Throwback Thursday: What route did you take to school? #TBT

[#1]

It's Thursday!

In Iceland, public/compulsory school is from age 6 to 16. I livedin 2 places during that time. At the first place, I lived down the hill from the school. Sometimes, I would take this shortcut path, which is between 2 residential streets. This picture is from the bottom looking up:

And this picture here below, is from the top looking down. There was always some graffity on that garage wall. I am super lucky to have been able to be in Iceland for the last few days. Therefore, I was able to go and take these 2 photos :)

Sooooo, what route did you used to take to school?

Let’s make it a great Thursday!

KGM

[Fanney_Magnusdottir]

I'm from Iceland too and used to take a similar shortcut path to school, except mine was level and with a fence we used to climb on top and walk on despite it being very unsteady. FM

[Jimmy Seddon]

Great topic @Kristján Geir Mathiesen!

Where I grew up I literally had a big hill to walk down to school and up going home.  However, to avoid going around the block, a bunch of us would meet at a friend's house at the bottom of the hill in the morning and cut through his backyard, the neighbor behind him was also a school friend so we had the perfect shortcut.

I wish I had pictures, but sadly I don't.

[Stephen_Lugton]

Going to Primary school was the easiest; it was maybe 500m away at the end of the road, the only tricky part was all the parents who drove, parked badly and illegally and blocked the road so we as small children could never see whether it was safe to cross until we were actually in the road!

Secondary school was a bus ride from round the corner to directly outside the school, apart from the day it snowed heavily (for the UK) on a mock O-level day and the school was closed except for the exam hall and we had to walk 5 miles to school in the snow, there was a long trail on 5th formers on our way home walking in each other's tracks.

[John Funk]

Walking home from grade school (Elementary) was a pretty straight path from the school to my house. My father would drop me off in the morning, and I would walk home in the afternoon. 

We lived on the very edge of the university campus in our town, and the elementary school was actually on campus (my father taught at the university). My Middle School was just on the edge of the campus as well but another part. I would actually cut across some railroad tracks through some trees and across the lawn of the university president. And then down by the football stadium (American football  :-)  and then to home. 

Middle school took about 10 more minutes to walk than the 15 minutes or so that elementary school took. 

High School was way on the other side of town and took at least 30 minutes to drive there, so no walking. Though my sister forgot to pick me up there one day and I had to walk all the way home. I WAS NOT HAPPY!!  haha. I still remind her of that every now and then more than 40 years later. 

[Andy Gladstone]

Wow, what a blast from the past @Kristján Geir Mathiesen. I can divide my school commutes into three distinct periods.

From Kindergarten until the end of 2nd grade my brothers and I attended the local public school. It was about a 10 minute yellow bus ride from the stop in our neighborhood, which was around the corner from our house. I had a friend who's Mom had a limousine. (As a 5-8 year old I had no idea why his mother drove a limo, but as I got older I realized that the family was an Italian Mafia family and the limo was just one of their many oddities) On rainy days she would drive us to school in the limo so we wouldn't have to get drenched waiting for the bus. I still remember getting out of a limo in front of the school and picturing a red carpet and velvet rope line guiding us into school (imagination only, never happened).

From 3rd grade until 8th grade I was in a private school that was 15 miles / 30 minutes from home. Those bus rides were spent reading or listening to music on my Walkman. Bon Jovi, Guns n' Roses, Def Leppard, were the soundtrack of those years for me. It was a mini-bus, only 8 double seats, and there were so few of us going to the school from my area that pick up was in front of the house and we all got our own seats. I'd doze off in the mornings and be woken up when we arrived at school.

 High School was even further away - 26 miles which took an hour (at least) in the local traffic. My father drove us and two family friends every day. Mornings were spent sleeping in the back seat, and afternoons were spent listening to AM talk radio (my father was a big fan of Bob Grant). This was until I was in 10th grade and the older of the two boys in the other family got his license, and a Nissan 300zx. We had some epic rides to and from school and hockey practice in that car, and often took the longer route on emptier roads so we could hit 90-100MPH. 

Over the years I have often looked back at that time in my life and appreciate the dedication my father had to be on time, every day, to shuttle us back and forth from school - all while maintaining a full work schedule. My father taught us all about dedication and hard work by personal example. 

[Amanda Barber]

Great topic! 

