It’s the last day of Marking Period 1. English teachers are dressing as idioms for Halloween. I’m supposed to be a copy cat but I can’t find my kitty ears from last year. With a slight sore throat and headache, I have no energy to go digging through the family costume box before school. I’ll just wear a black mask and meow if anyone asks what I am today.
The everyday costumes that I see walking the halls of my extra large high school (2800 students) always put a smile on my face. Some girls with full, ready-for-my-close-up makeup at 7:45 am, carefully curated outfits with big fuzzy boots. Mostly a lot of hoodie sweatshirts and comfortable pants.
Teen backpacks also make me smile. Often adorned with labubus dangling from key chains, they feature little-kid cartoon characters: Lilo & Stitch, Lightning McQueen from Cars, Elsa from Frozen, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Worn without irony.
I don’t understand it. Six seven. Whatever. A reminder to just lighten up.
Make someone smile today.
(image generated by AI)
Eva K. Sullivan 