Jacquie Lytle, co-editor-in-chief, said:
When I’m headed back to school, I stock up on colorful pens and a new agenda. I lay out my schedule and organize my materials, while I binge watch my favorite television shows, “Fixer Upper” and “Chopped.” So, mostly, I watch TV for hours and snack on any candy I can find: a moment I won’t get to experience again until Christmas break.
Erin Herbert, co-editor-in-chief, said:
My favorite thing to do at the start of a new semester is stock up on new notebooks, but what I end up buying isn’t what you’d expect from your typical college student. As soon as I walk into the store I walk straight past all of the boring, professional-looking agendas and head straight back to the children’s back-to-school section, where they keep the good stuff: puppy- and kitten-themed notebooks and folders. Anything with bright colors and small, cute animals is an absolute must for my back-to-school stockpile.
Carli Lutz, chief of visual design, said:
The night before the first day of classes, I always grab my colored pens and plan my days for the whole semester in a weekly planner that I probably took three hours to pick out at Target because I have to check all color schemes, font choices, and kerning. The end result is a beautiful, color-coded day-to-day plan for me to follow…but then I leave my planner on my desk and never touch or look at it again.
Aidan Rivas, visual design assistant, said:
As a back-to-school ritual, I like to feel a deep, existential dread and anxiety that grows more powerful with each day moving towards the first day of classes. Besides that, I try to have more fun than I’ve had in the entire summer in a single weekend, followed by a single day of every responsibility I’ve put off until that point. I wouldn’t really call it a ritual, but I’ve done it every summer since third grade.
Jenna Kopec, features editor, said:
My back-to-school ritual is sort of basic. I like to plan my outfit for the first day of classes. I fully deliberate over every article of clothing all the way down to my socks. As I’ve gotten older I also plan out how I want to wear my hair and makeup. I basically act like a kindergartner who’s looking to impress the entire elementary school, but I’m in college.
Grace Ducanis, copy editor, said:
I like to kick off the school year with a shopping trip. Unfortunately, it’s not the most fun kind. I always go textbook shopping with my mom during the first few days of classes. We’ve gotten my books together every semester for the past three years I’ve been at NSU. It’s a way for both of us to connect and commemorate the start of the year.
