Pencils, Purrcrastination And Purrfectly Unprepared Cats Heading Back To School

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Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
Aug 30, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

The backpacks are packed, the alarms are set, and students everywhere are already wondering when the next break starts.

Summer is coming to an end, which means it's time to trade sleeping until noon and having absolutely no idea what day it is for alarms, homework, and pretending you remember anything you learned last year. Cats might not actually go to school, but spiritually, they understand the struggle.

First comes waking up early. After months of perfecting the art of the midday catnap, suddenly you're expected to be awake, dressed, and functioning before 8 AM. Absolutely hiss-terical. Even the most ambitious feline would take one look at that alarm clock, knock it off the nightstand, and go back to sleep.

Then there's getting ready. You bought new notebooks, picked out the purrfect first-day outfit, and packed enough pens to survive the semester. By week two, you're writing assignments on random scraps of paper and hoping someone has an extra pencil. Organization had a good run.

Actually sitting through class is another challenge. The teacher has been talking for ten minutes, but your brain is already watching a bird outside the window. You're physically present, but mentally you're curled up in a sunny patch somewhere far away from algebra.

And homework? That's tomorrow-you's problem. There's plenty of time to finish it after dinner. And after one episode. And after checking your phone. Suddenly it's midnight and you're staring at an untouched assignment with the same panic as a cat who just heard the vacuum turn on.

At least there are friends, lunch breaks, and the occasional class where you can get away with doing almost nothing. Plus, every school day eventually ends, which means you can race home, throw your bag on the floor, and collapse into bed like you just worked a 12-hour shift.

Good luck out there, students. Stay pawsitive, take plenty of catnaps, and remember that winter break is only a few hundred assignments away.

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  • 01

    It's starting

    When the back to school signs start popping up
    via @heartypet
  • 02

    Time to head back

    VACATION'S OVER? SCHOOL DU GOOD.
    via @Little Mittens Animal Rescue Association
  • 03

    Success era

    ME IN MY "I WILL DO MY BEST THIS SCHOOL YEAR" ERA
    via @Kingsville Advanced School Inc.
  • 04

    Post graduation

    one day I'll never have another first day of school
    via @Bold.org

  • One day, we won’t have to worry about going back to school ever again. No more homework, exams, early classes, or awkward icebreakers. Unfortunately, that’s because we’ll have work instead. Turns out graduating doesn’t actually free you from waking up early and spending most of the day somewhere you’d rather not be. The biggest difference is that instead of counting down to summer break, you’re counting down to the weekend and wondering why nobody gives adults three months off.

  • 05

    Class awaits!

    i'm ready for first day of Sypo cataddictsanony-mouse Kittengarten
    via @Sacramento SPCA
  • 06

    Existential crisis

    BACK TO SCHOOL. GUESS I'LL JUST SIT HERE AND EMOTIONALLY SPIRAL.
    via @Carefree Cats Veterinary Hospital
  • 07

    Where'd the time go?

    ME WONDERING HOW WE GOTTA GO BACK TO SCHOOL ALREADY: imgflip.com
    via imgflip
  • 08

    Tears

    FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL COLLEGE STUDENTS:
    via @University of Southern Philippines Foundation
  • 09

    With the besties

    first day of school
    via @meow.citos
  • 10

    Immediate confusion

    imgflip.com ME IN MATH CLASS
    via imglip
  • 11

    Downhill from here

    WHEN YOU REALIZE THERE'S MORE SCHOOL ON MONDAY AND IT WILL ONLY GET HARDER. mgflip.com
    via @BeckMan
  • 12

    The work starts early

    WHEN ITS DAY 1 OF SCHOOL imgflip.com AND YOU ALREADY HAVE HOMEWORK
    via @DinoMonkey
  • 13

    Out of my face

    Students when they see a Back to School ad
    via @burnhammemoriallibrary

  • You know summer is almost over the second the back-to-school ads start popping up everywhere. One minute you’re enjoying vacation without a care in the world, and the next every store is reminding you that notebooks, backpacks, and early morning alarms are coming for you. Nothing kills the summer mood faster than seeing a giant SCHOOL SUPPLIES sign when you’re just trying to buy snacks. Please, let us enjoy our final days of freedom in peace.

  • 14

    New kicks

    HOW I FEEL WHEN I WALK DOWN THE HALLS imaflip.com IN MY NEW SCHOOL SHOES
    via @KitCat5416
  • 15

    Handsome boi

    My son is ready for picture day at school.
    via @carissaexplainsnothing26
  • 16

    Tag yourself

    Using Phone In Class Quietly Eating Attend school once a week Sensitive One Bully others Physically Here Mentally Somewhere else Asks questions everytime
    via coleisw4ck
  • 17

    Zero meowtivation

    YES, I KNOW I SHOULD BE DOING SCHOOLWORK I JUST REALLY DON'T WANT TO imgflip.com
    via @inFAMOUS_Rogue
  • 18

    Absolutely not

    FIRST DAY OF NO
    via @PV Meme Page
  • 19

    Looking for Troy

    First Day of School NAME: Gabriella (Gabby) Favorite Tog: Springs MENACE FAVORite Activity: Being A MeNKE Voted "Most Intelligent"
    via @Kimber Goodwin
  • 20

    Meow all day

    I wish I was a cat fr, no school just meow meow imgflip.com
    via @Shinobii
  • 21

    Just one more week

    maflip.com SUMMER BREAK BACK-TO-SCHOOL ADS
    via @HeyIts-Quotev_Gurl3
  • 22

    Smiling away

    ME ON THE CLASS PHOTO TRYING TO LOOK HAPPY imgflip.com
    via imgflip
  • 23

    Living in dreamland

    r me pretending I don't have to go back to school >
    via @childline_official
  • 24

    Get out of class

    Me in the nurses office faking a tummy ache so I can leave school early 19 @catsdoingthings
    via @catsdoingthings
  • 25

    Class cat nap

    imgflip.com ME ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
    via rasedoc
  • 26

    Icebreaker of doom

    "Stand up,say your name and 3 interesting facts about you"
    via @ofcoursecats

  • The worst part about going back to school has to be the endless icebreakers. No, we do not want to share a fun fact, name three interesting things about ourselves, or tell the entire class what we did over summer break. We barely know what day it is yet. Can’t we just learn everyone’s names naturally and move on? At this point, we’d rather be given homework than explain for the fifth time what animal we’d be and why.

  • 27

    Five more minutes

    mgflip.com WAKING UP ON A SCHOOL DAY
    via @couch-m8

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Tags

school lol Cats funny cat memes feline college
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