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Dining Orientation

It was dinner time when Bliss was awoken from her slumber by her corner mates. The SSS3 girls in the hostel we're counting for their juniors to leave the hostel.

"10 counts to leave the hostel"

The seniors repeated. Bliss noticed that the seniors who were counting were in different states of undress, only putting on their undies.

"One"

"Two"

"Three"

When Emmanuelle noticed that Bliss wasn't ready yet, she pulled her up and threw a daywaer at her

"Get dressed and leave. They won't hear you are a new student"

"Four"

"Five"

"Six"

Bliss hurriedly got up, dressed her bed as she saw others doing before she bent to get her slippers.

"Seven"

"Eight"

"Nine"

"Y'all are still waiting for me, right?"

Bliss ran out from the hostel, her zip left flying, her hair left uncombed and a bit of vaseline in her hands. To her surprise, she wasn't the only undressed one, a lot of students had run out wearing only their singlets and tights or shorts, holding their daywears in their hands. Some held powders and mirrors, others wetlips, brushes and combs. The scene looked like a out of a movie. 

"Point one"

"Point two"

...

"Ten"

"On your knees"

Those outside the gates all began clamoring, some were laughing at their friends inside and ready to receive their share of the hangers the seniors held. Some were interested in getting  dressed. Some girls walked around shouting,

"Who has a comb?"

"Who has powder?"

"Who saw my keys?"

And so on. 

Some of the girls kneeling had their bunkies or senior friends come bail them out. Others who had no one to help them out, were left to receive the strokes.

Bliss was watching the whole drama until someone shouted

"Mama Meti is coming"

Everyone scattered. The SSS3 girls who were not dressed instantly returned to their rooms, while those who were dressed headed out, leaving only the prefects to continue the flogging.

The students who were initially milling around the hostel instantly ran off. It was said that Mama Meti was a military retiree who had decided to spend her retirement amidst the student in the school. However, one thing they all knew we that the woman seemed to enjoy running alongside them three times a day during the chase hours. She would always find reasons to chase them until they all left the hostel area. She was a stop watch for a lot of them. And at that moment, the said woman was walking towards them with a mob stick in hand.

It was movie night, every fortnight the school organized a movie night on Saturday and every last Friday of the month there was a bon fire night. The students had to first go for dinner and then organize the hall before the two hour movie night. 

Bliss headed towards the dining hall. The seniors and juniors shared different dining halls in other to avoid excessive bullying. Since the JSS1 girls had just arrived, they had no tables so the prefect had arranged for them to stand in a straight line so that they would be counted into temporary tables. After they had been counted, a temporary table head was asked to go and collect food for the table. The prefect had told them to remember the table head in order not to starve over the next few days and to remember to write their names in hostel according to classes when the prefects decided to them so as to ensure they get a table for the academic year. 

After the food had been served, they realized that it was a very small quantity easily the half of what they usually had in their various homes. Besides, a few of them actually did not like eating beans. 

Beans and pap, wasn't that a combination most children hated. Infact, no one would take that combination into their lunch packs in elementary schools as they believed it would make them the butt of school jokes.

They prefect had simply smiled before lightly saying

"Make sure you are ready to leave in 15 minutes".

They all looked at each other in dismay. The food was unpalatable for them. But what could they do? It's not like they had the option to go home. Besides putting the beans and pap together in the same plate looked rather off.

One of the girls, who felt the situation was rather unfair ran to the prefect.

"Excuse me, I can't eat that"

" You can find someone who'll eat it or just drop the plate and leave".

"What will I eat then?" The girl retorted evidently not knowing where to stop.

The prefect grinned, her expression expressing her total amusement at the situation.

"Go stand on the stage and wait for everyone to finish eating, then fill an entire basket of plates and send them to the kitchen."

"But why?" The girl who hadn't even realized she was being punished. Bliss smiled, it was really fun to watch someone else get punished.

"You don't talk to your seniors that way and definitely not to a prefect. Make that two baskets please" Another of those cat smiles.

The girl burst into tears. Defeated, she ran off.

"I'll advise you to ensure you complete your punishment before the day runs out or I won't be able to guarantee you won't get a place next to the kitchen women for the rest of the term".

The prefect casually said before she turned around and left. 

They looked at one another, and slowly began to eat. A few mouthfuls in, they heard the voice they had learnt to dread 

"Few minutes to leave the hall"

They hurriedly ate their meals 

"Leave the hall" a voice spoke up. They began to leave only to be stopped at the door, go in and get a plate before they leave.

Bliss grabbed a plate off the nearest table and left. 

Lesson 1 Don't contradict your seniors and don't act tough. 

Bliss chuckled, that girl should have found it extremely regretful. She went for wool and came back shone.

The movie halls were to be arranged by the JSS3 students. The arm responsible for the cleaning of the dining hall instantly went to work. Within minutes, the hall had been transformed, the tables pushed to the back and more chairs brought forward.

The social prefect, a short red house senior who she'd had was named Ejeh came up on stage. She informed them that the movie was going to be a two hour something and that they were all expected to return to their hostels immediately afterwards to observe the lights out.

Soon, the movie began. It was an interesting new movie named Life of Pi. It was the story of a  young man who survives a disaster at sea and is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. Whilst cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger. It was n intriguing mix of adventure, drama and fantasy. The 127 minute movie had been the perfect end to her first night in Royal College or so it seemed.

After, the movie ended, that same voice had repeated.

"Get ready to leave the hall"

They all rushed out of the hall, causing a mini stampede at the door as they all hurried out.

Bliss returned to the hostel, aiming for her bed, I my to be stopped in the hostel quadrangle. Apparently, the seniors wanted to address them. After they all lined up in front of the seniors, they were instructed on the dos and don'ts of the boarding house.

Do not talk back to your seniors.

Don't use any contraband items in the hostel.

Don't steal, but tapping is allowed. (Don't ask me the difference.🙊)

Leave the hostel at proper times.

Do not report the happenings in the hostel to teachers for any reason.

Colouring of your senior's garri was absolutely necessary.

Torchlights should not be seen after lights out to avoid burning ones eye's (a very important rule which they prolly did not understand then)

After the orientation, another SSS3 student who appeared to have not been paying attention to the seniors finally spoke up:

"Present your welcome gifts"

They all looked at each other.

Weren't welcome gifts given by the host to the visitor. But of course, the very first rule was do not talk back to your seniors so they had simply walked to their various corners to get their provisions. Some students had insisted that their provisions were with their guardians, others had simply claimed that had nothing. To everyone's surprise, the seniors had merely asked this ewho brought nothing to write their names and go in and those who brought something to also write their names.

Bliss brought a small pack of chocolates and a box of biscuits for them. Her brother had asked her to give something reasonable if she was asked to give a welcome gift.

She didn't know why, but she simply wrote down her name and returned to her corner. Closing her eyes, she fell asleep

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