Should I say I was stupid when I was in secondary school or should I say I had the best time of my life. Secondary school was so full of memories that I can’t dare forget. I guess you probably feel the same way.
Junior school was not all that fun because of wicked seniors that their mission in life was to frustrate innocent juniors like me (I was not actually innocent, I was war, I was fight, I was indaboski). Lmao But speak of senior secondary, it was a hit back to back.
Uniforms, socks, and school sandals
Let’s start with school uniforms, socks, and school sandals. If you had an ugly school uniform, accept my heartfelt condolence. Thinking about it now, my school uniform was not all that fine. Should we talk about the color comb or the length and breadth of my uniform? It’s not like yours was fine too tho. Well, gators covered up for the ugliness. If the battle of 100 gators was not a thing in your school, you people were not classy. I mean, some people actually got awards for this thing. We would put our uniforms under the bed just because we were looking for the gator.
As if that was not enough, we added socks to our problems. I would wear 2 pairs of socks just because I wanted to form a neat girl. No junior could step on my leg, what! Let’s also add that I had extra rag for cleaning my sandals. I would have cleaned my sandals every 5 minutes. It was that bad. It was not just me, I’m sure you also can relate.
Let’s also talk about the buttery. You cannot afford to not bring pocket money. I’ll rather not bring lunch boxes to school than not have pocket money. It was a big girl thing. You can’t even go and buy something cheap. You had to buy Limca or Goldspot, doughnut or gala. Who biscuit help? Oh my God.
The ‘stupidest’ thing I did
The ‘stupidest’ thing I did at that time (maybe 2nd most stupid) was to tell my dad not to send the driver to pick me. Ask me why! Just because I wanted to trek to the junction with my friends and also take a bike. I was so obsessed with the idea of taking a bike home by myself. I would even envy those ones that didn’t have drivers to pick them. SMH. It got to a point that I actually lied that we had to wait for lessons just so I can trek. Looking back at it, I feel stupid. To what end, please?
Those of you that made us feel like we were not among because you knew all the foreign songs at that time better be musicians now or be living abroad o. Looking back at those days of unnecessary tension and I can’t help but laugh at myself. It’s so funny how we let things that didn’t matter dictate the kind of life we lived back then in secondary school. If only we knew these things would not even last. Those boarding students in my secondary school ehn, only God can settle this thing.
I was in the kitchen with my younger sister when I started the gist of how I knew the lyrics to some songs offhand. Then I mentioned one and she immediately jumped up and started singing it with me. As soon as I told her what led to me knowing the lyrics, she immediately told me that the same thing happened in her school at that time. I figured this must have happened in most schools in Nigeria, therefore many people can relate.
Lyrics book
Were you one of those people that bought lyrics book just because you wanted to be able to sing whenever the song pops up in class? Catch your sub, please. No shame at all because I’m also on this table. I can remember vividly how I put aside my pocket money to buy those books. Guess it was sold for #150. I dedicated time to cramming these lyrics, you would have thought I was preparing for jamb. It was a thing of pride to actually know these songs at that time. If you didn’t know those songs, then you were not a big girl/boy.
Let’s not even talk about the movies at that time too. Oh my God, there was this set of guys that legit tensioned us. It got to a point we had to name them some of these series. Movies that didn’t make sense to me at that time were movies I sat with and watched because I wanted to have something to say. My room was filled with discs because that was what was available at that time. Good old days.
So let’s talk about some of the songs
On top of my list was Halo by Beyonce. I mastered the song so well that I would sing it and feel like Beyonce herself. It was that personal. I can still sing it now though. Some other songs that were a thing for me at that time are:
- Man down Rihanna
- Some nights Fun
- We are young Fun
- What’s my name Rihanna
- Love the way you lie Rihanna
- Edge of Glory Lady Gaga
- Firework Katy Perry
- Grenade Bruno Mars
- Just the way you are Bruno Mars
- Coming home Diddy-Dirty Money
That said, let’s talk about some of the movies. If you watched any on this list, then you are a gee (maybe not). During break time, we would gather and gist about them. If you didn’t have anything to say, then you were not welcome at the table. It was like a gang thing. I’m forced to actually mention Tunji Amoda (that we ended up naming Smallville), Joel, Yemi, and Dolapo. These people saw all the movies at that time and they peppered us in class. Some of the movies that were a thing at that time are:
- Boys before flower, I hated Gum Jan di and loved Gu Jun Pyo
- My night tale fox
- Legend of the seeker
- Smallville
- Vampire diaries
- Mara and Clara
- Her mother’s daughter
Don’t get it twisted, much more than these shenanigans, I was and I’m still a bright girl. Ask my secondary school mates. Lol…And there were some things I didn’t do, check here. I could go on and on about my secondary school shenanigans but let’s stop here. We’ve talked enough about me. Let’s talk about you too. I’ll be in the comment section to laugh with you, share your hit songs, movies, and experience with me. Don’t just read, make sure you share with your friends too.
With love,
Opeyemi Omidiji
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