Day in the life of a day girl

Depending on where you resided in Lagos, you woke up at about 7am to get ready for school. Some people were on the school bus route, and others were taken to school by their parents or went in school groups with other friends, many others had to make their way by the public transport system.

I remember getting ready for school meticulously, your shoes had to be polished, your socks clean and the appropriate books to be had in your school bag. Then you went to school, through traffic all the way to Yaba, and hurried to your classroom, before making your way to assembly. Lateness was frowned upon - something that, in a country like Nigeria known for African time, we tried to adhere to (puzzling though how easily most of us have reverted back to the African time!)

Assembly was a time of nervousness for some people, as you never quite knew whether or not you would be punished for whispering, talking, having long-ish nails, looking as though you had eye-liner in your eyes, you name it!

Then after assembly, we had classes. As a junior girl, most of our classes included English, Mathematics, Literature( I think) and Introductory Technology and Integrated Science. Some teachers were obviously more adept at teaching than others. Some were able to transport you to the scene of the story - who remembers the story of the Sluggard with Mrs Nnaji, or the poem - they say they are better than me, yet they can't walk to the top of the hill. They say they are better than me, but when they blow their nose, they pocket the stuff! Joys!

Break time was a trip to tuck shop, and as a junior girl, you hurried to go, before a senior girl stopped you and sent you to buy loads of food stuff, sometimes without giving you enough money (funny how those same senior girls tried to become your best friends upon finding out you had a senior brother, cute or not cute :-))

Classes recommenced after break, by which time we were mostly tired, but the second part of school was much shorter than the first.

End of school was marked with the ringing of the school bell, and we day girls scurried to meet our drivers, or wait by the back gate, or speak to the boys we knew would be waiting dutifully for us at backgate. Why is it that most things to do with the back, backgate etc were dodgy!

Others had to make their way by public transport, and one day after waiting impatiently for my parent's driver, I agreed to try out public transport with a friend. I found it quite fun, and even now, I think upon that experience with nostalgia.. Needless to say, my daddy was not very happy when I got home that I had not waited for the driver...