第11回　Back to School!

In the United States and many other countries around the world, most schools begin the school year in mid-August or September whereas Japan begins the school in April. If you look through social media, you can find many parents and family members uploading and sharing pictures of children on their first day of the school year. For many students, it’s just another day of not wanting to go back to school and starting another year of studying and dealing with teenage angst. However, some other students are very excited for this time of year.

Some of those very excited students are those who are starting at new schools. They walk through the hallways with wide eyes and mouth open trying to find out where their classrooms are and who they want to be friends with. They are also bubbling with eagerness because they want to join various extracurricular activities and leave their marks on their new alma mater.

Of the remaining students who are excited to return to school, there are the students who are experiencing their last year of that particular school. These students are the ones who are eager to finish this last school year so that they can start a new life in high school, in college, at their dream job, or just living their life away from school. They are the ones who you can find around the school walking proudly and doing their best to make a few more last bittersweet memories.

While several parts of the world are beginning their school year, schools in Japan will be beginning their second term of the school year. How will you, your friends, and your family members be going back to school? Sad? Happy? Regardless of how you may feel, I hope that you will be successful and have an eventful time back at school!​

Written by Hueseng Xiong

Vocabulary and Expressions:
dealing with – ～を対処する
angst – 苦悩
bubbling with ~ – ～が溢れている
extracurricular activities – 部活動
leave their mark(s) – 足跡を残す
alma mater – 母校
eager to ~ – ～したがる
proudly – 誇らしげに
bittersweet – 悲喜こもごもの
regardless of ~ – ～を問わず ／ ～にかかわらず

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