Where I grew up, school started in September, but I see that many school years start in August.

What are your thoughts on this time of year (regardless of whether you are in school or not).

I also love seeing pictures of kids on their first day of school.  Share!

September has long been my least favorite months.  I hated going back to school -- the kids at school were mean, and the classes were boring.  Going back to school was also the "official" end of summer and the freedom / fun of the season.  On a more personal note:  my mother's and my grandmother's birthdays were smack dab in the middle of September and were only one day apart.  I often got the two mixed up, and they always were so offended when I did.

Fortunately, October is my favorite month -- I love the fall colors, the relief from the heat, and Halloween.  But that's a different thread for a different time.

It used to be that here (downtown) there would be hordes of school age kids wandering around downtown with nothing to do, but that doesn't seem to be happening lately.  I guess parents are finding better ways to keep their kids occupied during the summer.  True?

My kids started August 12th. Some schools in my state started the last week of July. Our college hasn't started yet.

Sept 12th was always a day of Doom for me.  Classes could not start here in August - too damned hot (109 here yesterday)

So when I was at my grandparents place - I could lord it over the local kids that I didn't have to go back yet - as they trudged sadly to the bus stop.

Classes started for us, usually around the first full week of August.

August is my favorite month, because it's dry and hot. I enjoy September's weather, even in New England, but every year I deal with pretty shitty depression beginning in October and lasting through about the end of January. It's cold. There's no light, and it just feels like everything is dead and there's nothing to look forward to again until the days start getting long.

I grew up in NC and hated winter there too. Being stuck indoors for months at a time really fucks with my head. I found out last winter I was very Vitamin D deficient, and supplementing helped a lot, but it took a couple weeks to start feeling better and I still never felt *good* like I feel during the summer. In the summer when it's hot out I have endless energy and am just a ball of excitement and enthusiasm. Life sucks and I hate everyone when days start getting shorter.

From October 1st on, I spend a month dreading the hell of winter that's ahead. The fact my birthday is on Oct 2nd feels like a cruel joke.

I used to start school in September also.  I feel August is a bit early to start though.
I don't know if I have a favorite month but I do like Spring and Fall because of the temperatures.
I don't like extreme heat and cold.  Hate going out in hot, stifling weather and can't stand streets frozen over with ice so you can't take a nice walk.  Snow if nice to see, just hate ice.

The back to school clothing is no longer fall............the stores still have summer clothing only.

Depressing,and still depressing
I love and crave the hot summer weather,I start getting depressed once the fall cold fronts stat invading the country,would be better if I spend most my time in Fla...
But I was that way back then,I hated non summer weather