National High Five Day: 15 Types Of Fun High-Fives To Use

Are you excited about National High Five Day?

The third Thursday of April is now known by many as “National High Five Day” thanks to the National High Five Project and the NH5D team.

Started by Greg Harrell-Edge and his friends at the University of Virginia in 2002, “National High Five Day” has become an unofficial holiday that has been respected and followed for more than a decade now. #NationalHighFiveDay is even a viral hashtag and trending topic on Twitter.

Perhaps the most exciting part of “National High Five Day” is that you get a chance to try out a wide variety of high-five combinations, enjoying the overall experience even more.

1. THE SIMPLE YET PROFOUND HIGH FIVE

The standard high-five (when executed correctly) is simple yet profound. If you are not ready to try different variations or just want to keep things basic, there’s nothing wrong with sticking to the standard.

2. THE HIGH FIVE…AND HOLD

At times, you may want to extend the standard high five, allowing the moment to last just a little longer. That is where the “Hive Five and Hold” comes into play. Instead of sticking to a quick smack, this move ends with the two of you holding each other’s hands.

3. THE DOUBLE HIGH FIVE

Because sometimes, using one hand is simply not good enough. A double high five allows you to use both of your hands at the same time for extra emphasis.

4. THE “FRESH PRINCE” HIGH FIVE

Perhaps one of the most memorable parts of the popular 1990s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, was the high five routine shared between Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Nearly 20 years after its series finale, this type of high five routine is still being used.

5. THE ANIMAL HIGH-FIVE

“National High Five Day” is not just for humans – you can celebrate the unofficial holiday by finding a cooperative animal that is willing to play along as well.

6. THE STANDARD LOW-FIVE

For some reason, many people consider the “low-five” as a qualifying “high” five, so you might see quite a few of these done on National High Five Day, too.

7. THE JUMPING HIGH-FIVE

For the people that are too excited to stay on the ground during “National High Five Day,” jumping into a high five with a close friend or relative might be the best course of action to take.

8. THE HIGH FIVE PRANK

Turning a high five into a prank is a great way to get a laugh (or at least laugh yourself). If it is done correctly (and recorded), the footage of a high five prank can easily become a viral video.

9. THE AWKWARD HIGH FIVE

Just because you are excited about “National High Five Day” doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone else will – including the person that you plan on sharing your celebratory moment with in general. That always creates a bit of an awkward moment.

10. THE SELF FIVE

Fortunately, there is a beautifully perfect way to recover from an awkward high five – proving that you do not need to necessarily have a second person. With a selfie five, you can enjoy “National High Five Day” all by yourself.

11. THE TRAFFIC SIGN HIGH FIVE

A popular variation of the self five allows you to use a traffic sign as your partner instead of your own hand. Keep in mind that there is an obvious safety issue with this particular routine. However, in a low-traffic scenario with impeccable timing, it could easily be pulled off successfully.

12. THE CINEMATIC HIGH FIVE

In quite a few movies, two people run towards each other (mostly in slow motion) for a warm embrace – such as during a highly-anticipated reunion. However, the cinematic high five allows you to reunite with your long lost partner, friend or relative with a high five instead of a hug.

13. THE DANCING HIGH FIVE

When you want to turn your high five into a quick dance move, the dancing high five should be added to your collection for “National High Five Day.”

14. THE EPIC HIGH FIVE

Whether you are giving yourself a high five or an entire group of people, there is also the opportunity to turn your ordinary high five into an epic event.

15. THE FIST BUMP

Viewed as the “new high five,” the fist bump has come a long way in a relatively short period of time when compared to its predecessor. In addition to providing a more sanitary alternative, there are quite a few variations to this simple contact as well.

Which high fives are you going to try for National High Five Day?

[Image Credit: Dollar Photo Club & Giphy]