There was never a time when I will go to school without crying, that is, after my dad drops me off in his car at the school gate, I cry uncontrollably with my dad consoling me and persuading me with all kinds of promises of coming back after today to check on me.
He thought I missed home, it was part of it because the situation in the four corners inside the school is unbearable for almost all junior students. Except for those who had strong school fathers then they might find it a bit comforting but their school fathers will not always be with you everywhere in the school. He can only rescue you when he is present but the other way round there is no rescue so life generally is unbearable for all junior students.
Each time I sit to review my secondary school days I just laugh at every moment.
Though it wasn't funny then, I could remember how we used to sneak out of school during weekends to my aunty's house whose house is close to the school just to ease ourselves from the fear and every form of a bully for at least 2 days.
You sleep well, eat well and seat without fear of being flogged or sent unnecessarily.
These are some of the things you don't enjoy while in those 4 corners of the school.
There was no freedom as everything done is after fear from the senior student, the wicked ones.
One incident I will never forget is the first cane I was flogged back then in school.
It is more understandable when you are being punished or flogged for making a mistake or committing a crime, then you will have justification for your punishment. But in this case, it was different.
[Source](There is a lot to talk about but maybe we will just reserve for another day.)
I was flogged for a supposed crime that I know I will avert as I will not make such a mistake.
It was at around 2 am on Friday as we always conduct assembly twice a week Mondays and Fridays.
I was a JJC ( JOHNNY JUST COME) This is a word used to describe a novice or rather a new intake, at around 2 am I heard the bell ring and a voice screamed "SS2 DOWNWARD COME OUTSIDE'' I never knew what it means so I just continued with my sleep. While I was sleeping a slap cleared the sleep from my eyes to get up. The voice echoed and ran down to that place where people were gathered. I came out of the room and behold almost the whole boys in the hostel were gathered already. I ran to the location.
The next instruction that came was that we should all lie down on the floor.
Which we did.
And these guys started flogging us 5 strokes of the cane each on our buttocks. I kept wondering what I must have done wrong but I dare not say anything just to avoid further bullying.
After the flogging, we were asked to get up which we did. And then this question came.
Do you people know why you were flogged tonight? This is an interesting part. I want to know the reason but to my greatest surprise, everyone shouted "NO SIR" in response to the question. Good, the senior in question continued.
Now, this is Why I flogged you people.
"I AM ON DUTY TOMORROW SO THIS FLOGGING TONIGHT IS JUST TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WAKE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING TAKE YOUR BATH AND LEAVE THE HOSTEL BEFORE 7:30 AM"
What!!!! I was shocked at that announcement. I did not cry the moment until I was asked to go back to bed. That was when I remembered how I will sleep at home until daybreak without anyone interrupting my sleep. The thought of that alone made me burst into tears. I cried until I slept again. This experience is one that I will never forget, there are so many others but let's just keep this as a link to so many that I will not be mentioned, or is it the one that the result of Saturday inspections is announced and your house came last then just know it that all the junior student in that particular house are in a big mess. As if it's their fault that the house came last.
This act has helped but positively and negatively.
Positively: we became even smarter to be able to avert and escape most of these acts of a bully.
Negatively: it made us develop some bad habit such as lying just to help us in critical situations such as being flogged over nothing.
There is a lot to talk about but maybe we will just reserve for another day.
Thanks for going through this.
Espanyol
Nunca hubo un momento en que iría a la escuela sin llorar, es decir, después de que mi papá me deja en su auto en la puerta de la escuela, lloro desconsoladamente con mi papá consolándome y persuadiéndome con todo tipo de promesas de volver. después de hoy para ver cómo estoy. Pensó que extrañaba mi hogar, era parte de eso porque la situación en las cuatro esquinas dentro de la escuela es insoportable para casi todos los estudiantes de tercer año. A excepción de aquellos que tuvieron padres fuertes en la escuela, pueden encontrarlo un poco reconfortante, pero sus padres escolares no siempre estarán contigo en todas partes de la escuela. Él solo puede rescatarte cuando está presente, pero al revés no hay rescate, por lo que la vida generalmente es insoportable para todos los estudiantes menores. Cada vez que me siento a repasar mis días de escuela secundaria me río a cada momento. Aunque entonces no era divertido, podía recordar cómo solíamos escaparnos de la escuela durante los fines de semana a la casa de mi tía, cuya casa está cerca de la escuela, solo para aliviarnos del miedo y de toda forma de intimidación durante al menos 2 días. . Duermes bien, comes bien y te sientas sin miedo a ser azotado o enviado innecesariamente. Estas son algunas de las cosas que no disfrutas mientras estás en esos 4 rincones de la escuela. No había libertad ya que todo lo que se hace es después del miedo de los estudiantes mayores, los malvados. Un incidente que nunca olvidaré es el primer bastón que me azotaron en la escuela. Es más comprensible cuando estás siendo castigado o azotado por cometer un error o cometer un delito, entonces tendrás una justificación para tu castigo. Pero en este caso, fue diferente.
