Wild Thang! - schoolies stories

A period that most HSC students look forward to is the few weeks known as schoolies, in which under the influence of goon and vodka students release all the stress that has built up over the past year. And my schoolies experience fitted the stereotype well... although much to my parents delight, I was spared of any trips to the hospital with alcohol poisoning.

The hazards of schoolies are great, my personal fear and the rule that guided my through the week at Byron Bay was 'Must not hook up with a toolie!'.

To clarify, a toolie is a person who has NOT just finished the HSC but finished it years previously and comes to party anyway, and I am using the Sydney version of hook up which means kissing (I found out from my sisters schoolies that in the gold coast 'hooking up' can in fact mean much more).

I spent the first week of schoolies at the far quieter Byron Bay; I was determined to enjoy this experience although I must confess I was worried by it. My closest friends, the child prodigies I mentioned in previous posts, were either too young or not interested in attending schoolies. I did however have a bunch of friends who were already going... I became a tag-a-long.

Concerned, as I wasn't the most comfortable with this group and by the absence of a working mobile phone, I was greatly relieved to find another group going which had a long time friend in it. I was a tag-a-long twice over.

Because I had booked so much later I was staying on my own, a thought I later found out would scare most schoolies, but I had said to my mother while trying to find accommodation 'I don’t care if I have to sleep on the beach with a sleeping bag, I am going to schoolies'. I am very glad it didn't come to this as I was able to find very cheep rooms at Cape Byron YHA (youth hostels Australia). Little did I know that how much I would come to depend upon my roommates to enjoy my stay.

The first day I was greatly worried, I had no working phone and was yet to discover a working payphone, however, I followed my instincts and visited the Woolworths. As it was the first day I managed to find both groups there purchasing their food for the week.

My long time friend Caitlin invited me to see her hotel and I was to stay with this group through dinner and into the club 'Cheeky Monkeys' that is after a quick stop at the hostel to get changed. The clothing at Byron was the first thing to shock me, after dealing with Sydney clubs I was amazed at the idea of thongs being acceptable footwear for night!

Cheeky Monkeys was too become one of my favourite spots, although it was... seedy. I couldn't believe the amount of toolies aged around 40! The club itself was questionable as it had no dance floor but only metal tables to dance on.

However it was the most fun and even with my heeled feet killing me I couldn't stop busting a move on the metal tabletops. This night was also the first of my hook ups. While it was far too loud to catch a name I refer to him as black hair, and I can safely say he was not a toolie. So far my one rule was serving me well.

I decided to turn in early that night and went home at only midnight; however it was to turn out that this was not the end of my night. After I slipped into sleep at two in the morning, my two roommates from Geelong came in each with a guy. It took them about ten minutes to realize I was there, hidden on the top bunk as I was, and they somehow managed to convince me to get out of bed, dress, and come down to the beach with them, I did manage to slip away about fourty minutes later and crawl back into bed.

The next morning it was clear that I felt far better then my two poor roommates. I spent most of the day by the pool in the sun... and unfortunatly developed the sunburn to prove it... Sunday was the one night spent at home. This was not so much because I didn't want to go out but because I had not managed to run into my friends and did not have their numbers. And thus, in the absence of a drinking buddy, I was forced to complete a total of 5 soduko puzzles in my boredom. However future nights were to make up for this.

Monday: On this day I started my search for a book, I was amazed at how much free time I had and quickly purchased an Alex rider, an easy book that I thought would last me at least a week. However spending every moment by the pool reading meant I had finished within half a day. It would turn out that on this trip I would spend the same amount on books to read as I did on alcohol.

That night was to turn out to be one of my favourites. I spent a large amount of time drinking and playing cards at the hostel, and I introduced the game of 'snap' to both Sweden and Switzerland, and was taught 'switch' by a Danish couple.

After much laughter and drinking we decided to head off to another of the Byron clubs, this was called Coco Mungo's and the drinks were cute and the music was fresh. Although not as crowded as Cheekies it was adequately full.

I did not stay there long as I ran into Caitlin’s friends who invited me to a house party, I said a quick good by to my room mates, and we moved along. They may have stretched the truth when they said a house party because it was in fact a general idea to head towards the beach, were we joined a bon fire.

By this time I was already starting to flake, I believe in partying fast and heading home earlier (a technique I've found to ensure a limited hang over the next morning). However I stayed and started to use my friend Jonno as a pillow, eventually we started off home and I realized a horrible truth. I had forgotten my keys!!

With no phone and no way to ensure contact with my room mates I was greatly relieved to be offered a bed back at my friends house... well, a couch. ALthough the evening had been fun the night was a nightmare, they had no spare blankets and I spent hours tossing and turning, trying to cover myself with pillows for warmth.

Two hours before the rest of the house woke I discovered a jacket under the pillows and finally was able to fall asleep. Tuesday morning, much to the relief of my concerned roommates I walked back into the room and vowed never to leave my keys behind again.

This day was spent with another quest... I needed a new book. I visited one book shop constantly, Byron Book City. And purchased two, one of which was Kylie Chan's 'White Tiger', it was to become one of my favourite books of all time. A similar love of the novel was later developed by my sister, my dad and my friend Isabelle.

