7 Things That Happened At Every Maltese Church School
We all have our own unique memories from primary and secondary school.
However, those of us who went attended a Maltese church school, all remember the ugly uniforms, weekly masses, and daily drama (especially if it was an all-girls school).
I always end up trauma-bonding with people who also attended these types of schools, as we share stories about what we both experienced.
With that being said, here are nine things that happened in every Maltese church school:
1. L-Innu Malti was recited every single morning
Waking up 15 minutes early to get to school before the lessons actually start, just so you could hear a bunch of people sing the Maltese anthem completely wrong, or even just straight up making up new words.
This was mandatory and you would be told off if you didn’t attend.
2. That one nun who is bound to go to hell
There’s always that nun whose life mission is to make every single student’s time a living hell.
While most of the nuns and priests at church schools are nice and sometimes even fun to be around, one somehow always seems to slip through the crack of ‘Jesus-likeness’.
She would constantly tell you to stay quiet, to stop running during break-time, and to wear the right coloured-socks – ”they have to be dark grey, not light grey”.
3. Every girl would roll up her skirt
This is not entirely our fault – why is every church school skirt made to cover more than below the knees? No one wants to go to school looking like a bell.
Every girl I’ve met who went to church school, including myself, has rolled up their skirts from the top, and then covered it with a shirt or jumper. Every girl looked like she had a tire wrapped around her; thankfully, not many teachers caught on.
4. Outings were either the best days of your life or the worst
It all depended on the outing – if you areweregoing out for a picnic or somewhere fun, then that day would definitely be one of the days you’d reminisce about for years.
However, if the outing included going to a museum, or a scientific trip, you would suddenly wake up with a “sore throat, fever, and stomach ache”.
5. The excitement you felt when meeting boys/girls from other schools
If you went to an all-girls or all-boys school, any opportunity to meet the opposite gender from another school sent everyone into hysteria.
This was even more of a big deal when you knew some of the students from the other school and were eager to flirt, only to go and end up not talking to anyone.
6. Sports day was actually the worst day of your life
Unless you were the very competitive kid or the super athletic kid, sports day was literal hell.
You’d spend the day running races, throwing balls, walking on cups and jumping, all for a stupid award that your group or school will get credit for.
That’s not to mention the awkward meeting with your friends’ parents, and the embarrassment you get from your own parents – it’s just not worth it.
7. Having your uniform signed by every single kid in your grade
Even that one kid you’ve barely ever talked to would suddenly sign their name on your shirt with an ”I love you” under it after you graduate.
It’s a bittersweet moment. These people you’ve seen almost everyday for 11 years will soon be out of your life, with everyone going their different way… their lives just starting.
Ten years later, you open that lonely drawer, to find that same signed shirt stuffed at the very back… and you cry, or throw it away.
Although primary and secondary school time can be difficult, not least because everyone’s hormonal as they exit childhood and enter puberty, some of our best memories are undoubtedly found within those school walls.
And you’ll soon be wishing you’re back at that church school once you leave it…
What are some memories you have from your church school days?
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