#549 School field trip day

Neil Pasricha

It all starts with the permission slip.

Yes, when teachers send them home before the bell rings so parents can rubber stamp the bumpy yellow bus trip to the museum, then it’s on, my friends, it’s on.

Soon the days count down and the buzz builds up as the class gets ready for the day away from school. The middle-ages unit wraps up at Medieval Times, paintings are handed in before the art gallery, and everyone mails a friend a letter before the tour of the post office.

On the morning of the big day you wake up with some extra pep in your step because you know we’re all going far away. It’s time to skip the portables, soggy sandwiches, and long afternoons with the Spanish teacher.

It’s time to do something different.

It’s time … to go for a ride.

Yes, whether it’s the petting zoo, chocolate factory, or a long hike in the woods, it’s time to enjoy the school vacation with some of the following perks:

1. Subs in the house. Taking thirty screaming seven-year-olds to the planetarium is a bit much, so most teachers call in backups in the form of parent chaperones. These subs act like a sweet and sweatered army of substitutes and don’t know enough names or have enough power to mess up the fun. Of course, that’s assuming they’re not your mom or dad. If that happens, your day is done.

2. Wheels on the bus. They go round and round on the way there and back. Yeah, we all gang rush into the slippery seatbelt-free seats and enjoy a loud, laughing party on wheels. There are loud screechy songs, secret makeout sessions, and some friendly gestures at passing motorists. This is also when the classroom’s social structure is on display too — from the cool kids at the back to the nerds sitting with the teacher up front. I really did love sitting up front though. I mean, how about that view?

3. Sealing it in. A friend and I were strolling quickly through an art gallery a couple years back when we stumbled on a group of kindergartners holding a rope and looking at splotchy art paintings. I’ll never remember the jaw-dropping look of pure head-tilting amazement from the little boy at the end of the group — eyes twinkling, mittens hanging out his winter coat, and his whirring brain soaking and swallowing up something beautiful on the wall. And it’s true: field trips often help seal in the learning. Chalk one up for school.

So… let’s enjoy the memories, let’s enjoy the moments, and let’s enjoy the parking lot speed bumps. Yes, let’s all love those special days when dusty chalkboards fade away and buses wheel us down the freeway, far away, far away, far away.

AWESOME!

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Photos from: here, here, here, and here

2,210 thoughts to “#549 School field trip day”

  1. Snuggling with *add stuffed animal here* when you crawl into bed. And not caring if it makes you look like a little kid, because its only your bed, and your room, and your time to enjoy sleep. Yup, that’s awesome.

    (this may already be an older ‘awesome’ post, I’m new to the community and have not been able to peruse all of them yet)

    1. Definitely have to agree with you there.
      My bear’s old, ripped and tinged with grey. But on a bad day, I still curl up with him for a good cry. (:

    2. Oh, absolutely. I have a stuffed Peter Rabbit that I got when I was two weeks old and it is still the most comfortable huggable thing. No one can judge me when I go to sleep cuddling good old Peter Rabbit.

  2. getting a totally bogus fortune in your cookie.
    every time you get one of those really bad fortunes that have nothing to do with you, it makes your day!

  4. When you arrive back from another place from which you had your cell turned off the entire time, and then turning it back on and getting a flood of text messages and voicemails welcoming you back home.

    Awesome!

    (I realize this may be annoying to some, but it’s like a hug before the kiss from all of your friends and family that you missed while away!)

  5. Having your paycheck direct deposited into your account…after 15 V-E-R-Y LONG days of waiting!
    Then, TAH-DAH, magically, it appears.
    You breathe a sigh of relief.
    Holler a little WoooHOOO!
    Pay your bills.
    Eat a good lunch.
    Then start waiting for the next 15 days!

  6. Traffic lights with left-turn arrows.

    It’s been a long day, out and about in a bustling city. You try a new way to go home, and bam! Stuck at a busy intersection, a long stream of cars passing you. You know you need to turn left, but that light is way up there.

    You’re going to be here awhile.

    But then suddenly, inexplicably, the line of cars starts to move! Is that…yes! They’re all turning left! You approach the light, and there it is–a gentle, glowing green arrow, guiding you home. No hanging out in the dreaded limbo in the middle of an intersection, praying someone will let you go. Nope, that arrow has you covered.

    This also applies to right-turn arrows in countries where they drive on the left.

    AWESOME!

  7. Chatting with friends about Retro stuff. AKA all of those amazing shows that no longer exist that are infinitely superior (they always are, for each generation) to the shows currently intended for the younger generations.

    For me: Its-Global Guts, David the Gnome, Clarissa Explains it All, Family Matters, original RugRats, Legends of the Hidden Temple, etc.

    AWESOME!

  8. Cold beer and music-wherever you may be and whatever your choice of music-in your garage, at a bar, in the parking lot before the big show

  9. #549 The Dark

    Sure, you used to be afraid of it. But now, it’s the perfect place to spill that secret, have that kiss, or even just think.
    The dark is the security blanket you hold as you stare down to where your feet should be, as you tell the truth.
    The dark is that porch that you stood on as you recieved your first kiss.
    The dark is the place you go when you need to get away from the world’s distractions.
    No monsters. No pressures. Just darkness.

