This is basically a lowdown on the reality of going to an all-girls school. If you went to one when you were younger, start ticking off these facts off of your list and start cringing at the reality of spending 13 years in the same school with the same girls.
1) Your uniform rules were strict and if you didn’t follow it you would be given a "fine’. Yes. Your skirt had to be exactly just above the knee, your shirt neatly tucked in, your tie/collar/bow (whichever one you had) had to be tight against your neck, all your hair pulled back; for physical education your shoes had to be completely white, the only type of earrings allowed were small gold or silver studs. If you decided to go to school with a little bit of eyeliner, you were not only expected to immediately remove it but also pay a fine for each eye.
2) If you participated in the school monthly/weekly mass via reading during the mass or by joining the choir, you would gain favor by practically anyone from the staff.
3) When a boy was sited walking in the street from the classroom window, everyone (including yourself out of curiosity) would stampede to the windows to view this "alien’ specimen and one of your brave classmates would cat call him and the specimen would turn in your direction and everyone would flee the scene and return to their seats giggling. Like hyenas.
4) Outings meant that you were allowed to ditch that uptight uniform and trade it in for something more casual. Or if you had to wear your uniform and if you knew that other schools will be there, especially boy schools, you probably rolled up your skirt one or twice. Or three times.
It also meant that you could sneak in your MP3 to listen to on the bus to the location.
You could bring your camera to take selfies of you and your friends posing mainly in the classroom on your desks or in the bus seats. Little of the photographs contained anything frugal from the outing. For those slightly nerdier, would attempt to show off their photography skills in front of everyone. Bending in awkward positions in order to get that shot, from "that angle’ and "this angle’.
5) Sports Day meant a whole day of playing games. For those who usually aren’t sports enthusiasts, this was the day when suddenly there is great enthusiasm to be able to beat that class or group of girls you’ve been meaning to. In the name of sports. Meaning that if you happen to be playing rugby, no one would say a thing if you happen to "throw her on the ground’ because you were in your sportive spirit.
6) Casual Day was a chance to showcase your full fashion sense, in a decent manner that is. Since obviously you wouldn’t be able to or rather it wasn’t the occasion to go full out (unless it’s the Christmas or End of Year party), you pulled out your newest and best branded clothing you owned. Tight fit jeans, a cute top, and an edgy jacket, complimented with cute jewelry and a mean ass pair of shoes. And you never forgot to go and get your hair done the day before and slapped on more make up than usual, like opting for a shinier lip-gloss.
7) Christmas and End of Year parties, where not just excuses for being able to go in casual clothing to school or the venue, but it was the place where there would be an open dance floor where you could bust those sexy moves that you had been seeing in MTV music videos. Admit it. You all did it.
8) The yearly Talent Show, was not just a show. The talent part was in bold, italics and underlined. Everyone fought for the spotlight or the star role. If you were cast in the choir, you made damn sure that you belted out those notes correctly and amazingly adding a little Mariah riff if you could. If you were a narrator, you made sure you read carefully in the most appealing sexy journalist voice you had. If you were in the star role, you made sure that no one forgot that fact. Repeatedly.
9) If you were labeled with a joke one time, you were reminded of it on a daily basis for the rest of the years to come. If this joke started from primary school, it lived on till you changed schools. Yes, even Sixth Form. If the same people were with you in the course, the Lord bless your soul.
10) When the head girl tried to use her authority on you and threatened to tell on you. You would be like:
11) If you were on your period and you didn’t have pads, there were probably another two or five girls who also had their period and you could lend one from them.
12) When two best friends fought, the news travelled fast and was taken as a shock more than when Brad and Jennifer split up.
13) You grew up with these people and you had to put up with each other’s bull for years. Mass murder crossed your mind at some point.
In the end though, as much as you counted down the days to leave that school to finally breathe, somehow those girls were like your sisters. You shared fond memories with them, both good and bad. You grew up with them and shared the most informative years of your life, and you learnt the best life lessons from your experiences together.