Strict rules in faith-based training institutions have long shaped student conduct, often drawing a fine line between discipline and personal freedom.
While such policies are credited with producing highly disciplined professionals, they have also sparked debate over their rigidity and the lasting impact they can have on students’ lives and futures.
A Kenya-born nurse now based in Canada has opened up about a painful college memory that saw her secret crush expelled from nursing school after being found in a female hostel, highlighting the strict disciplinary codes that governed student life.
In a detailed personal account, Judy described her time in a mixed boarding nursing college where interaction between male and female students was tightly controlled.
“We had one of the strictest rules imaginable… girls were not allowed to talk to boys,” she said. “It was a mixed school, but you would think we lived on different planets.”
Despite the restrictions, she developed a silent admiration for a male student who was a year ahead of her.
“He was handsome, confident, and from Meru. I used to admire him from across the dining hall,” she recalled.
“We never spoke. Not even a simple ‘hi’. We would just steal glances and quickly look away.”
The turning point came during a rural clinical placement in Tharaka Nithi County, where the students were attached to a Catholic dispensary.
According to Judy, the quiet connection took an unexpected step when the male student and his friend decided to visit.
“One Sunday, they travelled all the way to see us. We were so excited,” she said. “We even cooked a special meal and waited for them.”
However, the visit was abruptly cut short. “Then we heard a knock… our hearts literally stopped,” she narrated. “Standing outside were the Catholic sisters. To this day, I don’t know who informed them.”
She said the nuns acted immediately. “Without any discussion, they took the two visitors away in the college van,” she recalled.
The aftermath was devastating. “When we returned to college, we were told both boys had been dismissed,” Judy said. “Just like that… their nursing careers ended over one visit. We hadn’t even done anything.”
While she acknowledges the discipline instilled by the institution, Judy questioned the severity of the punishment.
“At the time, we felt like they were making our lives miserable, but today I understand they shaped us,” she said. “Still, that outcome was too harsh.”
Years later, the incident remains fresh in her mind. “I have no idea where my college crush is,” she said.
“Sometimes I wonder what became of him. If he ever reads this, I’m truly sorry. It was never my intention.”