    AWESOME!

    1. I love this! Love the idea and how you wrote it. I’ve had the same experience of growing to love the dark after I grew out of my terror of it.

  10. Mail

    I love mail!! Your favorite store catalog(even better when it comes with a discount offer), birthday cards, holiday cards or just a random note from a friend even if they do live down the road and you see them all the time. There is just something about mail that is more personal and its always fun to come home, check the mail and have something other then a bill to open up. My friends and I still write letters and yes, it does take a little longer but in the end, with great stationary, its a nice addiction to the fridge or counter and adds a smile to anyone day!

  11. Contorting your body in such a way to successfully reach the itch in that impossible-to-reach section of your back

  13. #549 Kicking butt in Mario Kart

    You haven’t played for years. You’re in 12th. It’s the last lap. You get mushrooms. Hello first place.

    AWESOME!

  15. Being at home on a rainy day.

    When you’re at home and warm and dry, on a rainy day, and looking out through the window at the rest of the world getting washed up in the rains. Curling up with your mug of hot coffee, and just relaxing, and enjoying the day off that you got, all thanks to the rain! And you’re not even getting wet. That is totally awesome!

    And I guess in other parts of the world, this would apply to a snow day instead of a rainy day.

    1. Yes, when there is so much snow that even the city buses are not running and the world feels smaller and cozier because it is layered with a beautiful white frosting. Snow days are rad-friggin-tastic!

  17. When you quote a funny movie and someone else gets it and laughs too instead of looking at you in confusion.

    Or, even better, when you can pass of a funny movie quote as your own funniness.

    AWESOME!

  18. Spring cleaning-anyone else have the urge lately? I can’t stop! Awesome feeling afterwards!

  19. When things come together and ‘click’. Maybe you’re doing a jigsaw puzzle and after hundreds of combinations you find the two right pieces, you put them together and…’click’…
    Or when you’re struggling to put batteries in your remote control, and you finally get it all together, and you slide on the back piece and you hear that ‘click’ which means that your struggles are over and you can go back to watching TV….
    Or when you’re thinking about something that just completely puzzles you, and you finally reach an understanding and there is that mental ‘click’.

  20. the odd urge to jump rope or do something really childish when the snow melts in the spring and the sidewalks finally dry up!

      1. every spring when most of the college kids come home, we repaint the bases and play endless games of baseball, then at night. kick the can (the youngest one in our group is 16 oldest is 23)

  21. Stumbling onto a website such as this one that has all kinds of positive things to read!!! AWESOME

  22. Baking something and having it turn out that perfect golden brown chewy yet crunchy warm and perfect. You credit yourself for taking it out of the oven in time and inhaling the smell of perfection. props to the chef, even though you bought the mix. thanks betty.

  23. When you’re logging into your computer, and you type your username and password really fast without messing up! You feel so impressive :) That’s one of my favorite awesome things.

  24. When something exciting is actually as good as you expect it to be.

    Sometimes that movie you’ve been wanting to see for a month or that party you’ve been excited about all week just turns out to be a complete letdown.

    But other times, all that buzz and those stomach-butterflies aren’t just for nothin’ and the night exceeds your expectations, and of course is totally awesome.

  25. My five-week-old baby curling up against me while he sleeps.

    That’s awesome because you know there’s nowhere else he wants to be but snuggled up next to you.

  26. When you forget to set a timer but you remember to check at the exact right time. Pasta’s boiling, cake’s baking, soup’s simmering… you have no electronic timekeeper to back you up; you went about your business waiting for that tasty food to finish. Suddenly, you realize it’s been about eight minutes and you snatch that pot off the burner or throw open the oven door and voilá! You’ve caught your masterpiece at the peak moment, cooking on the fly like a real chef. AWESOME!

    1. I love cooking over an open fire. scrambled eggs taste so much better on a large iron pan over an open fire. we once put 3 dozen eggs on this pan with none breaking. 13 of them were even double yokes!

      1. Ooh, very true, cooking on open flame is fantastic. On a related note, roasting corn or cooking “hobo packs” on a campfire = DELICIOUS camping food, much healthier, more flavorful and natural than granola bars and trail mix and PopTarts.

  27. Coming home to family after you haven’t seen them for awhile. It’s always the same familiar feeling but for some reason you’ve forgotten over the absence how GREAT it is!

  28. When your at quarter machine to get your daily fix of bubble gum or perhaps a bouncy ball maybe even a sticker… and the particular color or item that you really, really, really wanted dispenses. That is AWESOME!

    1. Still using quarter-machines for gumballs and bouncy balls? AWESOME!

      We all need to stay kids at heart..

  29. To smell the just-cut lawn while you’re walking on the street…means spring is coming!

  31. Stumbling across your old pictures and being reminded of days you had completely forgotten about

  34. When you wake up and think that you have to get up soon, and look at the clock and see that its still the middle of the night and you have HOURS to sleep!