Another day by the pool and I smiled when I realized just how annoyed my sister would be by my growing tan. This night I went out with my room mates Kathleen, from Geelong, and Nat, from Switzerland. I partied with the girls and a guy from the hostel who seemed just a little bit suspect to me and Kathleen (mostly because he tried to crake onto all three of us at various times during the night).

This was the night of my second hook up, again a name missed my attention and so he received the name green shirt.

I must say I was very impressed with his directness, he and his friend were dancing on the table across from us, before I could quiet grasp what was happening he had pulled me across and his friend had jumped over to dance with Kathleen. I doubt I shall never forget her look of shock. Again I managed to stick to my one rule.

Halfway through Wednesday I was already through both of my books and went back to the store, picking up the next in the two series I had purchased the previous day. It was not to escape the notice of the employee that I was to return to the same book store every day subsequently until I left.

Wednesday night I went out with Kathleen and Nat again. We started out night very early, and started to hit the clubs around nine. I was appalled. Coco’s was empty except for two people and LaLa's only had one. We had no choice but to go to cheekies, which was already well into a Coyote Ugly Dance competition... as I already mentioned it was seedy.

After dancing for a while we decided to move on and went back to Coco's, but didn't stay long and then moved to a completely new spot for us. It was called 'The Backroom' and despite the name it was very nice. A back area for live music and a spot were people were dancing and drinking. I was also very surprised as I am still Farley sure I saw the comedian Jimoen having a beer... although after however many shots of vodka, who can tell?

The Backroom was also to have one of my favourite bouncers as Kathleen complained greatly about the number of stamps she had received while he gently placed the latest on her hand, he then got her again right on the arm this time a lot harder. Kathleen glared at him although she was on the point of laughter as well, a guy near us was pissing himself with laughter, the bouncer was quick and managed to get him right on the forehead with a stamp. We enjoyed ourselves greatly this night until we eventually turned in.

Another day by the pool and another trip to the book store was most of Thursday. But come Thursday night as it was Kathleen and I last night as a pair before her friend from Geelong came up. We decided to go out for dinner.


We chose a hotel that had a fantastic view of the beach; we had been warned previously about the limited menu... little did I expect limited to mean six items. We went simple and ordered two appetizers, nachos and wedges.

I must say the food was... disappointing. I still wondered how they managed to screw up nachos but none the less, they did. The drinks were a whole nother matter though. We each ordered a Byron Bent Banana, which I had increasing levels of difficulty saying after I had finished the cocktail.


This was not what made the night so memorable, no, what made this night was 'jail bird'. Now, this is were it shows that being too polite really is an issue. I had quickly popped down the street in order to go to an atm, on my return I discovered a guy had sat down on my seat and was talking to Kathleen. So, I pulled up another chair and realised too late Kathleen's pleading glance meant 'for god's sake ask him to leave'.

For we were both too polite to say it to him. As the conversation continued we broached many topics... how his girlfriend had screwed him up... how drugs had screwed him up (during which he politely inquired if we had any to share) and finally we moved onto foreign languages of all things. During this topic he divulged that 'it’s really hard to learn Spanish in jail...'

Ummm...

What does one say to THAT!

Now... not only were we being polite but we were politely scared out of our minds. Noticing the somewhat... awkward silence... he smiles sheepishly and goes 'whoops too much information'.

After finishing his own drink and trying to remove a non-existent straw from my silver clutch he moved onto another table and we politely got the hell out of there!

But we weren't going to let that ruin our night, especially since it was the Swedish girls last night. SO we went out clubbing... three guesses which club we went too... Yes that's right. Cheekies.

I felt as if I was starting to know the bouncer very well... although he still asked for my id!

The night followed the usual pattern, drinking, drinking and shameful dancing on the tabletops.

The special entertainment for that night had been a wet-tee shirt contest that we missed, although two of my friends from school did enter. But it was won by some blond Swedish girl... Figures.

Friday... my last night and my last visit to the Byron Bay book store. To purchase the third of the Kylie Chan's which was to serve me well all the way to Sydney airport. Another day by the pool... what a hard life I had that week.

The night. Wow. This was one of the best. I decided I had to finish off my beloved schoolies vodka that had served me well through the week. I also helped Kathleen finish off her goon and for the first time tasted Passion pop, which was a marked improvement to the goon.

Feeling very... adventures because it was the final night I insisted on asking the bouncer his name (which to my surprise was Billy... Billy the bouncer) despite the large risk that he would find me to drunk to enter Cheekies (he was unusually strict about these matters).

But I was still allowed inside. Whilst paying I was offered a magnum which I gladly accepted. I was also greatly amused when my friends asked for one and was promptly told it was only for security staff. Yay free bees.

During this night I was determined to make full use of the newly acquired single status... having broken up with my boyfriend a week before schoolie... and thus over night my hook up total jumped from two to six. Which I felt was a solid number for the trip.

I stood by my rule though. No Toolies!

Come Saturday I spent most of it by the pool but anxiously looking at the clock so that I didn't miss my flight. I finished blue dragon on the way home and was instantly shocked by the sudden cold weather as I had to rush out of the car (still in my short skirt and halter top) to quickly vote.

I can definitely say that my schoolies week was amazing... if not... interesting.