Those school days!

“Pinafore, double plaits, socks pulled up and red ribbons” are the first things which come to my mind when I think of my school. It evokes the memories of the best of times and the worst of times.

It was in school I was first made to realize I was a dark skinned Indian (and somehow that belittled me in eyes of some of those “fair skinned ones). It was there when I first realized that studies came easily to me. My love for reading went from strength to strength in those school years.

Being always a teacher’s pet made me an eyesore for many. I was considered what you may call nerd, I still made some great friends and still managed to turn out “OK” (atleast I hope so).

Having an Army background allowed me to have a variety in schools. I met different kinds of people from different walks of life, some of whom I cared for deeply, some whom I didn’t. I learn to be nonchalant about people saying crap about you and I learned to appreciate friends and friendship better.

I still don’t know if I was a very likable person in school… but I was in peace with myself and that I think could be counted as a good thing. Of course, I had my days of “Oh lord help me” but then they would sweep away equally fast!

I loved ribbons on my hair, I liked to dream about some day meeting someone who would actually see the “true me”, I had the most vivid imagination and thought the world was mine. I was fat then but it never bothered me, I was confident about myself. The worrying about gaining weight came in only later, but those years I was blissfully unaware that world liked thin, svelte females.

Unfortunately I wasn’t one of those “popular” kids, I secretly wished I was.. however, my pride held me back from changing myself to fit in the crowd. Today I am glad of it. There are many things in my past which I would like to go back and change but my school days are certainly not one of them. Popular or not I loved those days and would happily go back to them without a second thought!