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!
Pre-order The Book of Awesome
popsicles!!! on a nice hot day.
When you get to the last piece of a puzzle, that moment when you pop the piece in and look at the finished puzzle.
The people that completely cover their house and yard with holiday decorations! :]
Even though it’s always way overdone, it never ceases to make me smile.
When you’re at a concert and the band points their microphone towards the crowd allowing every single person in the room to sing the chorus at the top of their lungs in unison. There’s nothing more special than that feeling of immediate connection to a bunch of strangers – whether you’re cooped up in a dingy bar, or in a 20,000 seat stadium. That’s pure euphoria.
A late entry of AWESOME:
Late Entries! You know, like when you’re convinced you’re gonna be really, REALLY late, so you sprint your best athlete sprint, fast music pumping in your ears to inspire you to raise the pace?
When you can’t run anymore, you check your watch and find you’ve cut ten minutes from the journey and you’ll actually be EARLY!
A relaxed stroll, time to shoot the breeze and calm your breathing before you wander in unruffled – that’s what I call AWESOME!!
Thought of another one!!
When you’re singing a song in the street, and someone (a random) sings along with you. That happened to my friend when she was singing that Shania Twayne song:
“Dada-dadada-DADA”
*random joins in, and they sing together*
“Let’s go girls!”
It’s nice to find unity with strangers… even if it is singing cheesy music.
:)
Pulling up to a parking meter with time left on it.
I spent last fall in Columbus, OH going to school and I am pretty sure that you pay more for parking tickets than you do tuition! Finding parking in the city is terrible (especially during football season). I often found myself needing to run into a store for maybe 10 minutes, but didn’t want to have pay for parking for a few minutes. I was parking outside one of the dorms to pick up my friend and was going to run up to see her room and I pulled up to a parking meter with 34 minutes on it. It was wonderful!
Yeah! It feels like you’re cheating the system, and getting a little free-parking-love, all at the same time!
http://1000awesomethings.com/2009/02/25/822-when-theres-still-time-left-in-the-parking-meter-when-you-pull-up/
Really spunky old people!
I’ve got more!
Late night delivery restaurants – I don’t mean 9 or 10. I’m talking about the ones for college students and other late night partiers. The places that stay open until 2 or 3 a.m. AND deliver. What an excellent combination. Those places have helped me through many an all nighter for class.
Hanging out with the band after the concert – Just because they aren’t on every radio station doesn’t mean that they can’t be your favorite. Whether it’s the smalltime band with the cult following of hardcore fans or your buddies playing their first show, getting to chat with the band after you just watched them onstage makes you feel pretty cool.
Posting “FIRST” on a comments page – Yes I know, only noobs post first. But come on everyone wants that guilty pleasure. When you know that within seconds someone will take that spot, you rush to type those five letters to claim your place as the obsessive fanatic. Just ignore all the insults afterward.
That feeling you get when you’ve just woken up and realize you can lie in bed as long as you want.
No obligations, no meetings, nothing to drag you away from your peaceful recluse…and you’re already well-rested and in the most comfortable position your body could find for you while sleeping.
Preferably on weekend mornings with sunlight streaming in a window; breakfast in bed brought to you by someone is extra wonderful.
Summed up in one word…
AWESOME!
the moment when you find something to put your stale, flavorless gum that you’ve been chewing for hours into!
weather it be a napkin, throwing it out the window of your car, a trashcan, the actual gum wrapper, or a fast food recipt from a week or two ago, nothing in better than the moment you are able to relieve your aching jaws from chewing the now unchewable piece of gum.
AWESOME!
Instantly connecting with a stranger, even just for a moment.
Whether it’s a smile at the airport or a compliment on the street, when you get a half-second glimpse at the life of someone else, it’s awesome.
The first time you wear a pair of sandals after a long cold winter, especially when your toenails are a beautiful shade of pink.
OH. Could not agree with you more!
I thought of this a few days ago. Applies mostly for girls…some guys too, though!
“Applying your mascara perfectly the first time”…no touch-ups, able to run out of the door quickly, a hassle-free morning!
Knowing you really badly need a haircut but you’re afraid of the outcome but going to get a haircut anyway. Then after all the cutting is done, you realize it’s not too bad and you did all that agonizing for nothing. Totally AWESOME. Plus you have a new haircut, to boot.
after getting stitches the feeling of them being taken out and your skin being able to breath a little bit and open back up after being sewn shut (had stitches removed from my head today – hence it being on my mind)…
Good or bad, the relief you get when an uncertain thing plays out.
Finding Waldo.
Your casserole is scraped empty at the office Thanksgiving party.
You stand behind two parents who comment, finally King and Queen of the prom goes to deserving kids, and it’s your children they are talking about.
