Back to school season is here again, and as a thirteen year veteran of the Catholic school system, I am reflecting on my uniform-wearing days. If you went to Catholic school at any point in your life, you definitely know what I mean when I talk about all of the following.

1. The Uniforms

Let's start with these beauties. They were usually some sort of plaid design or just generally very formal. While other kids were rocking their jeans and sneakers at school, you were skipping along in your burgundy plaid jumper and Mary Jane all-black (absolutely no color!) shoes. You moaned about them and modified the crap out of them while you were in school (seriously, there's no way your skirt was made that short, honey), but it would be a blatant lie to say that every once in awhile you don't miss the simplicity of not having to think about what you're going to wear that day.

2. Weekly (or Daily) Mass

No matter how often your school observed it as a community, all-school mass was always a show in itself. Some kid always passes out due to the lack of air conditioning, people fight over who gets to do different jobs during the service, and Communion is typically a thirty minute event. And forget it if it's Ash Wednesday!

3. Having Priests, Nuns, and/or Monks as Teachers

They were either your most or least favorite teachers throughout your school career. No matter how you felt about them, they always had a story to tell. They are the kind of teachers you can tell really care and want you to succeed.

4. OOU (Out of Uniform) Days

The most stressful times in your life were spent trying to figure out exactly what you wanted to wear on these uniform-free days. Sometimes there would even be a theme, making the whole process even more complicated. You wanted to look cool but simultaneously not look like you had tried too hard.

5. Prayers

You don't realize just how much you pray during the day when you go to a Catholic school until you actually leave a Catholic school. There's morning prayer, a prayer before each class, prayer before lunch, and a prayer at the end of the day. It was always very peaceful to me, a time to relax.

Whether you are a former or current Catholic school student, appreciate your time there. It will fly by quicker than you can ever imagine!