Back-to-school season is filled with fresh starts, new supplies, and plenty of nostalgia. While today's students are preparing for a new academic year, many adults can't help but think back to their own school experiences.
To mark the occasion, we asked Ipsos iSay members and visitors two simple questions in our Question of the Day poll: if you could go back to school for one day, what would you enjoy most? And looking back, what do you wish you'd learned more about?
The results reveal an interesting gap between the things we remember and the skills we wish we'd taken with us.
Back-to-School Memories Are All About Friendships
When people think about going back to school, it's not the lessons that come to mind first.
Almost half of respondents (47%) said seeing old friends would be the highlight of returning to school for a day. That made it the clear winner, attracting nearly three times as many responses as learning something new (16%).
In comparison, only 6% chose creative activities and another 6% selected sports or games, while just 4% said their favourite part would be going home at the end of the day.
The numbers show that nearly one in two respondents associate back-to-school memories with friendships, making it by far the strongest connection in the survey.
Learning Still Matters, But Relationships Come First
Although seeing old friends dominated the results, learning something new still ranked second at 16%. While this was far behind the 47% who chose friendships, it was ahead of creative activities (6%), sports or games (6%) and going home (4%) combined.
The findings suggest that while social connections shape many school memories, learning remains an important part of what people value about the school experience.
One in Five Would Rather Not Go Back to School
Not everyone views their school years through a nostalgic lens. More than one in five respondents (21%) said they wouldn't want to go back to school at all, making it the second most selected response in the poll.
The Life Skill Missing from Many School Years
When asked what schools should have taught more of, managing money emerged as a clear priority. Nearly three in ten respondents (30%) selected financial skills, giving it an 11-point lead over the next most popular response, communicating confidently (19%).
Communication and Mental Wellbeing Matter Too
Beyond financial education, respondents also expressed a desire to learn more about personal and interpersonal skills. Nearly one in five (19%) said they wanted to learn more about communicating confidently, while 16% selected mental wellbeing and 13% chose building healthy relationships
Together, these responses account for 48% of the vote, showing that nearly half of respondents wanted more focus on personal and interpersonal skills during their school years.
Earn Rewards This Back-to-School Season
With 30% of respondents saying they wish they'd learned more about managing money, back-to-school season can be a good time to look for simple ways to make your budget go further.
At Ipsos iSay, completing online surveys allows members to earn points and redeem them for top rewards or cash transfers. Whether you're shopping for school supplies, technology, clothing or everyday essentials, those rewards can help support your education budget.
No matter where you are in your learning journey, you can put your opinions to work with Ipsos iSay.
Share your opinion, earn rewards, and make this back-to-school season a little more rewarding with Ipsos iSay.
*These results represent Ipsos iSay web visitors across North America and Europe, conducted August 22 - 26 2026, and may not reflect the views of the general population.
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