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Nina In New York: Back To School Shopping Never Goes Out Of Style

A lighthearted look at news, events, culture and everyday life in New York.
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By Nina Pajak

Welp, summer as we know it has once again come to a close.

Time to get down to business, cut out the shenanigans, put the fun in the hopper and do some serious ideating on actionable items as we move forward into the fall.

Barf.

How does this keep happening so quickly? It seems I've only just begun embarking on my summer to-do list by the time the Labor Day hammer comes down and the party ends. Ah, well. The world keeps turning.

More: The 5 Best Upcoming Fall Food Events

Truth is, I actually love fall. It's my very favorite season. And every September, the nerd in me can't help get all excited by the vestigial instinct to buy all new school supplies. No matter how old I get or how inappropriate it becomes for me to want a new set of Lisa Frank folders and tiny erasers shaped like fruit, there's a certain Pavlovian desire that kicks in every September, as fresh as it was twenty years ago.

More: The 5 Best NYC Stores For Back-To-School Fashions

Do they even still sell Trapper Keepers? I wonder what my coworkers would say if I sat myself down at the conference table and casually unripped the Velcro binding and opened the neon, geometric print cover and set about seriously taking notes with my tri-color pen.

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Would they make judge-y faces but secretly be super jelly if I started carrying my paperwork around in a two-pocket folder featuring dolphins and orca whales splashing around in a rainbow? Yes. I think the answer is yes.

As it is, the office-approved supplies catalog from which I am permitted to order is tragically lacking in swagger. I suppose those little neon document flags count for something, but there's no denying that the magic is gone.

Okay, sure. Now that I'm an adult, September bears very little visible or functional difference from August or November or March, for that matter. But a little "back to school" shopping could really inject some much-needed excitement into the generally morose attitude brought on post-Labor Day.

It's either that or going on another fall fitness kick. For the love of god. Lisa Frank, help me.
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Dear Readers: While I am rarely at a loss for words, I'm always grateful for column ideas. Please feel free to e-mail me your suggestions.

 Nina Pajak is a writer and publishing professional living with her husband on the Upper West Side.

The Nina In New York Archives:

A Fond Look Back At The Cultural Contributions Of 'Jersey Shore'

In A Crutch Fight, Everybody Wins

Animal Farm

Fame Is Closer Than You Think

We Are All Out OF Excuses As Study Confirms Yo-Yo Dieting Doesn't Have To Last

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