21 things all former Girl Scouts understand

We all know when it’s time for Girl Scout Cookie season. We patiently await the day we can finally get our hands on a box of crazy delicious Thin Mints. But there’s more to the Girl Scouts of the USA than addictive desserts, it’s a pretty amazing organization that teaches girls how to be confident, powerful women.

Today is National Girl Scout Day, and this is the perfect time for all former Girl Scouts to reflect on what their badges taught them. And even if you stored your sash away years ago, there are just some things a troop member never forgets.

That the day you joined the Girl Scouts of the USA  (and received your shiny new sash) was better than Christmas.

So many badges to earn, so little time.

In the adult world, meetings are terribly boring time-wasters you’d rather avoid. In Girl Scout world, troop meetings are just a extra hour after school to hang out with your besties.

And trust me, you NEED that extra hour to fully analyze Jenny’s crush on Kyle and to plan your next sleepover.

Getting a new badge = winning an Olympic gold medal.

“I’d like to thank everyone who supported me throughout my journey to earn this First Aid badge. I would especially like to thank my dog for helping me perfect my bandaging technique. I’m sorry I spent three hours covering you in gauze.”

The appropriate way to attach such a badge to your sash/vest involved an iron and a serious amount of skill.

Get an adult to help you iron on your badges, or forever regret it. Short-cut methods like fabric glue are a recipe for disaster, or worse, an uneven badge.

Organizing your badges on your vest felt like a high stakes game of Tetris.

You can’t put two “Outdoors” badges right next to each other, they look too similar!

Moving up a level felt like a transition into real adulthood.

Now that I’ve transitioned from Brownie to Junior, do I have to start filing my own taxes?

Having your mom as Troop Leader was the absolute best.

Getting to help your mom plan the troop’s activities? Total win.

 Having your mom as Troop Leader could also be the absolute worst.

Why would she bring your embarrassing baby pictures on the camping trip? Why?!

The countdown to cookie season kept you awake at night.

Must. Sell. Thin. Mints. NOW.

And the moment you got your cookie order form in hand, you were ready to hit the pavement and start knocking on doors.

And even though it didn’t always work out, you never got discouraged.

You knew exactly what neighbors to hit up for those big money orders.

Here’s to facilitating your uncle’s Thin Mints addiction for years to come.

And even though you weren’t supposed to show favoritism, there was definitely one cookie that held a special place in your heart.

Real talk, Thin Mints were way too mainstream. Samoas all day, everyday.

You’re extremely wary of the fact that people can now order Girl Scout cookies online.

“What?! But pulling a wagon around your neighborhood for hours builds character! And what about the thrill of the chase? Kids these days have it so easy.” – Every former Girl Scout the second they heard about online ordering.

And while you lived for collecting cookie orders, you would have been fine without the dreaded cookie delivery.

How are there this many boxes? Nobody told me this job required manual labor.

But it’s not all about the cookies, being a Girl Scout meant being in the company of some pretty amazing ladies.

Taylor Swift? Hillary Clinton? Katie Couric? That’s right, all Girl Scouts.

Even your favorite fictional characters get down with the Girl Scout values.

Leslie Knope and her Pawnee Goddesses? Obviously inspired by the Girl Scouts.

Forget about the Spice Girls, the Girl Scouts basically invented #GirlPower.

Juliette Gordon Low established the first Girl Scout troop in 1912. She wanted to give girls the chance to get out of their home environments and grow as women. Gordon and her troop hiked, played basketball, and went camping. You go girl!

Being a part of the Girl Scouts means supporting amazing causes that help women and girls everywhere.

Did you know that the Girl Scouts of the USA creates a Federal Legislative Agenda? This agenda includes “increasing girls’ involvement in science, technology, engineering, and math” and “strengthening financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills.”

Although you were always trying to earn new badges and sell a ton of cookies, it was never a competition. Being a Girl Scout is all about supporting your friends.

“I’ll help you earn your Photography badge if you help me with my Camping badge. My tent keeps collapsing on top of me.”

The day you finally retired your sash and badges felt like the end of an era.

You suddenly find yourself fighting back tears every time you eat a Shortbread.

But when you think about the courage, confidence, and character you gained while Girl Scouting, you remember these lessons make you a Girl Scout for life.

And that’s something to celebrate. Happy National Girl Scout Day!

(Images via here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.)