Class Trips and Adventurous: Memories Outside the Classroom

 

Looking back at my school years, one of the most exciting parts was the class trips. Those little escapes from the classroom that gifted us laughter, friendships, and memories we still carry in our hearts. Though I was quite young during my early school years, I still remember some of the trips from Grades 1 to 4. We visited the harbour, a few companies to see how they worked, the Botanical Gardens, the Planetarium, the Colombo Museum, and some nearby parks. Those were the days of childlike wonder, where even the smallest adventure felt huge.

Things got more memorable from Grade 5 onwards. After our scholarship exam, we went on a trip to Anuradhapura. It felt like a celebration of freedom, filled with joy and excitement.

 Grade 6 took us to Kandy, which is one of the most unforgettable trips in my entire school life. We visited the Temple of the Tooth, Sura Saradiyal Gammanaya, and other places. In the evening, we explored the Peradeniya Botanical Garden, played around, took photos, and laughed without limits .It was pure fun.

Grade 7 brought us to Polonnaruwa, where we explored many ancient temples. One special memory was when two foreigners spoke to me and my trip partner, Pesandi  a surprising and exciting moment for both of us. On the way back, we had a funny yet unforgettable situation when our ICT sir’s watermelon went missing and everyone was searching the bus for it. However, the trip had a moment of fear too, one of our classmates got accidentally injured while dancing in the bus. Everything stopped. No more singing, no more joy ,we just waited, worried. But when he returned from the hospital with our teacher and saw our sad faces, he smiled and said, "Why is everyone looking so sorrowful? It doesn’t even hurt! Let’s enjoy!" Just like that, we all lit up again, and the fun continued.

In Grade 8, we climbed the majestic Sigiriya Rock. Standing on top, admiring the view, we felt proud of our heritage. Our male classmates even helped us girls climb safely. We also visited Balumgala that day, making the adventure even richer.

Grade 9 took us to Yapahuwa, another enjoyable destination. In Grade 10, we were supposed to go on a two-day trip, but sadly, we canceled it because of our class teacher’s illness. We were offered another teacher to go with, but none of us wanted that. Out of respect and unity, even our batchmates who weren’t in our class decided not to go. That decision alone showed how bonded we were.

Grade 11 gave us a joyful trip to Matale, and Grade 12 was the highlight of all a three days trip to Kurunegala. We had fun activities, adventurous moments, dancing, singing, and even a touching session about Holy Communion that deeply moved us all.

We were split into groups, and my group was called Chandi Bandi. We had to decorate our group leaders with newspaper costumes — one became King Wimaladharmasuriya and the other Queen Kusumasana! Funny enough, those two later became our college captains in Grade 13 .

Each team brought something unique. one group dressed their girl as a boy and a boy as a girl, another turned into Cleopatra and Caesar , and their acting was next level! Though we didn’t win, at the end we all danced and celebrated together, forgetting the teams. It felt like the after-party of a sports meet.Just unity, fun, and love.

Now, when I see buses full of students on their way to school trips, I can’t help but smile (and feel a little emotional). I remember how we laughed, danced, shared food, cared for one another, and created memories that time can never erase. Those days are gone, our time has passed… but in my heart, those trips are still alive, just like the songs we sang on the bus.