A walk down the school memory lane - Part 2

Picking up fun, happiness,laughter, joy ....after all that is the purpose of a school picnic !

         As I continue to walk along the memory lane of my school, the next stop that meets and greets me is 'Picnic'. A day filled with fun, adventure, freedom and joy, this day meant total enjoyment for each student alike. From studious book worms to notorious pranksters, from shy kids to the outgoing ones, each and everyone waited for this day all year long.

        As soon as the notice for picnic entered our school calenders, the next cycle of events were totally predictable. Seeking permission from parents, requesting them for picnic money, promising to be well behaved and disciplined, agreeing to their prerequisite commands of studies and finally trying to win either mother or father depending on the past records of success rate! At times, even after all these attempts, if things refused to fall in place, playing the final card of  "All the other parents have agreed" or "Teachers have instructed it is compulsory"  was certainly the safest bet.

           With successful outcome of permission and payment of money,began the real fun! Planning, discussing, thinking and waiting, days were spent in picnic mode right since then. The day appeared to be far away as levels of excitement, happiness, eagerness rose to the peak. Though the location of picnic was same for at least a few years in row, complaining or making a sad face was mere formality as it never stopped us from revisiting, all over again. After all it was a day with real friends while being away from the educational ones ! 

               Bus rides till the location were filled with absolute fun in their own way. Singing, talking, shouting, dancing, the hour long ride seemed as short as few minutes,with an eager rush to run and start the day. Frequent instructions to walk together in groups and stay with teachers reached our ears as taste of freedom could spoil our taste buds !

              Rides and games kept us totally engaged as there was so much to do with less time in hand. Exploring all the options to extract maximum fun appeared to be each one’s motto, as everyone hunted for ways to stay entertained. Though teachers had more work than enjoyment while handling a batch of so many kids, their participation and enthusiasm magnified our fun to a great extent. Watching teachers in a different mood was totally exciting as we secretly hoped for its continuity in our classroom as well !

          Definition of picnic and mode of enjoyment transformed with passing years. As little primary kids, it meant swings, slides, running games and tiffin boxes (with picnic menu of potato and bread !),  under the guidance and instructions of teachers. While, as secondary students, it meant roller coasters, adventurous rides and outside food ! Hunting for unique games and searching for fun-filled ideas kept us occupied for days and days before the picnic as novelties brought excitement.

        With a day totally for ourselves, picnic did a lot more besides enjoyment alone.It taught us management of our belongings, time, safety and responsibility while being away from watchful eyes of parents. A day to be with friends, it filled our bags with valuable memories and precious moments. Staying in group, working as a team were some of the other essential things it conveyed us,as enjoyment expects numbers and fun demands crowd ! Looking beyond individualistic needs, it forced us to think as a troop.

      While a typical school day of five hours seemed to stretch forever, a picnic day of around 10 hours appeared to be so short ! Tired legs and sleepy eyes greeted parents as they hopefully waited for their parcel in one single piece ! Stories of picnic and tales of enjoyment colored the conversations for many more days in future, enjoying the fame of being a hot topic at both school and home.

       As I look back at my numerous memories of picnic year after year, I feel amazed at the excellent management by school staff and teachers. Handling so many kids would have been definitely more difficult than the dangerous roller coaster or the tallest adventure ride !

       While it is impossible to relive these past experiences of school picnics all over again, the happiness of picking, collecting and protecting numerous memories offer lots and lots of fun. Though we continue to enjoy picnics even today, they can never match the innocence and energy of school times.

So, do you possess similar memories like me?

Have you picked lots of fun during your school picnics?

How was the experience of permission process with your parents and what was your success rate?

What promises did your kids make, when they wanted to attend a school picnic?