  35. When you see someone with a shirt, bumper sticker, or talking about your alma mater. You are driving your car and see someone with a Boise State University bumper sticker and you just wish you could talk to that person. You feel like you bonded in the brief moments sitting at the traffic light. Granted, they have no idea you graduated from there, or are even a fan of the school. But you know that you two are closer than you were 5 seconds ago.

  36. Sooo this one is kinda photographer-specific, but I was actually thinking of it last night and then you had this contest! Karma is with me. But its that awesome moment when you’re catching up on editing photos and think you’ve already done one, but it turns out it looks that perfect straight out of the camera. AWESOME. :)

  37. When you’re asleep, but juuust awake enough to feel someone else putting a sheet over you.

    It’s like an angel softly setting their wings on you, really.

      1. This reminds me of being carried into the house after a long/ late drive home.
        I used to pretend to still be sleeping just for this.

        1. Adorable. I used to do that too, and it always made me smile when I was too old for it but I got to live vicariously through my much-younger brother when he got carried out of the car.

  38. You know what’s awesome?
    Simba’s roar at the end of The Lion King movie. There’s something about watching Simba walk up the rock and roar, finally taking his place as the rightful King, it brings me to tears.

    And of course, there’s the rest of the Lion King movie, the death of Mufasa, “Hakuna Matata”, Rafiki the monkey who was just so wise. My generation, us, who saw this as kids, know what I’m talking about, we understand the magic. Click here to watch that wonderful roar.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea4uc_1VGSE&feature=related

    Awesome!

  39. Coming home from college after living for months on end eating only ramen noodles, peanut butter and jelly, cereal, and fast food to your mom cooking your favorite home cooked meal. Wether it be Enchiladas, Lemon Garlic Chicken, Spaghetti, or that random dish that you really aren’t sure what all is in it but the smell alone can make your mouth water. There is nothing better than being back home and Mom cooking your favorite meal!
    AWESOME!

  40. When you and a friend say the same phrase at the exact same time. Knowing that someone was thinking exactly what you were is AWESOME!

  41. Finding the perfect song that matches your mood.
    Be it classical or hard rock, it’s always nice to find a song that matches your mood and either calms you down or pumps you up for a workout.

  42. That perfect poop! You have felt it brewing inside of you all day, you have been wiggling and need to find time to run to the bathroom. You walk into the bathroom to find it empty. Perfect, no one will smell it. You sit down and instantly, the poop comes quicker and easier than expected. You wash your hands, look into the mirror, smile at yourself because you not only feel 5 pounds lighter, but just a very successful poop without anyone noticing!
    AWESOME!

  43. And booking a flight to go on a trip to a place you’ve been waiting ages to go.
    <3

  44. It’s awesome when you go to an old-time ice cream parlor, order a milkshake (which is served in a glass and a metal cannister with the rest of the milkshake), drink the milkshake, and then are completely shocked and surprised when you remember that you still have a second milkshake in the metal cannister. I wrote about it here: http://jameystegmaier.com/2009/04/pet-please-7-the-forgotten-milkshake-phenomenon/

    The other one that I’d add would be tearaway clothing. In general. It’s awesome.

    Thanks for the contest!

  45. Music is awesome.

    A song could be about anything, and it brings all kinds of people together. Just ask my high school choir. You’ve got cheerleaders, jocks, nerds, artists, the disabled, and all of those people who don’t fit under any label are all together because they love music. It’s like that small step to world peace.

    1. Loveeeeeee this one!!!! This is sooooo true. Aah. The powers of music….. And I don’t know of anything else that gives the teacher of something soooo much power and opportunity to change the lives of their students like music….my voice coach, piano teachers and choir directors have been the biggest forces in my life. They have made the person and musician that I am today!

  46. When someone else takes care of you when you’re sick. Whether it’s your mom, your significant other or (especially) your kids, nothing makes you feel quite as loved as when you’re being taken care of. They can burn the toast they just made you for you and it’s okay because you know they care and you feel a bit better already.

  47. Leaving Peanut Butter M&Ms in a hot car…
    there is NOTHING better than ripping open the bag, popping one in your mouth and biting the, miraculously, crisp shell and tasting the warm Peanut Butter ooze into your mouth- it’s pure bliss.

    If you haven’t tried this, try it… now. Go to the store, get a bag and park somewhere where the sun is shining- wait a few hours and rip that bag open!

    I promise you wont like it… you’ll LOVE it!

  48. Realizing that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. When you’re doing something, or with someone, or somewhere, and you know you were meant to be right where you are.

  49. Déjà vu.

    Suddenly, a sense of familiarity creeps over you as you realize, “I’ve experienced this whole scene before!”

    Sometimes, you’re doubly lucky and the fact that you realized you’re having déjà vu IS PART OF YOUR déjà vu!

    And then, you automatically think of that line in Groundhog Day when Bill Murray is asked if he ever has déjà vu, he quips, “Didn’t you just ask me that?”

    AWESOME!

  50. Facing your fears and going on a roller coaster. especially if it’s King Da Ka (Tallest and fastest coaster on earth)

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