After hundreds of days facing the spoiled students and not to mention the childish act of certain teachers, I get to retire from my post as a prefect.
Being a prefect was never my choice. I would say I was forced rather than do it willingly. I was reluctant. But, I decided to do it anyway.
For one whole year, I hold the post of 'Ketua Seranta' a.k.a 'Event Management Officer' or something like that. My job was to manage the assembly and also as a tool for this particular teacher to shout at.
It was hell, I tell you. Everything I did seems to go wrong. And even when it goes right, I can never expect any 'thank you' or 'well done'.
And the fact that I'm an Iban never helped. There were four Ibans (also four Bumiputeras) in the AJK of the Prefectorial Board. One of them is the Head Girl. If it wasn't for her help and her support, I would have quit a long time ago.
I was shouted at, wait... scratch that. I was embarrased by this particular (notice I use the exact same word from above) teacher twice, in front of the students and the whole board. After a while, you really get over it. You learn that she (read: the PARTICULAR teacher) will always hate you and you learn to move on without her approval. Countless times, I cried myself to sleep because of the problems I faced as a prefect.
I'm glad we retired. I love spending time at class, in my seat at the secluded corner of the class, spending most of my time with my friends. But, most important of all, I don't have to put on the prefect mask to prepare myself while I'm on duty.
No more stiff, serious, all work and no play, angry-looking, strict Melissa. Yay! Now, I'm just Melissa. The class clown, the jokester, the mastermind, the conspirer, the rebel. Everything that I am, I am free to be it.
That's one thing I will never get tired of. Being myself.
But, I will never regret my decision to become a prefect. Never.
Labels: high school adventures
