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9 memories we all have of the last day of secondary school

May 30th 2014, 1:00 PM 36,599 41

SECONDARY STUDENTS IN Ireland are waving bye-bye to school for the summer today, ahead of the state exams in June. 

Though years pass, fashions change and technology improves, the characteristics of the last day of school before the summer holidays remain the same.

It was always like this, and it always will be.

Uniforms taking a beating

Shirts were scrawled on in permanent marker, ties were worn anywhere but around the neck, shoes were hurled out of windows…

4329442 Source: Stuff

No garment was safe.

Pranks, pranks, pranks

It was (and still is) customary in some schools for the sixth years to attempt a massive prank as a parting gift, but the other years got in on the fun too.

gasprank Source: Flickr/Enokson

Shaving foam was a common feature in the tomfoolery.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Gas. Source: Flickr/Nuwandalice

People getting over-emotional

Usually Leaving Certs who just realised at that moment that their lives were changing forever, and they might never see any of these people again.

Crying-santana-is-crying Source: Glee Wikia

They’ve already decided that they would definitely be repeating, because they just can’t bear to leave.

And everyone else was like:


The emergence of a complete disregard for authority

Students that held even the tiniest bit of respect for teachers during the school year threw it out the window on the last day.

Pity the teachers who still tried to teach on the last day of school, for they do not know the truth.

Source: ChumbleyBum/YouTube

Promising to text/ring everyone and meet up during the break

Though you knew you’d only be seeing your own crew really. Still, it was nice to be nice.

callfriends Source: Shutterstock

Saying a ‘special’ goodbye to your favourite teacher

If you had one. It went something like this:

*pokes head in door*


*runs away*

tumblr_mwfh51Ionk1smvhxco1_500 Source: Tumblr

The horror of cleaning out your locker

What lies behind the slatted locker door? Who knows.

Rotting food, old homework, a book you definitely thought you lost, smells that reached a new level of pungency every time you dived in again. Anything.

lockerssmelly Source: Flickr/Zoe

The roar that could be heard throughout the school when the final bell rang

The rumble of students loudly celebrating the final bell could be felt in the ground.

tumblr_m632rqjTL71rqfhi2o1_500 Source: Tumblr

It travelled through the school and reached a fever pitch at the front doors, which were thrown open to allow the hordes to run out. RUN OUT TO FREEDOM.

The feeling of dread for exam students

Of course, if you were doing the Leaving or Junior (or even Inter) Cert, these activities were punctuated by feelings of deep worry. Still, it didn’t stop them living it up.

Accurate representation of Leaving Cert students and their exam timetables at this time:

Source: BruBearBaby/YouTube

More: 21 things you’ll remember from secondary school>

8 teachers you definitely had in secondary school>

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Valerie Loftus


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