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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, July 24, 2003

ON CAMPUS
Stocking up on nostalgia

By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer

There's something about back-to-school time that makes me want to sharpen some pencils, rearrange clutter and buy packages of three-punch, college-rule paper on sale.

Not that I use college-rule paper, write with No. 2 pencils or plan on going back to school in the first place.

Sigh.

But this week while strolling the aisles of a local office supply store I recognized that back-to-school shopping season is in full swing. And I got a little wistful.

Not only were there sale stickers all over the place and large posters shouting, "Back to School Time!" as if parents hadn't already been counting down to the blessed occasion, but a mother and daughter were arguing over what sort of folders to buy.

Parents were wandering the aisles, armed with school lists and staring quizzically at shelves full of things like pencil boxes, markers, boxes of Band-Aids and glue sticks. Most of them were muttering to themselves, too, probably wondering whether they needed the 16- or 36-count box of crayons or folders with pockets or without.

I was only looking for printer paper, but I must have looked just as confused as the back-to-school crowd. About five times a store employee asked if I needed help.

According to a National Retail Federation survey, families with school-age children will spend an average of $450.76 on back-to-school items, up from $441.60 in 2002.

About 95 percent of families with school-age children intend to purchase clothes, shoes and school supplies this year, with almost half of consumers (45.7 percent) planning to buy electronics or computer-related equipment. The average consumer expects to spend $206.24 on clothing, $84.44 on shoes, $74.04 on school supplies and $86.03 on electronics and computer-related equipment.

Teenagers who will spend their own money plan to spend an average of $62.71, according to parents. The average amount of their own money spent by a 6- to 12-year-old is $32.63.

The survey, which polled 8,835 consumers, was conducted this month and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 percent.

All of that spending for the back-to-school season will pump $14.1 billion into the economy.

So I decided to get in line with the rest of the country.

Besides, being in the presence of all of those new folders and spiral notebooks gave me grand visions of launching a full-scale feng shui attack on my files and piles at home.

But first, I needed a new notebook so that I could make a list of things to clean and discard. I needed new pens to do the list writing. And a pencil box to hold it all.

Caught up in the enthusiasm of a fresh start, I wildly thought that maybe even some closets could get reorganized.

Now, anyone who has seen my desk at work or at home will scoff at the notion that this reorganization mission will actually happen.

But I'll bet everyone remembers with at least some nostalgia the clean slate that a new school year provided.

You got some new outfits, some new school supplies to put in your new backpack and marched off to meet your new teacher, whom you hadn't gotten in trouble with yet.

You can't put a price tag on that. Or on the satisfaction my new pencil box provides.

Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.