(True story. Oh yeah, two of a set of quadruplets. Even cooler.)
When your subconscious picks up on something that you don’t realize at first.
I just asked my sister to put the kettle on so I could make a cup of tea – but the kettle had just boiled seconds earlier! I feel like I was asking for tea BECAUSE my subconscious knew about the kettle.
either that or really good timing.
either way….
AWESOME!
Watching a really really good movie and crying like a baby while doing so!
Your perfectly worn in jeans/shoes/sweater/baseball cap.
Looking through boxes of things from high school and finding a stack of forgotten diaries. Then spending the next few hours reading through them and remember every single emotion that you felt, or event that was happening at that time, whether good or bad. But mostly the good.
HAPPY HOUR
Free food, cheap drinks, and I can be in bed my 9:30.
AWESOME
Watching a really really good movie and crying like a baby while doing so!
I must admit that I’m a big cryer when it comes to movies, whether it’s a very romantic scene or just a simple ordinary gesture I start to cry; but there’s absolutely nothing bettere than being in front of the TV late at night watching one of those movies you know is a masterpiece and sobbing like a newborn! (better still if you have Ice Cream un your hands)
When you buy something at a store, and when you take it up to the register & find out it’s cheaper than you thought. :)
When it’s been a hot summer of uncomfortable sleeping weather, and you get that first chilly night where you can snuggle up under a blanket to sleep without feeling like you’ll die of heat…AWESOME!
My university hasn’t given students a snow day in 14 years. The day I had a huge Economics presentation due, the university gave all students and staff the day off. Awesome.
When the lineup at the grocery store is really long, then a new checkout opens & you’re the first through…no waiting = AWESOME!
Twilight.
Let me start this by saying I’m referring to the time of day – NOT the Stephenie Meyer book or the Kristen Stewart/Robert Pattinson phenomena – but hey, if that’s awesome to you then that’s great.
I once went to a photography exhibit at a museum that was completely devoted to twilight. I had never thought much about this time of day before (sunsets usually get all the credit), but since seeing twilight through those photographers’ lenses, I’ve been captured by it.
The sun has disappeared from the horizon but for a few moments before night takes over, elusive ghosts of the sun’s last rays play in the lights and shadows of the grass, the buildings and trees. It’s subtle, but it’s beautiful and most importantly, it’s
AWESOME.
Airplane food.
Seriously, the anticipation of what you’re going to get – always a surprise.
All the little things wrapped up in little packages makes you feel like royalty.
Not to mention, it’s also the excitement of going somewhere!
Made even better if the food is actually good.
I love airplane food. It’s awesome! :D
word. airplane food is SO awesome
Realizing a couple hours too late that you forgot to wish a good friend happy birthday… but then realizing that she’s in a different time zone, so you’re not technically late.
Walking into a pizza place just as fresh pizzas are coming out… so you get your pick of all the pieces in the pie. Awesome!
Driving down the highway, windows wide open, singing loudly to the tunes on the radio.
Playing charades and having to perform an act that you KNOW your partner will get (because you have an inside joke, shared experience, etc.). Success!
Getting a first round bye in a sports tournament.
Thinking that an interview went horribly… but then getting the job!
String cheese that strings well. Anyone who’s gotten a badly strung string of cheese knows what I’m talking about…
Suddenly realizing that your phone is due for a free upgrade soon. :)
When you’ve finally worked up the guts to apologize to a friend you’ve been fighting with… and then he/she admits that he/she’s been thinking of ways to apologize as well!
Getting a ready to meet up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while… wondering whether it’ll be awkward, whether you’ll ever be as close as you used to be….
And then you start talking, and it’s like no time at all has passed.
Working really hard to reach a goal, and then sharing the success with friends, parents, mentors, people who have helped you along the way etc.
Writing awesome things for half an hour straight and realizing that life is awesome…. and even more so if we take the time to find the awesome moments.
Walking through a buffet, looking at all the good food, for the first time!
Crazy Core Skittles and Starburst FaveReds.
Skittles and Starburst hit homeruns with these two. AWESOME. Also, Dylan’s Candy Bar in NYC.
Walking into Universal Studios for the second time is pretty awesome. The first time, you don’t know the treat you’re in for; the second time is perfect because you know what to expect AND everything is still relatively new. Awesome.
Realizing you’re not completely caught up on your favorite TV show… brand new, unwatched episodes of your favorite show are the best
Receiving the clothing order you placed online.. and realizing that the clothes are even BETTER than you’d expected them to be. (And finding that everything fits!)
When a baby yawns! Its one of the most adorable things to see. It’s AWESOME to see them open their tiny mouth wide and rubbing their eyes with those cute little hands. Its such an amazing sight!