The Last Word: Vike in the Hat
by Michael Cullen of Viking
Published June 10, 2010
The bell on the last day of school brings joy to the land.
The children let papers fly free from their hands.
Through happy cries of joy and elation,
the students commence academic hibernation.
With no more school to pass the time,
I sit here turning my column to rhyme.
I'm not actually about to Dr.Seuss the Last Word, I just wanted to give you a preview of the possibilities that come with the extensive amount of free time available during summer.
The glorious wail of the final bell on the last day of school is one of the most treasured and anticipated sounds any student will hear in his or her academic career. It triggers the kind of euphoria a game-winning buzzer beater or sudden death goal does. It also triggers an almost instantaneous reaction for me, because once that bell goes off, I enter what I like to call "academic hibernation". Summer is near-time to start leaving an impression in the couch.
During the school year, the question at 11a.m. may be, "...to be, or not to be", whereas at 11a.m. on a summer day, the question shifts to being "to get up, or to sleep in two more hours until my mother hits me." Once I get up the hardest problem I have to solve all day will likely be what flavor Pop-Tart to plug in to the toaster. A quick brunch and my day begins.
Football workouts and ESPN will dominate the majority of my vacation, but summer sports is a loose term that I interpret to include everything from Slip n' Slide to the good ol' American tradition of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest. Watching the amazing display of esophagal endurance and gluttony on our Nation's birthday has always been impressive to me. I once saw Joey Chestnut eat 10.5 pounds of macaroni and cheese at the halftime of a San Jose Stealth game. Despite stretching the limits of what fits the criteria of "athletics", you have got to admit that shoving down 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes is an amazing feat.
Beach volleyball is another summer sport that I love. To play you say? Sure, I can ball like Kerri Walsh on the sand, but I'm more of a spectator when it comes to the beach games. Because let's face it, no matter what the score is when the game is over, when it comes to beach volleyball, everyone wins. Beach volleyball allows you to appreciate the finesse and skill required to do anything in the sand except build towers and dig holes in the sand. I've tried the whole long distance beach running thing, and running on sand is like trying to stop Kevin Anderson ('11) from getting to a quarterback with a steak taped to his chest. You just don't want to do it.
2010 brings another sporting event that the world only gets to experience every four years. The World Cup will be played in South Africa this year, which means the eyes of the globe will be focused on Johannesburg, Durban, and Polokwane as dedicated fans and hooligans alike will cheer themselves hoarse rooting for their respective teams.
During a typical year, you're more likely to find me reading Shakespeare than watching soccer but when the World Cup rolls around, I get my futbolista on. The worlds favorite sport is pretty easy to pick up, and even if you don't understand soccer, it's not that hard to know something exciting is happening when a middle aged Latin American man is screaming, "goooooooal" at the top of his lungs.
When it comes down to it though, I don't know if there is any summer memory or activity I love more than barbecuing. There is nothing better than sitting outdoors on nice summer day, throwing around the pigskin, and kicking back to watch a game on the flat screen. The wonderful weather of California and the sports that we love bring us together year round, and whether it's the Super Bowl or a younger siblings' little league game, athletics provide us with entertainment, community, and a sense of belonging even when school is not in session.
Once that bell rings and your troubles float away with the wind, have fun this summer. Go to the beach with your friends. Hit up Great America or Raging Waters (and make sure to close your mouth when you swim there). Heck, you can spend your entire summer watching reruns of Degrassi for all I care, just make sure you relax. If you don't, then I will hunt you down and duct tape you to a Lay-Z-Boy to make sure that you do. Summer is sweet, but oh so short, and come August, I'll have to get new pencils, a new lunchbox, and begin another year of school...
Oh the possibilities.
Have a great summer Paly and I'll catch y'all next year.