Ah! The campus full of students after a quiet summer. The orientations, free food, nice weather. The meeting of old friends and new people. The slow time as a TA. The empty agenda (full after a day). Ah! The “back to school” time.

It is the 24th year (!) I am living that, and it is always my favourite moment. OK, when I was an undergrad, the end of the term after the last exam was also a pretty exciting moment, but for other reasons.

I do hope this year it will be my last year at school. I am writing a lot my thesis these days and my goal (and my bank account goal) is to finish next summer. I am happy because it will be the end of a long journey, but very sad because I do love academia and the student’s life, and my friends.

For the next few years, I will have to live the back to school by procuration. My oldest son started preschool in August (so yes I am walking him to school before going myself to school, which is pretty fun), and I hope he will enjoy education as much as I.