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Memories of Recess Time at SSM High |
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SSM High School is located in the heart of Rockwell town, and although it's not
one of the more well-known schools, it holds a special place in my heart. As a
student there since its inception four years ago, I have many fond memories of
my time there, particularly during the midday break.
In Malaysian schools, the midday break, or recess time, is a welcome respite
from the morning's academic load. School starts early in the morning, and most
students have only a hurried breakfast or no breakfast at all before rushing to
school. During recess time, there are healthy appetites, hunger pangs, and
thirsty throats to be satisfied.
At SSM High, there are two recess times. The first, at 10:10 am, is for
secondary one and two students, while the second, twenty minutes later, is for
upper secondary students. As soon as the bell rings signaling the first break,
there is a purposeful march of many hurried footsteps heading to the canteen on
the ground floor, which serves as a food haven for the students.
The uniformed students, wearing white shirts and khaki pants for boys and
pinafores for girls, break the morning silence with their footsteps and constant
chatter. The most popular stall used to be Auntie Alifah's, which served mixed
rice dishes with favorites like French fries and golden brown chicken wings.
However, due to health concerns, French fries have been banned, and chicken
wings are now only sold twice a week. Nevertheless, the food at Auntie Alifah's
remains popular, with students enjoying white rice smothered with brown soy
sauce or curry gravy.
Uncle Ali's orange 'Mee Siam' and yellow 'Mee Rebus' noodle dishes also attract
long queues of eager students. Recently, the canteen has introduced more healthy
options, such as brightly colored orange slices and dried pineapple snacks, as
well as yoghurt-based ice cream to replace the dairy ones.
The drinks stall is another popular spot, where students used to order fizzy
drinks. However, the school now encourages students to opt for healthier options
like barley or fruit juices, which are often seen on tables alongside the brown
malt drinks.
During recess time, students usually congregate in their favorite places. Boys
tend to occupy the back of the canteen, while girls sit on the front benches.
Malay and Indian students often enjoy their favorite ethnic dishes and converse
in their native languages, such as Mandarin, Tamil, or Malay. This is the only
time during the day when loud noises are tolerated, and the canteen is the
noisiest spot in the school.
After hurriedly snacking, some lower secondary boys head to the cooling areas in
the school to play games, while others are seen with their Chinese or
international chess sets competing against each other. Groups of chattering
students can be seen lining the corridors outside their classes, making plans
for after school and discussing the latest developments in the school.
During recess time, eagle-eyed prefects sporting smart red ties and supervised
by the teacher on duty keep a watchful eye on students who do not return their
utensils to the bins.
When the bell sounds signaling the end of the break, lower secondary students
return reluctantly to their classes, while the seniors descend on the canteen.
These are the sights and sounds of recess time at SSM High, and they will always
hold a special place in my heart. |
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