Hostel Life.

6:30 bell rings, I step out of bed in semi-sleep and dress in my hefty winter uniform. Stockings, then White collared shirt, then thick blue dress, then striped tie, then chunky jersey....does it ever end?

6:35 bell goes, time for roll call, but I still haven't brushed my teeth. Sprinting to the bathroom with a mouth full of sleep-fuzz I rush to clean my mouth, run down the stairs while tying up my hair and then fall in line.

Unready for roll call but present non-the-less, we greet our matrons, listen to a bit of their harangue, maybe sing a clap-pity birthday song and then make our way into the dining room for breakfast. After a subdued attempt to converse at the breakfast table I go back upstairs to clean my room.

7:20- sitting outside in the hostel courtyard chatting with a loquacious herd of girls, until we're all shoo-ed off to join the tedious education system.

2:15-School ends, saved by the bell, too many bells, assaulting the ears.

3:00- in three's we make our way to gym, a place we escape to, away from hostel. Every minute lingers longer as I trudge through exercise machines.

4:00- feeling the lactic acid in my muscles is satisfying. In my room now, on my phone, or aimlessly wondering. Disjointed mind walk.

5:45 -supper bell. Roll call. Daily announcements, unattainable to me. Supper line. Silly small talk.

6:20-upstairs to shower. Hairdryers buzzing. People teasing and talking.

7:00- Prep bell rings. If there's work I don't do it, unless it's for the morrow.I'm occupied by social networks and series on my laptop instead.

8:30-Prep is over. I make my last trip downstairs to fill my lonely tummy with the warmth of tea. Sitting in the TV room, we take turns to comment about the adverts that are too often presented, or reminisce on times that were.

9:00- bed time. And the cycle begins again after sleep. With too many bells and too much uniform.

That is what I fill my days with. Redundant, but inevitable. Stuck in routine. Awoken to a reality, a reality that I now know I never want to return to. Bring on the brightness of my future. Zealously awaiting.