We all know that summer vacation never truly starts until the PNE opens. You can go to the beach or go camping as many times as you want, but you're not living your summer to the fullest until you pass through those turnstiles. The second you're in it's an instant crowd of sweaty, sunburnt people complaining about prices and repeatedly losing fair games. People are getting cranky, children are screaming, and someone just puked on the hot pavement, but somehow none of that matters. Somehow, despite all of this, you just know that you're going to have the best time ever. 1. Knowing that the wooden rollercoaster is absolutely going to make you suffer, but going on it ten times in a row anyways. Because nothing says “fun” like moderate whiplash and the feeling of imminent death. Can the metal lap bar really keep you safe? Probably not. Are the bruises from being thrown around really worth it? Nah. Am I going to ride it again? Absolutely. Photo cred - @weheartit 2. Eating mini donuts until you puke. Your stomach is begging you to stop, but for some reason you just can’t quit shoving them into your mouth at lightning speeds. Bonus points if you eat the sugar in the bottom of the bag after. Shameful, but still delicious. Photo cred- @weheartit 3. Being forced to choose between paying ten bucks for a drink, and dying of dehydration. There is literally a McDonald's up the street where you know you can get a drink for a dollar, but somehow you always get suckered in to buying one of those fancy huge plastic bottles that they sell. At least it has a crazy straw. Photo cred- @maythephotobewithyou 4. Getting awful seats at SuperDogs. There are few things more heartbreaking in life than when your crew isn't as dedicated to SuperDogs as you are. It’s a known fact that you have to get there crazy early to get decent seats, which is of course super necessary if you want to be the first in line to pet the dogs once the show is over. Photo cred- @pne_playland 5. Realizing you left your phone in your pocket right before you go over the huge drop on the log ride. There’s no going back now. You’re hurtling into the water below, and there’s a flash as the camera captures the exact moment you realize your life is over. Not only is your phone dead now, but the water has most likely strategically landed on your pants to make it look like you wet yourself too. Photo cred- @attentionvan 6. Spending tons of money trying to win a bad quality stuffed animal that you know you would never buy under any other circumstances. Would you really pay $60 for the cheap stuffed gorilla if you saw it at Walmart? Probably not, yet here you are trying to get an impossibly small ring on to a bottle in hopes of winning something that you’ll immediately forget about in 48 hours. Photo cred- @weheartit 7. Wanting to steal every animal at the petting zoo. The temptation to just start throwing piglets and baby chicks into my purse is too real. I’d even take a baby goat if it would fit. Photo cred - @momonamatame 8. Wearing flip flops on literally any ride that spins. The second you get on, any chance of fun immediately goes straight out the window. You’re now completely consumed with trying to keep your shoes from flying off and smacking a child in the face. 9. Knowing very well that most of the games are probably rigged, but playing them anyways for unknown reasons. The basketball hoops are ovals instead of circles so that you can’t actually score at all, something that is clearly visible from the side. However, there’s still a constant line up to play as people try over and over again to prove that they’re the Shaq of the PNE. Unless you can somehow defy physics, that dream is never, ever going to come true. Photo cred- @weheartit 10. Always wanting to get one of those cool airbrush tattoos, but never being able to justify such a such a purchase. Fifteen bucks just to wash off in the shower? Definitely not. As super cool as the various tribal print arm bands and moderately tacky dolphins are, there is no way I’m paying $15 for something that’s going to wash off in the shower. Follow us on Snapchat: narcityvan
