--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hey, things like that happen at the…" description: "\"“Hey, things like that happen at the Academy too,” I insisted, almost triumphantly. “Last year the freezers failed so there was no ice for”—the wind we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/554/gordon-korman-3400_last-year_hey-things-like-that-happen-at-the-acade_1340933.jpg" --- # Hey, things like that happen at the Academy too,” I… ![“Hey, things like that happen at the Academy too,” I insisted, almost triumphantly. “Last year the freezers failed so there was no ice for”—the wind went out of my sails as I realized how lame this was going to sound—“the sushi bar.” He nodded sympathetically. “You guys should get T-shirts made…” quote by Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/554/gordon-korman-3400_last-year_hey-things-like-that-happen-at-the-acade_1340933.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/554/gordon-korman-3400_last-year_hey-things-like-that-happen-at-the-acade_1340933.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/554/gordon-korman-3400_last-year_hey-things-like-that-happen-at-the-acade_1340933.jpg) > ““Hey, things like that happen at the Academy too,” I insisted, almost triumphantly. “Last year the freezers failed so there was no ice for”—the wind went out of my sails as I realized how lame this was going to sound—“the sushi bar.” He nodded sympathetically. “You guys should get T-shirts made. You know: I Survived the Sushi Crisis.”” [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous anecdote about turning a minor mishap into a bragging right, highlighting youthful bravado and the desire for recognition. **In simple terms:** Turning a small failure into a boast. Key Takeaway Embrace humor, but stay authentic. Themes humor pride youth recognition Mood playful lighthearted confident Type anecdotal motivational When to use this quote - school projects - team events - personal setbacks - marketing ideas Key Concepts bragging self‑image social validation Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn setbacks into positive stories? - When is it better to stay modest? A Different Perspective May appear trivial or self‑indulgent to others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Academy Insisted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academy-insisted-4530536/) [Bar Nodded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bar-nodded-4530537/) [Last year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-year/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Survived Sushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survived-sushi-4530535/) [Sushi Bar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sushi-bar-1858920/) [Sushi Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sushi-crisis-4530534/) ## Related quotes > [I was in a sushi bar and it dawned on me - how could I discriminate between a cow and a fish?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carre-otis/i-was-in-a-sushi-bar-and-it-dawned-on-me-how-could-i-discriminate/) [Carre Otis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carre-otis/) > [New outfit!!! I'm out to uni-sushi bar!! hehe anyone wanna come? :p](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/new-outfit-i-m-out-to-uni-sushi-bar-hehe-anyone-wanna-come-p/) [Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [In fact one of the main reasons I head out to Los Angeles quite a bit is because they have the most amazing sushi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chesney-hawkes/in-fact-one-of-the-main-reasons-i-head-out-to-los-angeles-quite-a-bit/) [Chesney Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chesney-hawkes/) > [“Leonardo believed his research had the potential to convert millions to a more spiritual life. Last year he categorically proved the existence of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/leonardo-believed-his-research-had-the-potential-to-convert-millions/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [The terrorists who committed the 2003 Istanbul attacks were locals, that is, Turks. And when filmmaker Theo van Gogh was murdered in the Netherlands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-schily/the-terrorists-who-committed-the-2003-istanbul-attacks-were-locals/) [Otto Schily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-schily/) > [Astrology is knocking at the gates of our universities: A Tübingen professor has switched over to astrology and a course on astrology was given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/astrology-is-knocking-at-the-gates-of-our-universities-a-t-bingen/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [“The arbutus is now open everywhere in the woods and groves. How pleasant it is to meet the same flowers year after year! If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fenimore-cooper/the-arbutus-is-now-open-everywhere-in-the-woods-and-groves-how/) [Susan Fenimore Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fenimore-cooper/) > [Well, as you know, General Motors does not make hybrids. Ford only made 4,000 hybrids last year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-markey/well-as-you-know-general-motors-does-not-make-hybrids-ford-only-made/) [Ed Markey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-markey/) > [We have reached the point where we can lose a game or two and not drop out of sight in the rankings. I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/we-have-reached-the-point-where-we-can-lose-a-game-or-two-and-not/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [ \[Fighting for equality for women\] that's what my mission has been for the last years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/fighting-for-equality-for-women-that-s-what-my-mission-has-been-for/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [So, in the last year, the whole cast sued for release from our contracts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-rettig/so-in-the-last-year-the-whole-cast-sued-for-release-from-our-contracts/) [Tommy Rettig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-rettig/) > [Memories seem to surface in no particular order, with no time attached. Yesterday can seem as distant as last year. My life now consists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-olsson/memories-seem-to-surface-in-no-particular-order-with-no-time-attached/) [Linda Olsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-olsson/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) > [There were times last year when people looked at the scoreboard and thought my batting average was the temperature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-martinez/there-were-times-last-year-when-people-looked-at-the-scoreboard-and/) [Buck Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-martinez/) > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) ## More by Gordon Korman > [“He should earn a puffy-tail for helping and lose it for being mean,” Parker puts in. “At least then he breaks even.