From Kindergarten through second grade, I walked to school from my grandparents' house, which was about four blocks away. At the time, we were also allowed to walk home for lunch. We walked on sidewalks and had crossing guards at the one, busy intersection. We also lived a few blocks away from that school, but my grandma watched me before and after school, as well as my baby brother.

In third grade, we moved to a neighboring suburb. The schools offered bussing, so I took the bus most days until 4th-6th grade, where I could ride my bike to school on nice weather days.  I believe that school was about a mile away. 

The middle and high schools were in one big, combined school, and I had to ride the bus to and from school for most of those years. I only had my license my senior year and paid for parking so I could leave early for work. 🚗

[Barbara Szczesniak]

For the first 2.5 months of kindergarten, I went to public school, since the Catholic school started with 1st grade. We lived pretty close, so I had to walk to school, which included a tunnel under a 4-lane road. I was 4 at the time, but my mom had 3 younger kids at home, so I did this by myself. One day, my 2-year-old sister followed me, and my mom had to bring the other 2 to come get her. (It was a different time—no one would allow their child to do this nowadays!)

My remaining school years were spent in 3 places in upstate New York, where, thankfully, we always lived far enough from the school that we took a school bus that stopped within 3 houses of ours. I remember my dad using the snowblower to clear the sidewalk from our house to the corner bus stop. We could see the bus coming around the block between the houses across the street, so we could run out at the last minute!

[Shannon Gagliardi]

WOW! I grew up in the country. So I was so lucky to have a bus take me back & forth to catholic school. No AC or Heat like they have these days

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM]

When in Elementary school I lived just under a mile and a half from the school.  The rule was everyone under a mile and a half had to walk to school everyone else rode a bus.  The bus stop for the kids who lived just up the street from me was located between my house and the school.  Each day I rode my bike past a dozen or so kids waiting for the bus.  The upside was I got home about 30 minutes before the bus managed to drop everyone off.

[Dan Breyen]

For Elementary and Middle School, I took the school bus every day.  I stared out the window and watched the route that I pretty much had it memorized.  Pretty much the same route every day, although sometimes the bus driver did it backwards.  Bus drivers need to have some fun too!

[Brant Schroeder]

I lived two blocks from the schools I used to just walk the two blocks and I was there.  Once they added another entrance to the playfield I only had to walk a block and then could enter the playfield for morning recess so it made my walk shorter.

[Vronik]

I lived very far from school and honestly I was lucky that my parents were always able to take me
It was also a pleasant moment because we always took the opportunity to talk and plan things.
I miss those times when I could share with them

[ABR]

Ah! School Days! @Kristján Geir Mathiesen Those were the truly fun years!

From Kindergarten through Primary, I used to go to school by hand pulled cart (known as Rickshaw, it is almost extinct in my city now, but is still considered one of its most nostalgic icons) with my Mom! When I became about 10 years, I started going alone by the carts.

From junior high to end of senior high, I walked to and from school since we lived less than a km away. However, on the way, I never forgot to get myself 4 hot and fresh, mini jalebis from a small shop. By the end of a few days, I found my order already neatly packed for me, even before I reached the shop! I still remember their taste!

[Svenja Lorenzen]

I was always lucky enough to live within walking distance of the kindergarten or school. I would have been even quicker if I had ridden my bike, but I preferred to walk.

[Laurie Sciutti]

Awww.  @Amanda Barber ~ so cute!!

K, 1st and part of 2nd grade I walked with my big sister - .4 miles each way.  Then later part of 2nd grade through 6, I rode the bus because we moved to another city and my new school was across town.

Middle school ~ walked.  It was 1.3 miles each way.

High school ~ walked.  It was 1.5 miles each way.  This one was tough with all the massive books I had to carry.

Now if you ask my parents about THEIR route, it was uphill (BOTH ways - not sure how THAT'S possible), in the snow!  😆

[Kristján Geir Mathiesen]

You guys are great! Thanks for sharing these fun memories with the rest of us. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

Hope y'all are having a fantastic weekend!

@Fanney_Magnusdottir frábært að "hitta" þig hér í Community'inu :)

[Alex G]

My parents always took me to school, and we would listen to music and sing together in the car. We have many fond memories from that time.

[Rilwan Ahmed]

I was brought up in a small village in India. I had to take public bus for 4KM and then catch the school bus to travel 4 more KM. If I miss the school bus, then used to walk 4 KM.