My back to school shopping experience

Post contributed by Noah Schmidt

As the summer draws to a close, it will soon once again be time to shop for back to school supplies. Like many students, this is a fond tradition in my family: I accrue a list of supplies over the summer, thinking of things I will need and checking with the school regarding what is required, and then pick a day to go out shopping with my mother. From past experiences, we know that this will be a long day out, so we start off in the morning by setting our at safewatch alarm and locking our doors prior to leaving on our shopping trip.

We go around to K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Staples, and a variety of other 'big-box' and discount stores, looking for notebooks and paper, pens and other writing utensils, high-lighters and art supplies, as well as any electronics and accessories that I may need. I gradually cross items off my list as the day advances, and the items that remain determine which stores we visit a second time around. Even with this organized system, the process usually takes us the better part of the day. We are exhausted when we finish, and celebrate by having dinner out at having accomplished this task.