A New School Year

As we reach the middle point of August, school-aged kids and college-bound individuals are beginning to fret the return of going back to school. Back when I was in school, when we reached this point of the summer, I was left to wonder where on earth my summer vacation had gone. In grade school, we always went back to classes during the last week of August. And that was pretty much the case when I went to college. Nowadays, the state of Michigan has mandated that public schools throughout the state begin the first day of classes on the first Tuesday after Labor Day. So, for all of the students that attend public schools in Michigan, you still have another three weeks of summer vacation. But for those attending universities and colleges in the state, your vacation time is much shorter.

For Northern Michigan University located in Marquette, I was quite surprised to find out that the first day of classes for the fall semester start Monday, August 23rd. I was expecting they'd start on the 30th, which is still one week before Labor Day. But I think they may be pushing for an earlier start in the fall so they can get an extra-long winter break. It's kind of hard to believe that when the semester is over, we'll be looking forward to Christmas and the winter season. As for Michigan Tech in Houghton and Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie, their first day of classes is August 30th. So take heart NMU students, even though you'll be starting classes a week earlier than everyone else, at least you can look forward to a longer winter break before classes resume in January.

Similarly for the community colleges like Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba and Iron Mountain, classes begin Monday, August 30th. Community Colleges are also located in Ironwood at Gogebic Community College and in Brimley at the Bay Mills Community College. There is also a private college located in Hancock, called Finlandia University. Finlandia was once a two-year college but now offers four-year degrees in a variety of fields. Like NMU, classes at Finlandia begin Monday, August 23rd.

Even though my days at a university are long gone, I can still remember those first few days of classes for the fall semester. Typically there's no place to park so you have to do a bit more walking to class and when you get to your classes, it's like a whole new experience. You're meeting new teachers and classmates and you get to spend 16 weeks with them learning the same material. I wouldn't say my time at college was as satisfying as I would've liked, but I still had some enjoyable times. For any prospective students taking classes in the U.P., hopefully you have a successful academic year. And be sure to get out and enjoy some of that U.P. scenery when you get a break from your classes.