Don't be surprised if someone you don't know spontaneously offers you a high five today. Instead, feel free to generously exchange high fives with friends and strangers alike, because today is the fifth annual National High Five Day. This day was co-founded by 2003 University graduates Conor Lastowka, Sam Miotke Wynn Walent.
"It was our junior year at U.Va. so we were at the Bistro, I think, late one night, thinking of ideas for a lemonade stand or a day where people gave high fives," Lastowka said. "It kind of became an unholy combination of the two."
During the week of April 18, 2002, Lastowka and Walent set up Lawn tables where they handed out flyers and offered free lemonade and cookies while blasting music they made themselves.
"We thought it would be a good way to show some love to our fellow students and give high fives to people you normally wouldn't," Lastowka said.
In a similar effort, Playing for Peace will be sponsoring free lemonade and cookies and passing out high fives today on the Lawn from around 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Playing for Peace will also be distributing t-shirts and wristbands.
Fourth-year College student Brenna Clerkin, Lastowka's cousin, will oversee administration at the table on the Lawn and make sure that high fives are plentiful. Clerkin hopes the national day will live on and grow stronger.
"We're going to set up a table on the Lawn just as Connor had done when he was a student," Clerkin said. "We're going to pass out some high fives, get people involved, play music, put out some blankets and offer lemonade and cookies."
The overwhelming success of the inaugural National High Five Day was completely unexpected.
"The pointlessness of it became a big advantage," Lastowka said. "There wasn't really any part of the day that you could object to. It was incredibly low -risk and incredibly high reward... and the free lemonade didn't hurt either."
The founders were pleasantly surprised by the recognition stemming from the event.
"Earlier this week we got e-mails from a retired general in the army and he told us how great he thought it was," Lastowka said. "Tons of people in high school and college think it is great ... I think old people think it keeps them young and the young people think it's cool."
Lastowka and Walent even heard rumors that professors instructed their students to give a high five before class would begin. Although the first National High Five Day was an amazing success, the years that ensued proved to generate even greater impacts. The second annual High Five Day caught the attention of the NBC Charlottesville news team and a documentary filmmaking group. During the third and fourth annual National High Five Days, Lastowka and Walent conducted numerous interviews across the nation and began their own Web site.
In fact, Michael Zucchet, the mayor of San Diego, Calif., where Lastowka now resides, established April 21, 2005 as the city's official National High Five Day.
"Whereas National High Five Day falls on the third Thursday of April each year," the mayor proclaimed. "Whereas National High Five Day originated at the University of Virginia in 2002, and has since spread across the national and around the globe; and Whereas National High Five Day is a day when, in the words of its founders, 'without inhibition, people can freely exchange high fives between all different genders, races, heights, and social classes;' Now, therefore, I, Michael Zucchet, deputy Mayor of the City of San Diego, do hereby proclaim April 21, 2005 to be 'National High Five Day' in the City of San Diego."
But now that Lastowka and Walent live on opposite ends of the country (as Walent resides in New York City), how will they celebrate the national day they founded?
"I'm going out to the beach here at San Diego to give as many people high fives as I can," Lastowka said.
In addition, Lastowka and Walent will each be holding concerts in honor of the day they founded.
According to their Web site, the pair will be having official celebrations on National High Five Day, April 20, in San Diego and Brooklyn, featuring several musical artists, including Walent himself.
On Grounds, Clerkin is simply hoping to have lots of fun.
"The idea behind it is it's a good way to greet people," Clerkin said. "It's lots of fun and we're looking forward to seeing lots of high fives."
Although this national day is supposed to be fun and entertaining, there is a deeper meaning to offering a stranger a high five.
"It's really about connecting with your fellow man, and we had so many bad ideas in college to have one that really worked was really our major goal," Lastowka said.
But if you are like most people, you might hesitate before randomly offering someone a high five. Lastowka said to go for it -- just give it a try.
"It's kind of cool to stick your hand up and give someone a high five to see what'll happen," Lastowka said. "You don't even have to speak to them or do anything. Just give them a high five."
Becca Garrison contributed to this article.
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