(Having just started school on Thursday, I felt it was appropriate for me to add my $0.02 in.)
JediMac, I believe it was, mentioned the socializing aspects of returning to school being the only benefit of said return. To that point, I couldn't agree more! Over the summer, you tend to loose contact with those who aren't in your core-friend's circle, an unfortunate happening as loosing contact with some folks 'round here is tantamount to treason, or worse.
Aside from seeing and making friends during the school year, I find the entire process to be more than somewhat tiresome and, generally speaking, ill-planned. Most events and assignments seem rushed on the classic calendar that my (read: infamously inept) district employs, and I would like to think that one day South Carolina would expirament with all-year school...or at the very least, tinker with the Calendar so that it's not so confusing.
I do enjoy school though, perception presented in this thread notwithstanding. It's an honorable institution with noble roots, it's just ashame that our educational system (in South Carolina and the rest of the US, for the matter) is so mis-managed.