September has arrived.
For many people this signals the end of the
summer holidays and the return to the daily grind ( the everyday work/school routine).
This means different things to different people. Let’s have a look at what it means for children and adults using vocabulary that could be useful for most of you.
Children
September brings in a new academic year where children will be moving class, meeting new classmates and teachers.
September brings in a new academic year where children will be moving class, meeting new classmates and teachers.
§
In the UK, schoolchildren wear school uniforms with their school’s badge sewn on their blazer or jumper. Every year parents have to buy new uniforms Most
of these uniforms consist of a blazer (jacket), a pair of trousers or shorts (boys), skirts (girls),shirts, jumpers,
cardigans, socks and shoes. Every school has a different uniform with
specific colours.
§ Then there is the school stationery to buy, for
example, exercise books, pencils, sharpeners, pens, rulers,
erasers, scissors, highlighter pens, pencil sharpeners and pencil
cases. Anything else I’ve forgotten?
§
The start of school sees an increase in traffic on the
roads especially with parents doing the school run in their cars. Some children walk to
school accompanied by their parents, normally mothers, when they are in junior
school. As soon as they reach secondary school (13 years old), they do NOT want
to be seen any where near a parent!
Adults
As for us adults, September can be extremely welcome. If you ask my friends who are parents, the start of the new school year is a moment of great celebration. They can finally have a break from their children! No more having to find different ways of entertaining their bored offspring (children).
As for us adults, September can be extremely welcome. If you ask my friends who are parents, the start of the new school year is a moment of great celebration. They can finally have a break from their children! No more having to find different ways of entertaining their bored offspring (children).
However, before the celebration really starts let’s
take a look at what September really means for the grown-ups:
§
For those who work in an office, there’s the daily commute. If you are a commuter, you have a daily journey from your home to the
office. This could be in a car, on a train, underground or bus. There could be
traffic jams on the roads, train or tube delays, crowded train carriages with
no place to sit. We have an idiomatic expression for this called the Rat Race.
§
It’s good to be back at work – there could be new
targets and projects to look forward to. There might be deadlines to
meet, long hours to
work, client meetings
to arrange, business trips
to go on and business plans
to prepare. Let’s not
forget all those client lunches or working lunches that you could have and after-work
drinks with your
colleagues.
Then there are those adults who don’t have children or
whose children are grown-up for whom September means going on holiday outside
the peak season and enjoying cooler temperatures.
Whatever September means for you, I hope the return to
work and school goes smoothly and that you have fun. Happy September!
Adapted from
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