Sullen Teenager Williamsburg Trip(s)

Many (many) years ago my parents kindly planned a lovely trip to the beach for their family of 7.  And on the way to the beach, they sweetly decided to stop and give their children the opportunity of viewing the quaint town of Williamsburg and briefly tour the campus of William and Mary College.

Unfortunately for them, I was about 16 years old and thought traveling with all my younger siblings was a total pain.  Any extra stops or detours along the route were loudly and incessantly protested by me, and I thought the Williamsburg stop would be especially boring and awful.

But then it wasn't and, once I pulled out of my sullenness, I actually kind of liked it.  So much so, in fact, that I actually decided to apply to William and Mary for grad school years later.

So this year, having our own family beach trip planned, and realizing the route would take us relatively close to Williamsburg, I thought it would be nice to give my children the opportunity to view the quaint town of Williamsburg and briefly tour the campus of William and Mary College.

Unfortunately for us, we now have a teenager.  And he loudly protested this detour and stop over and over and over.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I heard the exact same words coming out of his mouth that once came out of mine decades ago.  The only difference was that this time I was in the front seat (which really is so much better).  :)

So we dragged him and all his siblings to this awful place....  and then it turned out they all enjoyed the evening.  Even the teenager pulled himself out of his sullenness enough to realize that he really liked it.  So much so, in fact, that he announced that he might like to apply to William and Mary College someday.

Colsen got some words of advice

Williamsburg, you win.  Again.

And maybe in about 25 years Strider will be dragging his own sullen teenagers to visit your quaint streets.  One can only hope.