It's no secret.  I talked about it on the show, and I said it out loud.

I'm going back to school.  Grad school that is.  I start this fall ready for a challenge.  This has been a dream of mine way before I started working in television.  Since the day I completed my undergrad, I had a desire to move on to higher education.  Today I'm glad I could add this challenge to my field and enhance it.

So it'll be a long 2-1/2 years of weekend classes, more coffee in my system, and study groups with a diverse group of people... not just 20-somethings... but every age group and background.

But there's one thing I didn't expect.  Something I didn't think I had to deal with until I had a conversation with a friend who asked, "so what laptop are you buying!?"

Laptop?! ... Buying?  You mean good ole pens and pencils aren't enough?  Erasers and rulers?  Paper and notebooks?  Maybe even some folders?

I was told, not good enough.  Just when I thought I was hip enough to go back to college, I realized I need to be educated in what materials to bring.  Now the stress isn't just in the laptop, but if I'm well-prepared for the first day of school.

This got me thinking about knowing the must-haves for college students.  And the result?  The internet has countless links for the first-year student.  That's right the Freshman, not the first-year grad student, but the freshman!  Great news for parents, but not for the "older" college student.

I found a lot of lengthy check-lists of must-haves for that first-year student -- what to bring to the dorm, the classroom, and even what to do in case money runs out.

None of that applies to me.

Grad students?  Fend for yourselves!  There are no links on how to survive the first day of class or your first year of school.  There's one semi-helpful link I found... "how to manage your time."  Got it.  Thanks.

Thankfully, my university is keeping an eye on us students - from what classes to sign up for to orientation to books and supplies, you name it.

But there are other things on my mind... What do I bring on the first day?  Will I still need paper and pens?  Will my unused notebook from 1994 still work for me?  Once I buy my laptop, how much memory is required for what I need?  Should I bring my laptop to the first day of class?  Can I bring my lunch?  Some snacks?  Can I bring a large iced coffee to class?  Will the coffee house be open before my 8am class?  How late does the coffee house stay open?  The library?  Who will be in my study group?  What day should I put aside for my study group?  So much to think about.  The anxieties of school are kicking in.

It's been more than a decade since I've sat in a college classroom.  So many things have changed, I feel I'm about to exit a time machine and enter the future known as grad school.  Students like me will need to prepare before entering  the hallways.  It's why I'm feeling like a first-year college student all over again!

I remember my first day of college.  Didn't know what to expect.  Excited to learn.  Ready to accomplish something great.  Hmm... I'm wondering... maybe that's what I'm supposed to feel right now.  Maybe... it's all part of what I'm about to embark on.