Schoolies hangover

Okay, so I understand what it’s like to finish school and feel freedom for the first time. I was once a ‘Schoolie’ and was so excited to finally be rid of exams, assignments and teachers (albeit temporarily as I intended to go to Uni straight away). It was great to celebrate with my friends the milestone of completing school forever and get excited about the future.
As I read the stories about how drunken brawls and attacks on Schoolies threaten to rip apart the ‘festival’ I can’t help but feel that they really are a different breed of teenager.

When my friends and I went to Schoolies in 2002, it was about staying together and having a great time. We had barbecues, drinks by the pool, sunbaked on the beach, shopped and visited friends who were staying in neighbouring apartments. We didn’t get involved in fights, glassing attacks, verbal stoushes or have drug overdoses.

These days it seems that Schoolies are out to wreak as much havoc as possible – it seems like they’ve lost touch and aren’t really celebrating for the right reasons anymore.

I don’t get the whole smugness thing – like why they feel the need to give motorists the finger or throw stubbies at cars for no good reason. I know it’s a case of “no more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks” but for the general Gold Coast public (and other Coastal towns and shires), who graciously accept Schoolies into their midst year after year, you’d think these kids would have a touch more respect.

I don’t know why they feel entitled to be rude, demanding and vulgar – what’s changed in eight years since I was in year 12 to make these youths so feral? I know my friends and I weren’t like that… I just don’t get it.

Well at the risk of sounding too ‘old’ and ‘whiney’ I just have this to say – I hope you’re Daddy’s trust fund doesn’t dry up too soon sweethearts, because it’s going to be a grim awakening for you when reality hits next year.

Reports released today stated that the GFC will affect school leavers and those looking for work and apprenticeships in the New Year; I’d be watching how many brain cells I lose during this annual week-long bender. Some of you may have to actually start using your brains for the first time in your lives!