Friday, December 16, 2011

Random Giveaway #9: Fondest School Memory

Today is my last final for the semester - hurrah! I feel as though my brain will soon have the opportunity to rest for a bit (although now I have to work triple time to complete some hand made gifts for people that still need to be sent out). Going through this second round of college as a "non-traditional" student (this is school code for post 20-something students) has been an interesting and often challenging experience, and I'm looking forward to my last semester in the spring.

In celebration of the end of the fall term, for the next giveaway contest I'm looking for your best school memory. It can be elementary, high school, or even college, but whatever memory best stands out to you will be the contest entry for this round of the giveaways. It can be as simple or complex as you like. This contest will run until Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. MST. The comment submission form will serve as the time stamp indicator, so be sure to get your entry in before the cut off point. If you have not yet read the contest rules, please do so here before submitting your entry.
Defeet Women's wool gift box
Defeet Men's wool gift box
The gift for this contest will be either the men's or women's Defeet wool sock pack/gift box pictured above (winner's choice of one). The women's wool kit includes two socks from the Mondo collection: the Milan and the Vancouver, as well as a Woolie Boolie. The men's wool kit includes a pair of Wooleator Charcoal/Lime, Woolie Boolie 'Tis the Season, and a Mondo collection Milan sock in charcoal stripes. I'm looking forward to reading about fond school-time memories, and hopefully, these wool socks will help keep someone's feet warm.

8 comments:

  1. Wow, school memories! Those are dangerous waters to tread. I was such a surly little introvert that most of school memories would probably read like a journal entry.

    The best I can think of was the very first time I skipped school. Myself and a good friend decided we'd liberate our minds for the day. It was the "senior skip day" of our junior year.

    I remember slinking down the hallway toward the door to freedom (we started the day at school) and feeling like a diamond thief or a Navy SEAL or something.

    We'd filled up waterguns before making our break, knowing we might need to go out in a blaze of glory (this was 1991, Columbine hadn't happened). Of course as we eased the door open and let the sunshine in to that dark place we looked like we'd both peed our pants because the guns were leaking even as they were nestled in our waistbands.

    And then we ran. We ran, we ran, we ran! From the west side of the building around to the front and all the way across the front of the high school past he main doors in front of the main office, running, running, running and then to the parking lot on the east side.

    Just before we reached my friend's car another car pulled up beside us...

    "Get in!" chimed a female voice. It was a senior friend of ours and without thinking we both piled in her car and she sped away.

    I'd never felt more conspicuous in my life. I'd never felt more rebellious. And yet it also felt good. It felt like I was finally participating in my own life.

    No one ever knew we left. No one saw us go. Our lame excuses the next day were accepted. Perhaps in the milieu of all of the senior activities going on the adults in our lives just didn't care that we'd shirked a day of school.

    Anyway, that's my most fond memory I guess. I was such a quiet and passively aggressive little punk through high school that I didn't DO much of anything. I just observed.

    College was a whole lot different. I was THAT guy, you know, the one that dominates class discussions, stays after to talk with the professors and who seemed to actually WANT to be there?

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  2. I never liked school, not before I became… a teacher years later. My fondest school memory dates from my 4th year in elementary school, though; it was the first time I met one of my teachers outside the school building. I was riding my new bicycle in the park and sitting alone on a bench there was Mrs. B. She was wearing a white dress and sandals (this was in the 50s) and she was eating an ice cream cone. I still remember what we talked about and it was not mathematics!

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  3. I recall being at school one night in the first grade for our holiday pageant. Being at school at night, I saw everything around in a completely different light; it was magical and other-worldly.

    Our teacher had to keep us busy while waiting our turn, so she read us Charlotte's Web. She did such a GREAT job with all the different character voices including one who stuttered, that I fell off my chair laughing.

    Well, I had the pleasure of seeing her a few weeks ago (after 35 years). Unfortunately, it was a week after her husband passed away. I told her my one and only memory of that time in my life and she started to cry. In fact, we all started to cry. It was wonderful to share such a special moment with someone who really needed it.

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  4. Aww, I am loving these stories! You all have some great ones to share.

    Chris - I am the nerd who did extra credit when I had a 95% in the class because I was worried about my grade somehow magically slipping at the end of the school term - and, I guess it really hasn't changed much because I still ask too many questions about everything and always want to know more (and have secretly thought about asking for extra credit - though I haven't... yet).

    Giles - How ironic that school was not your thing until you became a teacher. I'm sure you were a wonderful teacher for the very reason that you didn't love it so much. Everyone always told me I'd be a teacher, and I have to admit, there's a part of me that thinks I would enjoy it, but I think I've had enough schooling for awhile and I'm enjoying what I'm doing.

    David - I LOVE Charlotte's Web, and what a great memory to hold on to. I'm sure your teacher loved the opportunity to hear from you after so many years, and to hear such a great story - well, I am one of those people who thinks that things happen for a reason, and it was probably perfect timing for your reunion.

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  5. Hmmm, fondest school memory? During the summer before my Senior year of high school, I was working really hard to make the lacrosse team. I kept practicing during the fall for the spring tryouts. When tryouts came, I excelled. It was a great feeling to really do well. What really stuck out in my mind and what makes it my fondest memory is that I put in a lot of hard work and did well. Other who were returning to the team just took it for granted. So I realized that hard work does pay off. Sigh.

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  6. Wow, I am having a hard time coming up with a favorite, heartwarming school daze memory!

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  7. Iris, Your school memory doesn't necessarily need to be a heartwarming memory... just something that sticks out in your mind would be completely great too. I know I have some silly memories that stand out to me...like getting locked out when I left campus, yelling at football games - truly any memory is good to me. :O)

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  8. It's hard to pick one, but I was definitely happiest in elementary school. I remember how excited I was in first grade when I got to carry my own money for milk in a tiny little coin purse that my mom gave me. I work in a school so I get to make new memories. On Friday, this week, I stopped by one of the schools in my distinct to attend a meeting and decided to visit one of the students on my caseload. He had a very difficult time in kindergarten, but is now doing very well in first grade. It made me happy to see him playing with his friends and enjoying the holiday celebrations. He is so much happier now and clearly proud of his accomplishments.

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