IT’S THAT TIME of year again folks.  College exams are wrapping up and students across Ireland are preparing to head off on their Summer adventures.

For some that will mean staying at home, others will travel across Europe, but many will make use of the fabled J1 visa and go to America.

Those who do will undoubtedly remember their experience (or bits of it anyway) forever, so today we’re taking a look back at the J1 memories that will stay with you forever.

Emotional goodbyes

You’d swear you were moving to Timbuktu for twenty years by the way your mam carried on.

Imgur

Sharing a house with 500 people

And hopping out the back window/door to hide when the landlord visited.

Image via Photocall Ireland

Speaking more Irish than you ever have in your life

Image via Shutterstock

Responding to stupid questions from Americans

Image via Flickr/Moward

Convincing Americans that ridiculous facts about Ireland are true

For sport, like.

Image via Imgur

Buying everything Abercrombie and Hollister had to sell

You couldn’t get it at home after all.

Flickr/thinkretail

The American accent you come home with

It’s like you can’t even see people’s eyes rolling.

Sudden allegiance to American sports teams

Flickr/Chicago Man

Refusing to refer to places by their full name.

Finding your fake ID doesn’t work

And suddenly realising you should have listened to people’s advice about not going until you were 21.

Lastfm

If you were 21, people laughing at your flimsy driving license

‘But it’s just a folded up piece of pink paper!’

This is Maureen from Ballykissangel’s driver’s license.  You can buy it if you like! Propstore

Arriving home with a brand new CD collection

‘Wait, you’ve never even heard of Train?’

Telling people you were Colin Farrell’s cousin/brother/mate

See also: Bono

‘That’s us there!  Yeah, my hair was different then alright.‘  Matt Sayles/AP/Press Association Images

Somehow holding down a job despite chronic lateness and ineptitude

Having the super-human ability to drink 86 days in a row

You can’t even fathom it now, can you?

Image via Flickr/Falling Sky

Hot dogs becoming a staple of your diet

What are your longstanding memories of your J1 Summer?  Tell us in the comments.

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