We’re all collectors of misadventure merit badges — those important life lessons we learn when things go sideways. I’d love to hear about your blunderful experiences and what they taught you!
To submit a story, fill out the form below. And each month, I’ll feature a selection of them here on Badge of Awesome.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Shorter is better. Try to keep your submission under 750 words.
- Your submission should be a true story (i.e., not fiction).
- Profound is great, but avoid getting too heavy. As a humour site, we’re looking for stories that may not have been funny at the time but can be laughed at in hindsight.
- Be sure to include a little life lesson about what the experience taught you. For inspiration, check out other stories on the site.
- Great stories don’t require exotic locations. Everyday misadventures make great fodder for submissions.
Although we review every submission, not every story will be published on Badge of Awesome. However, by submitting your story, you’re agreeing to let us publish it on this website. And if we do feature it, we’ll be sure to send you a link!
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at joshmartinink@gmail.com.
Looking for inspiration? Check out these other stories.
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Ride a 400-metre Jungle Waterslide: Costa Rica
Waterslides aren’t always awesome. Take for instance the “waterslides” I used to play on as a kid: a length of cheap plastic stretched across our gently sloping lawn and a garden hose.
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Build a Human Foosball game
In recent years the “dude-that’s-awesome” factor at my extended family’s Thanksgiving get-togethers has increased 10-fold. Why? Two words: human foosball. You may have seen this Backyard Badge recipient at a corporate event or summer festival. But as my Aunt Jackie and Uncle Art demonstrated, there’s nothing stopping you from bringing it to your own backyard.
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Share your message with sidewalk chalk
What’s cheap, dusty and awesome all over? If you think sidewalk chalk is only good for hopscotch, tic tac toe or draw boobies on Old Man McCallum’s driveway with your grade school chum, think again.
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Sip Gin at the Stilted Village: Nzulezo, Ghana
I’ve woken up in my fair share of strange places after a night of drinking. But looking out my window at 6 am and seeing this has got to be one of the strangest. And, incidentally, one of the most awesome.
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Put on a Flash Mob
Flash mobs have become wildly popular in recent years. And for good reason. They’re fun, unexpected and can be an effective way to grab people’s attention. As such, a kick-ass flash mob can be a great way to raise awareness about your charitable cause or event. I got to participate in a flash mob in […]
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Grow ideas in the garden of your mind
Mr. Rogers wasn’t exactly “cool”. He was soft-spoken, wore cardigans and had a trolley running through his living room. Odds are you’d never see him on the cover of GQ. No, he wasn’t cool. But MAN was he awesome.