20 Nov 2016

Finishing school is so momentous that you’re pretty much obliged to mark it somehow. Some enjoy a meal out with family or a brew with friends. Others start small but barely-controlled bonfires fuelled by biology textbooks. And others embark on a trip away unlike anything they have ever experienced.

In fact a lot of us do this last one. Tens of thousands of Year 12 graduates flee to different places across the country each year to indulge in the infamous commemoration that is Schoolies Week. In South Australia they flock to Victor Harbour, in Victoria to Torquay, and in WA they enjoy ‘Leavers’ week on Quokka Island.

But in Queensland lies the Mac Daddy of Schoolies Week locations: the Gold Coast. Surfers Paradise in particular is virtually synonymous with Schoolies Week. Thousands swarm Cavill Avenue and the Gold Coast Beach each year to cut as sick as the laws of physics will allow–upwards of 30,000 in recent years.

You know this. But what you perhaps don’t know is whether to go to Schoolies yourself–on one hand it sounds bloody dope, but you’ve heard the bad news stories–about drugs, violence, unplanned pregnancies and balcony-hopping imbecility… is it really worth devoting a week to getting mixed up in all that? (Or is that something only our parents ask?) Personally, I’ve lived it, loved it and strongly endorse it, and would suggest the issue you should wrestle with is not whether you should go to Schoolies Week, but how to make it worth it when you do.

1. Sort your crew

Sounds obvious–you know who your friends are, and who’ll be keen. But you’ll benefit from giving this careful thought. Part of what makes Schoolies Week magic is it being a shared experience.  We all have that nuts friend like ‘Matt’ or ‘Larissa’ whose antics crack us up, but do you want to spend a significant week in your life holding that friend’s head out of the toilet, or pulling them out of the fights they can’t handle? 

One year recently a dude was hospitalised when his mates ignited his hairy arse crack. Not such a huge deal, and it got him into the news like he wanted, but Burnt Arse missed a chunk of his week, will never escape the online record of being ‘that guy,’ and risks never having luxuriant crack forest again. If you have mates who you fear passing out around, don’t do a week like this with them. A good rule of thumb when planning your trip is, if they love drama, like being annoying, or hate paying back borrowed money, don’t invite them.

2. Why are you going?

Unless you’re a Toolie (and don’t be), Schoolies Week is a once in a lifetime indulgence. Make it memorable. You’ve spent a lot of money organising this thing and you’ll spend a lot more at it. The ‘National Schoolies Week organisation’ (yep, a real thing) has claimed that around 52 per cent of boys and 37 per cent of girls get drunk every night of their Schoolies trip. But try and do something truly memorable. 

Go skydiving, go swimming with dolphins, go to a weirdly-themed cabaret. Think it’s lame to do anything but get hammered? Increasing numbers of your peers don’t. In fact many are going to obscure destinations to do something different. Trips based on experiences are becoming more popular: some Schoolies are travelling abroad to places like Vanuatu or Fiji, to volunteer or try out immersive cultural experiences. Others are taking adventure trips that involve white water rafting in New Zealand, or tackling the Kokoda Track. These opportunities are there for you to choose, and offer a Schoolies experience that you’ll remember forever. 

3. Let go and enjoy

Recognise that you deserve this. Mums have Mothers’ Day and Dads have Fathers’ Day and teachers have pupil free days; there’s no reason you can’t have something. You’ve spent so much of your time up until now following all sorts of rules from teachers, parents, coaches and tutors. There’s nothing wrong with cutting loose for a week. Don’t feel guilty about going off like a frog in a sock. Know your limits and what you actually enjoy–spending a week with your head in the toilet and your mind on post-party paranoia is not as fun as it sounds. But know that there’s nothing wrong with truly enjoying yourself.

This is your commemoration. Do it. But do it right.

 by Dave Day