Is your September full of dazzle or dread?

📸 Me, Justine Anweiler, starting Grade 2 in 1995.

I have been thinking about the privilege I hold in my feelings about September.

As the sun feels slower and hotter late into the day. As the morning has a crispness. I feel the familiar buzz in the air of new beginnings.

There’s a dazzling crackle.

Why?

Because, like many, and unlike many, my association with the school year was always exciting. A time of reinvention, new clothes, new stationery, new friends, new opportunities.

I wasn’t a kid who was consistently bullied.
I always had a packed lunch.
And school came easy to me.

But at 37, I have become aware of children and adults who welcome September with doom and dread.

So while I delight in all things new, fresh, transition, and Justine 2.0 - others detect the ever-increasing loneliness (that climaxes) at Christmas, the reminder that friendships don’t last forever, and change isn’t always possible.

It’s something I am thinking about.

How our lived experiences create different imprints — and whilst, as a trauma-informed millennial who often blames my parents, I realize I was incredibly lucky to have had a childhood that made September fun and full of possibility.

How do you feel about September?

Article FAQs generated by ChatGPT:
1. How does the author’s positive association with September highlight the role of privilege in shaping personal narratives?
The author’s excitement around September stems from a childhood free of bullying, food insecurity, or academic struggle. This reveals how privilege, having stability, safety, and supportive conditions, can deeply shape how transitions are perceived later in life. It underscores that what feels like possibility for one person can feel like dread for another, depending on their past experiences.

2. In what ways does the contrast between “dazzle” and “dread” illustrate the subjectivity of seasonal transitions?
By framing September as either dazzling or dreadful, the author points out that seasonal shifts carry different symbolic and emotional meanings for people. For some, it’s a fresh start tied to reinvention and excitement. For others, it signals loneliness, pressure, or loss. This highlights how collective experiences like the school calendar or seasonal change can fragment into deeply personal and subjective realities.

3. How does reflecting on childhood experiences help explain adult responses to change and transition?
The post suggests that adult feelings about September are rooted in formative experiences. Those with positive, secure childhood memories often approach change with curiosity and excitement, while those with difficult or traumatic experiences may associate it with fear or loss. This shows that our adult attitudes toward transition aren’t random but are informed by early conditioning – and can either support or hinder our resilience in navigating change.