School Supply Shopping, Part 2

Thursday night, I went to the Middle School with Anna for her orientation and to pick up her schedule. She has all Pre-AP classes, which I like but she's not too excited about. She worries so much about not passing her classes, and yet all of her grades last year - even spelling - were in the 90s.

I need to learn this kid some relaxing skilz.

The biggest complaint about her schedule, though, is that all of her "fun" classes - science, band, and PE - are bunched up in the first three hours. Then it's language arts, social studies, and math. Although she likes math, so that shouldn't be too bad.

We also picked up her PE clothes, found her classrooms, and traded her ankle-height locker with a little kid who couldn't reach his on the top row. Then we decided to go to Wal-Mart and get her school supplies.

The PTO sells pre-packaged school supplies, which is convenient, easy, and, from what I've since confirmed, fairly expensive. The 7th grade bundle was being sold for $65. I was pretty sure we could do better.

This year's trip to Wal-Mart was very, very different. Last year, as I mentioned earlier, Anna was very upset if the list called for one brand or color or size or shape of an item, and we had to compromise due to availability. This year, she was upset when I tried to follow the list.

"That's stupid. I don't need eight of those. Just get four. What am I going to use these for? No - don't get me that." It was a very interesting experience, to say the least.

In the end, we skipped several things on the list, and got a few things that weren't, like a fancy accordian folder similar to one she used last year.

Our total supply bill came to just over $35. Granted, we didn't get everything exactly the way it was on the list, and we had to spend an hour wandering the aisles of Wal-Mart, and the self checkout made me prove I was over 18 so I could buy markers, but in the end I think it was a pretty good deal.

Plus, Wal-Mart sells ice cream, something the PTO just doesn't have.

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