Is it summer yet?

Look- no one wants to be in school right now. People have their shorts on, they are drinking iced coffees by the gallon, and they are cah-learly sweating underneath their arms. Yes, it's springtime and everyone is distracted. You can't help but think spring break is a friggin' tease. You get just a slight taste of good 'ole Mr. Sun before you are suddenly whisked back into the confines of your classroom. Would I rather be lounging in Prospect Park, getting my tan on and stalking dogs that I want to steal from their owners? YES.

But, the children will be returning tomorrow. This is always a rather interesting time to be a teacher. It can go several ways:
1) You are kind of excited to see your students again- you miss their quirks and look forward to having new material to share with friends about insane in the membrane they are.
2) You hope to GOD some kids decided to transfer to other schools.
3) You just want to spend each and every day at a happy hour. Like, from 8am until closing.

For me, it's a combo of all of those things. I always remind myself that the students are just as distracted as I am. They want to be outside just as much as you. This is one of those rare times where you see eye to eye.

My first year of teaching, my energetic group (read: I hated them) came back and promptly told me that they didn't feel like working anymore. Now, this wasn't a radical change as they had not done much of any work that year, but even so....

Mr. Vest: "There are still eight weeks of school left. What do you think you are going to do everyday?"
Student #1: "Lounge around and not do sh*t."
Student #2: "Makeup. Lots and lots of makeup. You could be used as a model."
Student #3: "Make your life really difficult."

You had to appreciate their honesty.

With my current crop of kids, I won't expect such an attitude. They are wonderful and funny and blah blah blah- but it still won't be an easy few months. There will be days of frustration, exhaustion and the constant questioning of "WHY?!" But then the day is over...and you are at happy hour.

With nachos. Or mozzarella sticks.

Or, in a perfect world, both.

With Anderson Cooper.