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March 21, 2017
Education/Schools

“I used to pee my pants when i stood in front of my 3rd grade class. It cost me my teaching career”

A school joke is: "I used to pee my pants every time I stood in front of my 3rd grade class. It cost me my teaching career." The joke was posted on Reddit -- Jokes on March 23, 2016.…

October 22, 2019
Education/Schools

“I used to walk five miles to and from school, uphill both ways” (parent joke)

Parents often say that their kids have it easy. As an example, they sometimes exaggerate how difficult it was for them to walk to school. They walked miles -- and it was uphill both ways! The joke…

April 14, 2018
Education/Schools

“I wanted to marry my jailed English teacher, but you can’t end a sentence with a proposition”

Students studying English are often told not to end a sentence with a preposition. The joke about a jailed English teacher having a marriage offer to "end a sentence with a proposition"…

September 14, 2017
Education/Schools

“I was afraid I might fail my fireworks exam, but I passed with flying colors”

Students who pass an exam easily are said to do so "with flying colors." It's sometimes joked that the test was a fireworks exam. "Just passed the fireworks inspection with…

June 30, 2014
Education/Schools

“I was an honor student—I don’t know what happened” (bumper sticker)

"I was an honor student -- I don't know what happened" is a popular bumper sticker. The bumper sticker is a parody of the "My child is an honor student" bumper stickers.…

September 2, 2017
Education/Schools

“I was doing my vocabulary homework when suddenly I felt dizzy. I had to sit for a spell”

A pun about vocabulary homework is: "I was doing my vocabulary homework when suddenly I felt dizzy. I had to sit for a spell." The joke was posted on Reddit -- 3amjokes on September 2,…

July 19, 2016
Education/Schools

“I was going to join the debating team, but somebody talked me out of it”

A joke about the debating club is: "In university, I was going to join the debating team, but someone talked me out of it." Canadian comedian Stewart Francis has told the one-line joke in…

October 16, 2025
Education/Schools

“I was gutted today when I came home and was told by my wife that my 5-year-old son wasn’t actually mine…”

Fathers can be pretty bad at picking up a child at school, and there's a joke about this. "When I came home I was told by my wife that my 5-year-old son wasn't mine. She was right I…

October 16, 2025
Education/Schools

“I was horrified when my wife told me that my six-year-old son wasn’t mine. Apparently I need to pay more attention during school pickup”

Fathers can be pretty bad at picking up a child at school, and there's a joke about this. "When I came home I was told by my wife that my 5-year-old son wasn't mine. She was right I…

June 3, 2024
Education/Schools

“I was kicked out of math class for one too many infractions”

"Infractions" shouldn't be confused with "in fractions," but there are jokes. "I was kicked out of math class for one too many infractions. Pun of the Day…

August 25, 2022
Education/Schools

“I was terrible at spelling when I was at school. Brilliant at jografy, though”

"I was terrible at spelling when I was at school.Brilliant at mattermattics, though. http://bit.ly/1mM33vw via @sickipedia" was posted on Twitter by Fresh Stand Up on December 28, 2015.…

August 25, 2022
Education/Schools

“I was terrible at spelling when I was at school. Brilliant at mattermattics, though”

"I was terrible at spelling when I was at school.Brilliant at mattermattics, though. http://bit.ly/1mM33vw via @sickipedia" was posted on Twitter by Fresh Stand Up on December 28, 2015.…

May 22, 2020
Education/Schools

“I was thinking of studying astronomy, but I fear it’s all way over my head”

The stars are over our heads, but what about the study of astronomy? "RT @monkjail: I was thinking of studying astronomy, but I fear it's all a bit over my head" was posted on…

March 3, 2023
Education/Schools

“I was thrown out of music school for plagiarism. I didn’t steal songs; I was just taking notes”

"Taking notes" usually means "making notes," not "taking" or "stealing" them. Several jokes involve music school and music "notes." "I once…

March 18, 2023
Education/Schools

“I was told there would be no math”

"It was my understanding that there would be no math" (or "I was told there would be no math") is a saying that has been printed on many images. It is a line that a student…

September 15, 2019
Education/Schools

“I was very young when I learned to count. It was odd at first, even then”

Numbers are alternatively odd and even. "I was only young when I learned to count. It was odd at first, even then" was posted on Twitter by Lee Evans (and others) on April 13, 2011.…

November 6, 2017
Education/Schools

“I was walking through college and my camouflage teacher said I haven’t seen you in class”

Some students skip class, but then run into the professor on the college campus. American stand-up comedian Emo Phillips made a joke: "I was in ROTC in college. I was walking across campus and…

June 9, 2020
Education/Schools

“I washed my hands so much due to COVID-19 that my exam notes from 1995 resurfaced”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic caused many people to was their hands frequently. "I washed my hands so much due to #CODVID19, that my exam notes from 1995 resurfaced" was posted on…

February 17, 2024
Education/Schools

“I went to school for magicians, but failed the final exam. They were all trick questions”

A "trick question" shouldn't be confused with a question about tricks, but there are jokes. "Why did the students flunk the final exam at the Magician's School? They were…

August 22, 2012
Education/Schools

“I went to school to become a wit—only got halfway through”

A half-wit is a foolish or imbecilic person. "I went to school to become a wit -- only got halfway through" is a jocular saying that has been cited in print since at least 1999 and is of…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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