If you're feeling somewhat depressed, agitated, rushed and yet dreary, you have an acute case of back to schoolitis!

Not yet officially listed as a real condition (but give it time, trust me), everybody even remotely connected to the school system goes through this '-itis'. Anyway, the good thing about the ailment is that it is at its worst during early September. The term that starts in January of the following year seems a little easier to manage.

But, don't worry folks, I've got the remedy for this September sickness thing. Okay, so these tips might be a little late in coming but hey, the beginning of the new school term caught me off guard too. There was a time there when we weren't sure if the teachers were going to strike, and then it was like one minute we were cheering for the athletes in Berlin and the next, the children were back in uniforms and the alarm clocks needed to be reset to start their hollering before the sun contemplates coming up.

Anyway, here goes. First, remind yourself that it's all part of a greater good. The more children learn, potentially, the better off they will be in life. The better the younger ones do, hopefully, they'll make more money than you could dream of and take care of you in your retirement years.

Two, at least now you know where your children are (or are supposed to be) when you're at work. In the summer, they tend to be all over the place but now, because you know you dropped them off at school, they have no way to weasel their way out of it when the principal calls and asks if you're keeping them home that day, cause he/she ain't seen 'em. This time of year, when you pick them up from school (after they snuck back on to the compound) you can ask, 'So, how was your day?', knowing you're going to get lies. And when they do lie, you have all the ammunition necessary.

Third, Heroes Day (mid-October) gives you a day or two to, at least briefly, go back to a summer frame of mind. Kind of like a Government-appointed timeout. Fourth (and this one is dependent on your appetite for sports), remember that the Manning and daCosta cups as well as European football seasons start about the same time, so you don't have to feel blah about the whole month.

And the number one thing to help you get through the back-to-school blues is the fact that the year is moving so quickly, it'll be Christmas before you know it! Later.

If you have the symptoms tell me at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com