Back to school: not just for the kids!

There's just something about this time of year—the first hint of coolness in the air, the reappearance of school busses, the excitement of the first varsity games—that can leave a girl feeling mighty nostalgic for her school days.

We say, "why let kids have all the fun?" There are plenty of ways you can recapture the back-to-school vibe ... minus the braces and the bad skin.

• Load up on school supplies. This time of year, stores are chock full of fun notebooks, colored pencils, and even cool paper clips and sticky notes. You need this stuff at work anyway, so why not add a little fun to your desk?
• Go back-to-school clothes shopping. Remember that annual trip to the mall to update your wardrobe? Treat yourself to a marathon shopping spree, and when you get home, toss out all the stuff that no longer jazzes you.
• Take a course. Almost every university and community college offers non-credit courses on evenings and weekends, covering everything from photography to investing to flamenco dancing. Check out a local catalog and pick out something you always wanted to try. Or if you'd rather go at your own pace, the Web is awash with learning opportunities; check out about.com, where the courses are absolutely free.
• Change your hair. No back-to-school experience is complete without a sassy new hairdo to go with the new duds, so book a date with your stylist and consult with her on a new look.

So have some fun and enjoy the season, ladies. And remember, no running in the halls ...