Amy Cooper-Wright, Founder
Back to school, back then:
“ I have clearer memories of secondary school and really clearly remember walking up to the gates on Sandall Road and being very conscious of my ‘first day back’ outfit, which would have had a lot of thought. And the week before I would have spent a lot of time shopping for stationery, organising it all into my pencil case, getting ready. On the first day we got a planner to fill in, and I loved that as you can imagine! In year 7 I had a Harley Davidson pencil case! I lived near Camden Market so there was a lot of that kind of stuff around and I liked it. I have a collection of pencil cases still, because I bought a new one each September, along with a new notebook and pens of course. I was really into having a black pen and then some bright coloured ones, so I could organise my notes as I was writing things down. I was very into colour-coding.
I was lucky to have a lot of inspiring teachers over the years. Miss Jenn was my year 2 teacher and she was really inspiring, as was Ms Bush in year 6 who had had a career in advertising and then become a teacher so she had a very worldly way about her. At secondary school Ms Pringle was a brilliant DT teacher and Ms Levitt got us all through the emotional tribulations of being 16 year olds — she was a legend.”
Loved: “ I liked to walk into a room, open to absorbing new things. And at secondary school I enjoyed all the organisation — there was a lot of revision schedules, writing down where I needed to be and when. I loved all that.
Loathed: I went to a girls school and it could be really bitchy, groups of girls would gang up on people and be really mean to them.
This year we went away for longer than usual, and I’ve had a bit of mental jetlag as my brain is slowly readjusting to work again. But now my kids are back at school, I am really looking forward to resuming my routines.
I am very lucky to live near the woods, so I like to go for a nice long walk a few times a week. I find that however I am feeling beforehand, this always makes me feel calmer, happier — and my most creative ideas pop into my head while I am out walking, always. Once I’m at my desk, coffee and a tidy clear surface are essential. And then it’s time for lists, as well as some reflective notes — What are my big objectives or dreams for the next few months? What are the top priorities? I find this helpful before I get too bogged down in ‘what needs to get done today.'
A new notebook is an absolute must in September, I need a fresh blank page to start back with. A new pen is also something I usually treat myself to at this time of year, a good reliable black pen that feels good to write with. And some kind of novelty too, like a neon highlighter pencil, so I can write a list and then highlight the top most important things.
It’s my birthday next week so I am hoping to get some nice new black leather shoes for autumn (after a few months of sandals I am really ready for some nice new socks and smart shoes for work days).
