Throwback Thursday: Summer Lessons & Long Vac Memories

Every childhood has its golden chapters and in Nigeria, one of the most unforgettable is the long vacation holiday. Those weeks were more than just a break from school, they were a culture, a vibe and a rite of passage rolled into one.

It always began with that final school bell, freedom unlocked! But just as the excitement kicked in, parents would whisper the words that shattered every child’s joy: “You’ll still go for summer lessons”. Suddenly, the “holiday” felt like an extension of the school term, only this time in home clothes and with teachers who somehow became stricter.

Yet, summer lessons had their perks. Break time puff-puff tasted better, gists flowed easier and friendships grew stronger. Some even had their first “holiday crush” while pretending to pay attention during mathematics. And who else remembers sneaking out during break to buy ice cream from that one hawker who had perfect timing? Legendary!

Then came the real long vac fun—the part everyone waited for. Mornings with Tom & Jerry, Powerpuff Girls, or Super Story reruns. Afternoons meant endless neighborhood games: ten-ten, skipping ropes or football matches where the ball was sometimes a bundle of socks. Evenings? Eating rice while praying NEPA wouldn’t take light just as your favorite program started.

Not forgeting the holiday trips, visiting grandma’s house where cousins turned the compound into a mini stadium or those “holiday skills” parents forced us into: computer typing lessons, bead making, tailoring apprenticeships or home economics crash courses. Some of us still use the skills, for others the bead necklaces never saw the light of day again.

At the heart of it all, long vac wasn’t just a holiday. It was laughter, discovery, gist and memories that shaped us. Whether you loved summer lessons or loathed them, every Nigerian child carries a piece of those long vac days in their heart.

Throwback Mantra: Summer lessons sharpened us, long vac freed us, but together, they made childhood unforgettable.