A Blast from the Past : Girls' Day at an International School

The alarm was blaring. I’ve got to get up now.

As I draw back the curtains, the sunlight floods into the room.

Today is Girls' Day. Well, it's a secret day only us girls in the same grade know about.

It all started that PE was the last class on Fridays.

Our school was very small. Despite the size, we always had two types of sports for PE. It was either football or other sports.

The school bus drivers, Roger and Jo, held PE teaching licenses. They both taught us PE.  One group played football at a nearby park with Joe, while the other did any sport available in the gym rented for an hour and half for the day.

I've tried the football class once. But once was enough for me as I didn't know the rules, and I kept fouling. Boys were not happy about it. Also, playing among the boys was physically challenging.

All the girls did not participate in the football class. The other group, led by Roger, was a mixed-gender class. We played various sports, from basketball to volleyball. And when the weather good and the school won the district lottery, we get to play tennis on the rented courts. It's quite an eclectic mix of classes.

Most of the girls tried to keep up with the PE class, but the difference in physical stamina between boys and girls becomes evident. I liked PE, and there was another girl who liked it. But the rest of he girls were not exactly keen on it.

"I hate PE! Can we go and take an aerobics class outside the school?" even one of the girl asked a teacher if she could take a lesson outside of school.

Our school did not have school uniform. All the girls dressed each in their own way, quite nicely.

Neda liked fluffy frilly dresses, and she always applied makeup lightly. Parol keeps her curly hair in place, frequently using hairspray. Maureen always wore a clean T-shirt and jeans. Fatmata is creative with her hairstyle, sometimes braiding it into cornrows or incorporating a scarf, and she often wears an elegant black dress that wraps around her large frame.

Every Friday, everyone was exhausted after PE. Gradually, the girls started going home without even changing. They started go home in gym clothe.

I wondered - is there anything that can make PE something to look forward to ? I mused vaguely about it.

Days passed by and the Friday afternoon came. It was time for PE. On that day. we had to go to a gym far away from the school, as we missed out on the lottery for the nearby gym. The facilities there were not so great, and we had no choice but play basketball.

Basketball requires much running. We split into two teams, with less athletic ones guarding the goal. When playing against taller boys, we had to dribble low and pass the ball on the ground to even stand a chance. Once the aerial battle started between the boys, there wasn't much girls could do.

On that particular day, we were made to run long distance. The teacher, who knew which kids were not gkeen on sports, was unusually relentless. He made Parol, who wasn't keen on running, play instead of defending the goal and even encouraged Fatmata, who was also struggling with running, to try running and dribbling.

After about an hour and a half of running, most of us were tremendously exhausted.

Since there were no changing rooms at the school, boys get to changed in the classroom while girls changed in the girl’s bathroom. Sitting down on the floor, we chatted meekly in the bathroom.

"Roger's been so fussy today. Why did he make us run all the way through?" one said.

"I can’t move an inch anymore," another complained.

"I only wish I’m at home now," yet another sighed.

It was imminent that there will be quite a few girls going home in their gym clothes again.

Suddenly, an mischievous idea popped into my head.

"Why don’t we make next Friday a girl’s day? I know we all look dreadful after PE, but how about if we bring our favourite clothes, do a bit of makeup and hairdo?" I suggested.

Some chuckled, while others looked puzzled.

"I mean, seriously. We need a bit of fun after PE, don’t we? You don’t have to join in if you don’t like it, of course. Participants are welcome. Observers are also welcome."

"Sounds like a good idea!" Neda exclaimed.

"I'm in!" Fatomata chimed in.

Maureen and Parol exchanged glances, looking unsure.

"So! It seems we’ve got some participants and observers? So next Friday. Do we all agree? Let’s keep it secret, and make it surprise for the boys."

Doing something fun together for those who don't like PE. It was just as simple as that. I was hoping those girls wouldn't come to hate PE, and having somthing look forward to might change something in them.

Days flew by and Friday came. We got lucky with the gym lottery, and we played badminton at a gym nearby the school. The class was divided into three groups: eight with some experience and skills, four with little experience, and two playing for the first time. We enjoyed playing badminton for a solid hour and a half.

After PE, girls huddled in the bathroom. Something seemed different about everyone today. Perhaps because PE wasn't too tough, everyone seemed a bit restless as they changed. Some started fixing their makeup and hair.

I tied my hair by the neck and wore a black baseball cap. I also applied liquid eyeliner, which I'd been practicing at home for a while. For clothes, I just wore my usual baggy jeans with a black belt and a denim shirt over my T-shirt. With the slightly warmer weather, the cotton fabric felt breezy and comfortable against my skin.

Fatmata and Neda took positions in front of the mirror, completely absorbed in doing their makeup. Parol watched them from a distance with a complicated expression. Maureen, with a worried look, called out to the two in front of the mirror, "Don’t overdo it." 

Feeling thirsty, I called out to the girls, "I‘ll fetch some 7UP," and headed to the vending machine at the end of the corridor. Just as I stepped out of the bathroom, I was spotted by some younger girls.

"What happened to you!!" one exclaimed.

"It’s a girl’s day for the Fourth form," I explained.

"You wear cap and makeup!" another noticed.

"It’s just for a bit of change," I replied.

Ms. Casimier, one of our teacher who had heard this from the staff room, hurried over.

"What is going on!? You don’t normally put on makeup, do you?" She asked.

"It’s girl’s day for the Fourth former today. Other girls are putting on some makeup as well," I explained.

Running down the corridor, I was stopped by our form tutor, Mr. Martin. "It’s time for homeroom now. Can you ask the girls to hurry up?" he requested.

"Yes, Mr. Martin."

I hurried back to the bathroom and addressed the girls inside.

"Are you decent, ladies? Mr. Martin said that homeroom will start now. Now, we’d better go, if we are ready."

The participants' makeup was spot-on. Not too flashy, just elegant makeup according to their preferences. Neda had her curly hair neatly arranged, complemented by pink lipstick and a blouse with large frills around the collar, paired with a flowing black long skirt. Fatmata wore a long black cardigan over a bold red, white and black-coloured shirt, with a black long skirt, and crimson low pumps.

Just a tad more stylish than usual. It seemed to lift our spirits, as three of us looked like completely different people compared to our groggy selves from last week.

To get to the classroom from the girls' bathroom, we had to pass by the staff room. Ms. Casimier, upon seeing the three of us slightly dressed up compared to usual, was left dumbfounded.

"Girls...!" she exclaimed.

It seemed like the boys in the classroom were eagerly waiting for us. Upon entering the classroom, I took off my baseball cap, as hats were not allowed inside.

The boys seemed slightly disgruntled. They must have been expecting us to come dressed like comedians, as they were getting ready to laugh.

Dilaver, wearing the most discontented expression, remarked, "I thought you’d look like Dawn French."

"Well, it’s not exactly our taste…," Fatmata replied.

By the end of homeroom, it seemed like the other teachers had caught wind of what us fourth-form girls had been up to, as well as students from other grades.

As we stepped outside after homeroom ended, several teachers asked if we were going out somewhere together.

"No… I guess we’ll go straight home" I replied.

If we had done this a year later, maybe we could have all gone out somewhere together after school.

Some of us were told by her family to go straight home after school, so organizing an outing for everyone might have been difficult.

However, it was delightful to see friends looking relaxed and neat after the usual PE session.

Could it happen again next week? If it dose, I'll have to go shopping for clothes over the weekend; my current wardrobe is sorely lacking.

With those thoughts in mind, I slowly made my way home. Most of us were fourteen back then.