Why It’s Okay To Not Go To Schoolies
If you live in Australia, you know what Schoolies are, but if you don’t- Schoolies is a week where high-school graduates have a week-long party filled with alcohol, drugs and music/festival raves after Exam Week. Sometimes University students go after their first or last year of University. Usually, this takes place around late November-December in either Bali, Fiji, Byron Bay or Gold Coast. Almost over 40,000 17+ year-olds go to Schoolies every year. Schoolies is basically an Australian version of Spring Break that can take place in Australia and overseas. It’s become a way of tourism, partying and Schoolies Week is worth over a $100 million dollar industry event that’s been around since the late 1970s.
But it’s not always sunshine and rainbows for every Grade Twelve student. Almost every year there are drug overdoses, violence-related injuries and crimes. Most of these occurring from binge drinking, experimental drug use and sometimes just being an utter idiot. From 2002–2018 Schoolies has increased with violent behaviour, some events included police-forced riots due to the number of large fights that had been occurring whilst drug busts were being performed at the same time. You lose over thousands of dollars just for a week of clubbing on a beach with your mates, also your travel insurance goes up by hundreds and often you will find yourself in a lot of unlikable situations. Drink spiking and drug experimentation have led to many deaths on the Gold Coast and in Bali.
Even though Schoolies can be seen as a ‘Rite of Passage’ it really isn’t necessary. After reading so many articles about Schoolies and listening to my friends talk about their dreams of getting ‘wasted’ I realised that I don’t want to go to Schoolies and that it’s okay for you to not want to either.
There are plenty of alternatives to Schoolies, especially if you want to celebrate freedom before starting Uni in February instead of taking an entire Gap Year. Schoolies lasts about a week, however other programs such as Schoolies Unearthed, who provide much more for a cheaper price. They range from charity work and adventure travel into 10–12 days in places like Vanuatu, Borneo, Vietnam and Nepal. You choose if you wish to travel alone with a group or go with friends, you can do charity work or do adventurous and cultural activities that give back to the community while you make unforgettable memories. Carpe Diem Education allows similar programs except there are more locations ranging to South Africa, Europe, South America, India, The Pacific and Central America. Carpe Diem provides overseas experiences that benefit both you, your friends, memories and resumes with experiences of studying, working and volunteering in areas of interest.
But if your someone who is money conscious and want to save, there are other ways to spend those three months before you go to University. Even if your craving an adventure there are plenty of Australian based programs you can do without having to go overseas. You can find these out through local universities and Youth Programs or online.
By doing these programs you’re getting realistic experiences that can help you in the future, not only this but you’re not getting that FOMO feeling.
Personally, it feels so much better than getting drunk on a beach.
