Why can’t everyone skip to school?

The dog and I have the same route that we take every morning for our walk.  

It goes past an elementary school and we learned a long time ago to get out early and miss the buses that all seem to arrive at the same time.  Great scheduling.

That doesn’t stop us from seeing a few of the students dropped off from Mom and Dad’s car though.  It’s interesting to watch and, at least for me, a break from the daily, boring scenery.  I’ve never got into the “nose to the ground” and sniff thing.

It’s fun to see the students that are that early and how they walk into school.

The older students look like they’re drudging their way in and just might not make it.  And, they walk funny too.  I’ll attribute that to carrying a knapsack over one shoulder for the latter and the thought of impending school for the former.

The younger students are a different story.  First of all, they typically don’t go into the school by themselves.  Mom or Dad or some caregiver carries their knapsack and they go on ahead.  There are some that actually skip while they’re going in.  I’ve seen a couple who lock arms as they skip.  I’ve seen them sing as they go in.  I’ve seen them talking to the adult or other students as they go in.  Regardless, there’s a certain sense of excitement for what lies ahead.

I think back to watching students get off the bus to come into our secondary school.  Some head for the “ditch” which was off school property and we know what that’s for.  The others just drag themselves into the school.  I wonder if they even remember what skipping is!  The only time that there’s a real effort to get into the building with excitement is during a rain storm.

I wonder – why can’t everyone be excited and skip their way into school.  Even my dog, who is part Husky, skips along when it’s cold and snowy.

Is it a ritual of growing older or has the system just taken all the fun out of school after those first couple of years?