Friday, May 29, 2009

Field Day - An Adult Survivors Guide

Ahhh.... to be in middle school again.

Okay, no, I didn't like field day even then.

Most of my students though seem to look forward to it. It's an opportunity to show off athletic prowess in a variety of events, all of which take place outside, which is definitely better than inside.

Alternatively, it is an opportunity to lie in the grass and socialize with your friends without being interrupted by a yapping adult who has the nerve to interrupt YOU by trying to teach you something.

To survive field day, this is the list that every adult must have.

1. Ibuprofen. Take in great quantities upon waking so that your body will have absorbed them before you begin standing on concrete all day. I considered breaking out the Percocet for this endeavor, but determined this is not quite as severe as a severed limb. Plus, I would probably be asleep on my desk by the time field day started and/or babbling incoherently like Paula Abdoul at an Idol try out. Again, middle schoolers are self-absorbed creatures, but this they would notice.

2. Sunglasses. To shade from the sun or hide tears of exhaustion. Take your pick.

3. Sunscreen. Apply liberally. Otherwise when you swat that bee from your neck at 2:00 PM you're going to feel a sting anyway.

4. Athletic Shoes. Although will not be participating in any events, you WILL be standing. All day long. Those cute shoes that show your recent pedicure are useless.

5. Clipboard and Pencil. You will have to record your students' amazing feats and endure them mobbing you after each and every event. A clip board allows you to throw the scores to the middle of the pack and then take a safe step backward.

6. Diet Coke. Drink during break; use sparingly. Field day has no restrooms. Water is overrated.

7. Your husband's debit card. When this is all over, you are going to need a different kind of drink, and you have misplaced your own debit card. Okay, yeah, so this is probably more a recommendation for me than for anyone else.
(Hellloooooooooo? St. Anthony?)

Field Day, 2009. Bring it. I'm ready.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your blog with me! This cracks me up! My school's field day is Monday, so I'll definitely be taking note :)
    -Megan

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  2. Hi Megan - Good luck on Monday. :) I'm sure you will have fun! I was think of your class's field day every year, since I sent Joe to the office for more than half of it.

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  3. LOL-this makes me laugh. See, I have an even greater appreciation for you after becoming a teacher. When I was your student, I didn't really realize what a pain in the you know what it was to deal with kids like that. Now I do! So, the point of this is to thank you for actually still being cheery and pleasant (like letting me listen to your Billy Joel CD's in class) despite having "those cherubs" to deal with. :)

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  4. :) Ahh...well...I also remember Brian telling me in the car rider line that I had tape on my butt. Do you know what my dear little Megan said? "Oh yeah, I saw that in class." Of course, I had you first period, so YOU had let me walk around all day like that. ;) Ha! There are always odd things you will remember about different groups!

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