From trapper keepers and highlighters to seeing old friends and getting that special teacher, back to school conjures up so many memories. Here, some local Huntsvillians share what they remember loving most about hearing that school bell ring after a long summer.
Sallie Keene
Wilson Lumber
“I’ve always loved new pens! My passion for pens started in elementary school. Fellow millennials know what I mean- we had the gelly roll and milky pen craze!”
Olivia Reed
Photographer
I always loved getting new Lisa Frank school supplies. They were the opposite of boring so they made even the worst subjects a little brighter.
April Boddie
The Huntsville Learning Center
I loved seeing my kids’ backpacks full of school essentials. As a child, I felt inadequate when I didn’t have everything I needed on the first day of school. A full backpack to a student is the secret sauce to a strong self esteem.
Rica McCroy
Optometrist R City Eye Care
“Back-to-school shopping was an absolute thrill for me—there wasn’t a single part I didn’t love! From checking off the supply list to cracking open a fresh box of crayons, it all sparked joy—but my absolute favorite was a brand-new notebook, full of blank pages and promise for the year ahead.”
Zoie McGuyer
Miss Alabama Contestant
Choosing my school binder was always my favorite back-to-school tradition. It was the perfect blend of personality and practicality—part self-expression, part staying organized!
Amy Bailey
Huntsville City Lifestyle
I remember spending hours at night after the first day of school my mom helping me cover all my books. This used to be part of the back to school ritual for all students, before screens replaced school books as the main mode of studying or reading. I loved being all spread out on the floor with my mom with paper grocery bags and butcher paper and scissors creasing the paper just so to fit over all my books. Who knew it was a moment in time.