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/he-should-earn-a-puffy-tail-for-helping-and-lose-it-for-being-mean/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Hamilton was bug-eyed. "Who are those people?" Jonah held his head. "Man, I should have known it was a mistake to say I'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/hamilton-was-bug-eyed-who-are-those-people-jonah-held-his-head-man-i/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“After so many reversals of fortune today, they half expected a meteorite to hurtle from the sky and vaporize them if they dared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/after-so-many-reversals-of-fortune-today-they-half-expected-a/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [For someone who's smarter than a supercomputer, sometimes you're a real idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/for-someone-who-s-smarter-than-a-supercomputer-sometimes-you-re-a/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Why can't you just lie and cheat like the others?" Dan snapped. "Can't you just see that's better than being nice one minute and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/why-can-t-you-just-lie-and-cheat-like-the-others-dan-snapped-can-t/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Dear Mr. Weston, Hello again. We were beginning to wonder what had happened to you. I guess things have been pretty quiet since the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/dear-mr-weston-hello-again-we-were-beginning-to-wonder-what-had/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Amy took in the inspired look on her brother’s face. “That’s stealing!” Dan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/amy-took-in-the-inspired-look-on-her-brother-s-face-that-s-stealing/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [Ian sighed wanly. "I once had the means to be gaga over art–before I found myself in a country where the standard of beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/ian-sighed-wanly-i-once-had-the-means-to-be-gaga-over-art-before-i/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“She was salted in the ladies’ room?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/she-was-salted-in-the-ladies-room/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“It was no place for a Kabra, not even a poor one living in exile with a psychopathic cat. He approached the counter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/it-was-no-place-for-a-kabra-not-even-a-poor-one-living-in-exile-with/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [The key to the city of Florence was about two feet long, and painted a garish gold. Hamilton was fascinated by it. "Wow! How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/the-key-to-the-city-of-florence-was-about-two-feet-long-and-painted-a/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [We didn't stow away!" Dan protested. "You sunk our boat and pulled us out of the canal!" "Good point," Ian agreed. "Return them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/we-didn-t-stow-away-dan-protested-you-sunk-our-boat-and-pulled-us-out/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“You did a politics project on a government that got overthrown on the due date? Man, did anybody ever tell you you've got no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/you-did-a-politics-project-on-a-government-that-got-overthrown-on-the/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“It's like Eldridge Kestenbaum always says - you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." "Horse manure catches more flies than honey and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/it-s-like-eldridge-kestenbaum-always-says-you-catch-more-flies-with/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [Art theft gave a guy an appetite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/art-theft-gave-a-guy-an-appetite/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) [Explore all 130 Gordon Korman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) ## More Last year quotes > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [There were times last year when people looked at the scoreboard and thought my batting average was the temperature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-martinez/there-were-times-last-year-when-people-looked-at-the-scoreboard-and/) [Buck Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-martinez/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) > [Memories seem to surface in no particular order, with no time attached. Yesterday can seem as distant as last year. My life now consists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-olsson/memories-seem-to-surface-in-no-particular-order-with-no-time-attached/) [Linda Olsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-olsson/) > [So, in the last year, the whole cast sued for release from our contracts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-rettig/so-in-the-last-year-the-whole-cast-sued-for-release-from-our-contracts/) [Tommy Rettig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-rettig/) > [ \[Fighting for equality for women\] that's what my mission has been for the last years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/fighting-for-equality-for-women-that-s-what-my-mission-has-been-for/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [We have reached the point where we can lose a game or two and not drop out of sight in the rankings. I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/we-have-reached-the-point-where-we-can-lose-a-game-or-two-and-not/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [Well, as you know, General Motors does not make hybrids. Ford only made 4,000 hybrids last year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-markey/well-as-you-know-general-motors-does-not-make-hybrids-ford-only-made/) [Ed Markey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-markey/) > [“The arbutus is now open everywhere in the woods and groves. How pleasant it is to meet the same flowers year after year! If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fenimore-cooper/the-arbutus-is-now-open-everywhere-in-the-woods-and-groves-how/) [Susan Fenimore Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fenimore-cooper/) > [Astrology is knocking at the gates of our universities: A Tübingen professor has switched over to astrology and a course on astrology was given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/astrology-is-knocking-at-the-gates-of-our-universities-a-t-bingen/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [The terrorists who committed the 2003 Istanbul attacks were locals, that is, Turks. And when filmmaker Theo van Gogh was murdered in the Netherlands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-schily/the-terrorists-who-committed-the-2003-istanbul-attacks-were-locals/) [Otto Schily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-schily/) > [“Leonardo believed his research had the potential to convert millions to a more spiritual life. Last year he categorically proved the existence of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/leonardo-believed-his-research-had-the-potential-to-convert-millions/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [As our initial click fraud research study showed last year, there is an obvious problem in the online advertising world. The challenge is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flint-mcglaughlin/as-our-initial-click-fraud-research-study-showed-last-year-there-is/) [Flint McGlaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flint-mcglaughlin/) > [From '86 until the summer of last year, wherever I went, people would say, You would have made a great James Bond! Weren't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/from-86-until-the-summer-of-last-year-wherever-i-went-people-would/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [With the absence of a flu vaccination last year, I did not take a flu shot; but there is still some immunity that carries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-the-absence-of-a-flu-vaccination-last-year-i-did-not-take-a-flu/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,393 Last year quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-year/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Hey, things like that happen at the Academy too,” I insisted, almost triumphantly. “Last year the freezers failed so there was no ice for”—the wind went out of my sails as I realized how lame this was going to sound—“the sushi bar.” He nodded sympathetically. “You guys should get T-shirts made. 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