I love living in a city with four seasons. Spring in Prince George is a welcome relief to the doldrums of a very long winter. Summer is short and appreciated by everyone. Fall is beautiful with the changing leaves and crisp, clear nights. Winter is cold and beautiful in its own, long way. There is a fifth season in Prince George that is my personal favourite: Back-to-school season.
To me, because I'm a bit of a school dork, there is nothing more exciting than the colourful back-to-school supplies and clothing sales that happen at this time of the year. I love browsing the aisles of brightly coloured binders, pencils and lunch boxes around this time of year. I often contemplate going back to school during this shopping season if only to provide a reason to purchase new pens and a magenta-colored binder.
I'm fortunate to still be involved with the back-to-school excitement at my day job at UNBC. We've been seeing new university students wandering the campus with their parents getting ready to embark on their next phase of school. The first day of school for elementary and high school students causes traffic in the city to slow down as hundreds of students walk to school in their first day of school outfits and shiny new back packs. To me, it always seems like this time of year is filled with promise and eagerness.
My family and I are carrying on another one of our traditions of leaving town for the Labour Day long weekend. Growing up, we would often drive to Edmonton to visit my Grandparents and finish the back-to-school shopping. We would spend a ridiculous amount of time in West Edmonton Mall and go on the rides and sometimes the wave pool as a special treat. This time, we're going to the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary of my aunt and uncle. I was a flower girl at their wedding. Twenty-five years ago I was six years old getting ready for my second year of school. Now I'm seven months pregnant and happily married with a two year old son. This is the season of change and I have been reflecting on how the city has changed in the last twenty-five years. It's a great city to live in and I'm happy to have moved back. I look forward to coming home after the long weekend with (maybe) a new binder to celebrate the season.
