SP12 – Q' of the week! (w/c 16 June 2008)

As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?
I don’t really remember the holidays as a young child. I think I probably missed my friends and the learning which I enjoyed.
As a teenager, though, things were different. I didn’t really fit in at school, so the holidays were a relief for me. I didn’t have to listen to the taunts about my looks (or lack of them), my ten-to-two feet and my knock-knees, my big bum and small boobs, or my lack of fashion sense (my jeans were never Lee or Levis, my jogging bottoms were never Adidas or Nike, my trainers were rarely even Gola*) All school based activities were an opportunity for me to be mocked**
So the relief from the teasing and taunting, the chance for me to once again be secure in myself.
Also, I looked forwards to (and still do) not having to get out of bed so early! As a teenager I would regularly sleep in until noon or later. This was partly because I was tired, partly because there was nothing to do and partly because I then stayed up until 2am or some silly time!

* Actually, the whole brand label thing was me trying to make a statement. Some of my friends would turn up entirely clad in Adidas or Kappa as though it made them cool, I refused to wear any of the trendy brands, the closest I came was some Umbro trousers with the poppers down the side, and that was because the ones from the cheap shops wore through too quickly!
I still try to stick to my “no brand names” policy, but it’s more complicated these days. If I think that you get what you pay for then I don’t mind paying a bit more, but I will not pay silly money (£40/$80) for a t-shirt just because it says “Adidas” on it.

**Actually, I guess almost everyone is either mocked, or else they have to conform. Conforming isn’t something I do easily. Okay, so I’ve done the “middle England” lifestyle of school, college, university, proper job but I’ve done those things with pink hair, too-short skirts, hobnail boots and sleeping through class. Rebel without a cause?