Summer vacation holds a special place in our hearts. Almost a month full of fun and games! As children we all looked forward to the May-June break from school. For most of us, it was all about spending time with the family, going to the DiPuDa, relishing summer fruits, taking afternoon naps and tackling holiday homework. As we grew up, the summer vacation faded into the busy adulthood, erasing all the excitement. With the onset of the month of May, My Kolkata relives summer’s best moments through Instagram reels.
Taking the train
With final exams months away, summer vacation, unlike the winter one, allowed us to take a trip with our family. Often, it used to be on a train. Waiting at the railway station while our parents figured out the platform number and checked the reservation charts — the thrill was different altogether. Finally, boarding the train, we often took out a comic or story book to make it through the rest of the journey. The fight for the window seat was real if you had a sibling. And soon, dabbas of puris, parathas and sabji would come out and you'd be served on the paper plates or sometimes the lid of the dabbas. The passing chaiwallah screaming ‘chai, chai’, the chatter of the fellow passengers, the peeping through the window to see the station names — these have been a core memory of summer vacations for many of us. @totomototales portrays the nostalgia perfectly in a reel.
Stocking up on stationery
A long summer vacation brought with it a tonne of projects. A project on almost every subject was assigned. Stationery shopping was done as early as possible. From scrapbooks to chart papers, markers to paint — the list ran long. With all the necessary items, a few unnecessary ones were brought too. Remember the Hannah Montana or Spiderman stickers you brought only to stick them in an old hand-me-down diary? Or the unicorn eraser you brought that erased nothing, but left behind a black stain on your copy? This reel by @_tanyaashukla sums it all up! While we dreaded holiday homework, the projects weren't that bad for some of us. And for others, a parent or an older sibling came to the rescue!
Talking about holiday homework…
As we grew older and got promoted to higher classes, holiday homework seemed like a dreadful dream. The crafty projects took a backseat and tougher projects were assigned, which were no fun. The load of HHW (yes, the abbreviation for holiday homework) was so much that sometimes we had to carry our copies on a trip. Relatable? In this very short reel, @devika029 portrays our feelings only through her expression. HHW were the only thing that make us say, “Thank God! School is over”.
Trip to granny’s house
If you have spent part of your summer vacations at your granny’s house with your cousins, you should consider yourself lucky! It was like a grand get-together! Good food cooked by granny and aunts, felt ten times more tasty. The bedtime ghost stories by grandpa or grandma were not scary when cousins were around. Playing adventurous games, that ended up in some mischief, was forgiven by the mercy of our grandparents. The only difficult part was when the fun-filled holiday came to an end. @itsalittlethings's reel will surely take you down memory lane.
Passing on the fun
As we cherish our memories, it is now our turn to make it memorable for the little ones today. If you are a mom or dad or have a kid in the family, you can try to instill the summer vacation excitement in them too. Put away their screens and let them engage in fun activities. Participate in games with them and let them enjoy while they learn a thing or two. @reeyansh_ad has some useful tips to keep your toddler busy during the long summer vacation without stepping out in the heat.
Make your munchkin beach-ready
Taking a trip to the beach with your toddler? It pays to be ready for it! @ash_and_aaira posted a reel recently listing a few essential stuff for a happy and safe summer vacation at the beach. The guide helps you to organise and keep everything handy for your kids so that you relax and enjoy as much as they can.