Today, after school, I decided to go grocery shopping. I’d normally do this in my uniform so as to to save on wardrobe changes, but since I spilled gravy on myself over lunch, I changed into a striped top and some slippers, but still wearing my uniform white pants. I walked out of my dorm building, and found myself walking inches away from two girls. They were in their “Fear the Sting” shirts (it’s kind of like a ‘wash day’ shirt), but judging from their ID laces, which happens to be green, they could have belonged to the School of Pharmacy, or College of MedTech.
It was really hard to not overhear them, after all, I was just inches away. From I managed to put together from a fragment of the conversation I heard, I think Girl 1 needed a core science subject book or something. Okay, fine, let me just tell you what happened.
GIRL 2: Manghiram ka kaya sa Dent na first year.
Just borrow from a first year Dent. (Possibly referring to Pre-Dent).
GIRL 1: Mga maldita yung mga Dent–
Dent girls are maldita (there’s no direct translation for “Maldita”, but ill-tempered brat comes close)
I don’t know if it was a reflex somewhat remnant of my protective Dentistry Student Council days when I would seriously defend my younger Dentistry brothers and sisters, or if it was because I felt insulted as well, but as soon as she uttered that “maldita” statement, I turned my head, and sent my signature deathstare her way– I didn’t mean to, I swear.
As soon as this happened, she was like,
GIRL 1: –sa dorm.
at (her) dorm.
The two girls were heading back to school, while I was going the opposite direction, but while they were walking, I heard Girl 1 going on and on like, “Ang susungit ng mga itsura nung mga Dent sa LaCo..” (Dentistry girls at LaCo have ill-tempered looking faces). I found it a bit funny for two reasons; firstly, I’m a Dent girl, and secondly, I dormed at LaCo when I was in Pre-Dent.
MALDITA? Ohhh maldita. I began to reflect on my younger years, down to Pre-Dent, back when I was dorming at LaCo. I’ve never really seen myself from the “outside”, and I kind of wonder if Dent girls truly have that maldita aura. I’ve never really seen being perceived as a maldita as an absolute negative, especially if it’s nerely based on first impressions and, erm.. face value(?).
I really don’t know where the stereotypes come from. I’m proud to say that as an older Dentistry student, I have excellent social skills, as I am able to relate with people from varied walks of life (I thank my patients for that). How many malditas can reassure a nervous wreck of an Oral Surgery patient that everything’s going to be fine? ..and please, pedo patients don’t listen to malditas— they just don’t.
I’m not mad or anything. Call me a sadist or anything you like, but I find the “maldita” stereotype highly amusing. I’d be glad to know what other stereotypes of Dentistry students are out here. Let me know of the funny, flattering and downright annoying stereotypes you’ve encountered throughout your Dentistry life. THIS IS GONNA BE DAMN FUN!
Your resident maldita,
La Panna Ciorrinaü
Panna Ciorrina 