Oz "schoolies" week

[Shannow]

It's become quite a tradition in Oz over the last decade or so that when formal high school is over, the kids all head up to the Gold Coast for "schoolies week".

A week of having fun evolved into a week of drunkenness, drugs, and what follows...no great problem IMHO, as they've worked pretty hard for 13 years and blowing off steam.

Later the "toolies" turned up. guys hoping to score off the schoolies.

Now the adult entertainment industry has hopped into the frenzy.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22813088-952,00.html?from=mostpop
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Thirty-more-arrests-at-schoolies/2007/11/24/1195753353952.html

A few years ago, a mate had a daughter finish school. She and a few friends picked up on a cheap cruise.

This year, 10 kids from the local high school negotiated a week in Fiji for not much more than their air fair would have been to go to schoolies.

I've learned a fair bit from some of the better parents in my workplace the last few weeks.

Hope I can use the lessons.

 

[moribundman]

Aussies gone wild?

During our high school years the older teens (age 16 and up) usually went during the summer and winter vacation somewhere with our friends for a few weeks. For example, over the years I went to London, Paris, Milan and Arhus during the summer and to ski camps in Italy and France during the winter. Since we were allowed to buy and to drink alcohol at age 16, we didn't really ever have a big post high school blowout event. Ironically, most drinking occurred during one-week long field trips that were organized by our school. Our 10th grade Vienna visit is a mere blur and left me with a still-lingering disdain for "Heurigen" (fresh white wine)! I still feel a bit sorry for the teachers who accompanied us.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Here in the U.S. high schoolers go to Aruba and disappear.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
Here in the U.S. high schoolers go to Aruba and disappear.

I don't believe it to be a common occurrence.