5 Reasons Why August is the Best

And . . . it’s August! How do we feel about the last month of summer? (#startUofT Is August good or bad?) I like August. A lot! So I compiled a short list of reasons to prove, quite undeniably, why it’s the best. Here we go! #1 – I was born in August! Therefore the last month of the summer is home to my birthday. To be honest, I am seated right on the top of the fence when it comes to birthdays (and birthday parties for that matter). There is a pressure these days to go CRAZY, particularly at the age of 19, 20, and 21, and especially at university. As if it’s somehow your last birthday ever. Fact: This year I will turn 23. By the time I am 46 I will have lived my entire life over again! I think the best birthdays are the ones you can remember. Maybe not all of it, but at least more than half. There’s no need to rush or hurry. I’m graduating this year and grown-ups still call me a kid! #2 – It’s got an awesome name. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the name August comes from the Latin augustus, meaning “venerable, majestic, magnificent, noble.” How can you beat that, I mean really? Did you know? The first Emperor of Rome was given the title Augustus. Just a little tidbit courtesy of a Classical Civilizations Major. No biggie. I think U of T should adopt that title: The Augustus University of Toronto. I think it works. It’s subtle. #3 – August is the best! #4 – It’s a little like a second chance at summer. June zooms by before I ever even notice. I always miss out on June. Then July happens and I go on a trip (Vancouver), and for a while it feels like the summer has started, but then suddenly I’m writing a blog post on July 31^st (right now), and it hits me, Where did my summer go! That’s when August steps up to bat and says, “Come on, I want another swing.” August is the opportunity of one more month to have fun, enjoy your free time, be creative, be productive, visit old friends or continue the adventure with new ones. August is a reminder that there is always time to do the things you want to do. #5 – And finally, August is back-to-school month! There is a particular thrill I have experienced throughout the weeks leading up to September ever since I was in grade school. It’s called anticipation. An endless stream of images, thoughts, ideas, and expectations, wondering what will next year be like? And then I go out and buy pens, and the whole experience explodes into reality. Pens! It’s strange because they are so small, but suddenly I need them. I didn’t need them at all before, but now I really need them. And I need paper, binders, notebooks, erasers, and a calculator (maybe). But it’s all these tiny items of preparation that begin to transform the dream of a new school year into a living reality. I am going back to school. It’s time to get excited! 'Til next time, stay diamond U of T! -stephen   Dried out Pens is from toothpastefordinner.com.