This time of year always gives us the most intense series of flashbacks to our Leaving Cert Holiday.
A time of few worries, fewer clothing and pools upon pools of painfully cheap alcohol – all in all, better times.
Take a trip down memory lane with me, won’t you…
1. All gathering together en masse to decide which manky holiday destination you were going to hit up that year
”Ibiza? Too expensive. Puerto Banus? Too many posers. Magaluf? Perrrrrfect.”
2. Getting one person to pay for the enormous cost of flights, accommodation and travel insurance because that’s just what we did
Laziness conquers all.
3. Kicking off your delish ‘base tan’ during Leaving Cert weather
Only to be turned pinker than a piglet.
4. Spending enough money on new clothes/togs/cosmetics to fund a small country
Only to cleverly disguise wearing the same shorts seven days straight.
5. Buying a hip flask cos you’re a massive legend
And you’ll surely need it in a country of little to no drinking legislation.
6. Disregarding suncream as a potion fit for weaklings and subordinates
#ItWillTurnToTan
7. Your first real experience of rollovers
Hangover-free too – a time of fleeting beauty.
8. The heart palpitations of wearing just swimming togs in front of all of your mates for the first time
After a prolonged period of study-snacking, sunlight-avoiding and gym-skipping.
Slick.
9. Having horrifying Leaving Cert flashbacks, but blocking it out with watered down vodka
Not today, Satan!
10. Doing everything FOR THE CRAIC
TAKE A SHOT, GET WITH THEM, IN THE SEA.
FOR THE CRAIC.
11. Being mildly horrified by the state of your filthy apartment
No furniture? Check. Mould on the walls? Check. Rat in the pool? Double check.
12. Every lad you know bringing 103,836,582 condoms
Dream big, boys.
13. Falling in love with every rep within a five mile radius
“But they told me they could get me into the afterparty!”
14. Getting involved in anything that starts with the word ‘booze’
Booze cruise? Yep.
Booze crawl? Sure.
Boozy pub quiz? Sign me up!
15. Near drowning at a foam party
Some things just cannot be unseen.
16. Sweat. So much sweat.
10+ pubescent teens living in close quarters in over 30° heat.
Oh, and they’re always drinking.
Yum.
17. Snatching enough free stuff to last a year
T-shirts, caps, badges, slap bracelets, forgotten children – you name it.
18. Ripping off your top at any opportunity
FOR THE LADS! FOR THE LADS!
19. And finally, being slightly horrified at what you’ve become…
Where did it all go wrong?
READ NEXT: 27 Rites Of Passage We All Experienced Growing Up In Ireland