School equality,Life inequality - by Ann Jasmine Tumininu

We were sitting at that same spot. Four years ago under the canopy. After 6 years of toiling in secondary school,we couldn't contain our joy at finally graduating or should I say leaving. Few months to that auspicious day,we often talked about our ambitions after high school to each other. Faces aglow with joy, a faraway look in our eyes, and bashful smiles irresistibly tugged at the end of our lips. It was safe to say,we had plans and dreams so big, but drifting apart was never part of it. You see,in high school - school in general, students are under one authority, subjected to the same rules,and are to follow same orders. Irrespective of their parents status, influence or rank. They are given the same garments-uniforms,to stay in the same building or room, assigned the same teacher,to participate in the same schooling activities. And though you'll agree that you sometimes do see some signs of affluence on some certain kids but you tend to overlook it and sometimes,even discard it. You pretend you're all equal category because you all receive equal treatment: you are all under the same cage or bondage and are all given the same privileges, also open to same external conditions.But as you all exit the 'prison' , you'll begin to realise a lot of things. You aren't longer confined to the same space,the scale of uniforms is removed from your eyes. And sadly, you'll soon discover slowly but gradually that as your plans after school differs,so also your respective lives too. Your home differs from theirs, lifestyle differs,freedom differs, restrictions differs, opportunity differs, privileges differs, and of course finances differs, and in this case inferiority complex might set in.Definitely you all vowed to keep in touch with one another and keep the bond tighter after high school but external influences differ amongst you. You begin to get busy against your wish, form new association which sometimes take up the little time you think you have left, misunderstandings arises, conflict erupts and resentment begins to settle.Twenty children cannot play together for twenty years, because as each of you grow older, general view of a particular thing changes, perspective changes, vision changes, and of course, decision changes.And one day you might be walking on the road and sight your high school friend and maybe not well dressed as he or she, it takes a great deal of confidence and self-esteem to approach the person, else you both walk past, each pretending not to know the other. A few years ago you probably had run and chased each other in school hallways, or whispering and giggling about shared gossips no one should hear save your little ears. Well, you were peers then, but society and external factors have sharpened each of your mindset to become you all are now And so when I heard the Head-girl giving her farewell speech and saying she'll never forget her close buddies, they in turn feeling all emotional, some were wiping and blow-drying their wet eyes inorder not to ruin their makeup. I couldn't help but chuckle despite myself. Don't get me wrong: I wish them the best,the very best, besides there are still some tight secondary school friends out there. The fact that ours isn't really stable doesn't mean theirs will turn out that way Bowing my head, trying to hide my sly grin, I wondered how far that 'friendship' was going to last.

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