch pails today are primarily plastic or fabric. Remember the cool metal ones with the thermos? Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang was my favorite in the ’60s. But I hope John still had fun and remembers it fondly. I was fortunate to have a career as a college professor, so every summer, I would be off with my son, and we often spent days in the subdivision pool. To me, those are extraordinary memories. It was very similar to when I was younger, and my stay-at-home mom and I would be together all summer and have a great time.
However, I understand that returning to school can also mean end-of-summer fun, vacations, pool time, hanging out, etc. But it doesn’t have to signal the end. There are plenty of moments to make memories before school starts, and traveling to local spots is ideal. Many fun and exciting places in Missouri and Illinois can feel like a big vacation but condensed into a weekend getaway.
Southern Illinois has many unique and event-filled locations that can feel like you’ve planned a big vacation but are only a couple of hours and sometimes less away. As a graduate of SIU Carbondale many, many years ago, I still enjoy visiting southern Illinois any time of the year.