Facing his fear of heights, Principal Jim Condon looks down and smiles feeling accomplished. Photo by: Zandra Norris

By Zandra Norris

Everyone seems to have embarrassing moments at one time or another. In the end it may not be as bad as it seems. Tears can turn to laughter and embarrassment to cherished memories.

People everywhere enjoy entertainment and laughter and after searching for people’s stories and embarrassing memories, Mrs. Michele Holloway retells her story of when she was 16 years old. She says, “I wanted my eyebrows to look better, and I didn’t want to pluck them, so I thought Nair would work. When I rinsed it off I had no eyebrows left!” Mrs. Holloway said that she handled the situation by wearing a baseball cap so nobody would notice.

Freshman Bailey Clark’s experience was a little bit different. “During a baseball game when I was around nine years old, I tripped over first base.” Everyone has a different reaction to their embarrassing moments. Clark said, “I just laughed with them, because I knew it was all I could do.” Clark states that he is not easily embarrassed and, “I’m very outgoing, but if I could relive that moment again, I would step on the base and not trip over it.”

Junior Faith Read’s reply was very different. Read said, “sadly yes, I am easily embarrassed. Whenever I mess up I always think that people are staring at me.”

“People who know me can say that I’m not easy to embarrass.” stated Freshman Cheyenne McIntire.

Freshman Max Holloway’s reply was a bit different. Holloway explained why things embarrass him and if he would try to do anything different if he could redo his experience. “ Because my friends will bring it up a lot and it is something that cramps my style. I would redo nothing, embarrassment is a good life experience.”

Junior April Hampton’s experience is one that could be seen on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Hampton retells her story by saying, “When I was younger, six students were picked each day to walk kindergartners to their buses. I got picked that day, and while on the way to go get kindergartners, I put my book-bag on, and without realizing, my skirt had gotten caught on it. When a teacher looked to open a door to monitor the hallway, the woman pulled me aside and told me the whole story. Everyone who walked behind me could see my underwear, and it just happened that I was picked with a group of boys, who happened to walk behind me that day.” stated April Hampton. Hampton said that she would not would change anything about her experience because “humor always makes a situation less embarrassing.”

“I’ve had my moment of embarrassment when I ripped my pants in the middle of class one day.” said Dominic Hawkins.

Senior Lindsey Holloway’s embarrassing memory happened her freshman year. During the Variety Show, she ran out on stage before it was time and found herself in front of the audience waiting on the rest of her class to join her.

“My most embarrassing moment happened in Washington D.C. I was walking with my mom down the street to go to a tour that was going on this afternoon. While we where walking, I decided to pull my hair back, next thing I know I’m on the ground. I had walked right in to a metal box hanging on the sidewalk. I sat there stunned for 10 minutes before my mom could get me to walk,” said Junior Bailey Back. She also stated, “I’m only embarrassed when my parents try to act like teenagers, but it’s okay because I love them!”

Mr. Jim Condon states that he has had many embarrassing moments unfortunately, but the one he remembers most is the day at King’s Island. Mr. Condon retells his story saying, “At 18 years of age, my brother and I took our girlfriends, and they wanted to ride the ‘Beast’ roller coaster. I knew nothing about the coaster least of all that at the bottom of the first hill was a black hole which lead to an underground tunnel. I was/am scared of heights but didn’t want to admit it at the time. We boarded the coaster, got to the top of the first hill and when I saw how steep the drop was coupled with the fact that we were going to go through what looked like a pin hole, I began to yell, scream, and probably almost knocked my girlfriend, who is now my wife by the way, out of the cart. It was ‘every man for himself’ at the moment” Mr. Condon was asked how he handled the situation and he said, “ I just went with it.” On the other hand, he stated that he would not do anything differently unless he just chose not to ride the ride.

Not every experience can be placed on television and set on record to watch later, but after the embarrassment turns to laughter, the experience can be remembered and cherished forever. With every experience is a lesson learned. The greatest lesson of life, at least in this case, would be to live every moment to the fullest while laughing at mistakes made and keep those cherished memories close. In the end, all the memories could help someone else who is in need of a little laugh.