Fall. The season of beginnings. A new notebook. A new pencil box. And a new pair of glasses, especially for reading the 6 point type common in Japanese dictionaries or the even smaller furigana print above words that indicates their pronunciation.

Never in my first round of student life did I pay any attention to fashion. All my money went for books, and when I was older, for records. I lived inside my head. But now that I’m settled and have few responsibilities, I think it would be fun to dress up for school, to play the part of the student, to try on a new life.