By: Nada Hesham

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“Which school did you go to?” If your answer is “Madraset Banat”, you will probably find a few stereotypical comments accompanied by some irritating facial expressions heading your way from people who think you’ve been living a far too weird life. Being an alumnus of one of these notorious “Segn El Nesa”, as people often dub them, I often have to face similar comments myself:

-Mo3akdeen awy/Sy3een awy  

 Mo3kda 3

Madraset Banat ah y3ni “Segn El Nesa”. This is the initial reaction you will receive as soon as you mention that you’re a girls’ school graduate. People automatically assume that you’re complicated and not that open minded or outgoing as other girls. They think you’ve been living in prison as your school has the reputation of being very strict. You were under the harsh supervision of strict nuns and you were probably deprived from many things. Consequently, people falsely presume that girls will probably break the rules and try out everything, “3eeb” or “7aram”, they’ve been deprived of. “Msh bytgawezo”, people think you are probably not going to ever get married or you will at a much older age.

-Da7ee7en (Nerds)

Nerd

Yes, nerds. This is how most students of “Madrsat El Banat” are perceived. People believe you’re a geek whose whole life revolves around studying and getting high grades.

-3amlty eh lma da5lty el gam3a

This question will come slapping you on the face from colleagues when they get to know you during the first year of university “W 3amlty lma b2aty m3a welad kol youm”. They have strong doubts you can deal naturally with boys when you first join university. Life is going to be hard on you when you start having boy bestfriends. You’re not an alien. Being segregated in school does not mean that you don’t get to mix with other people outside of school. You do not live at school.

-Konto Merta7een aktar akeed  

Konnto Mert7yeen

People thinks that life is more comfortable or private when boys are not around. You get to wear whatever you want; you don’t have to “tetshyaki” when you’re going to school. Also, sometimes girls take a few minutes between classes to dance or openly discuss any topic and laugh out loud.