Kinnaird: Teaching more than how to be a wife
The college does teach you "style" confesses a student, but everyone agrees that stereotypes do not define KCites.
Kinnaird College for Women is a prestigious educational institute that has been producing women of strength and confidence for years. From Bano Qudsia, Bapsi Sidhwa, Asma Jahangir, Kashmala Tariq to Faryal Gohar, Sawera Nadeem and Hadiqa Kiyani, Kinnaird has produced leading women in all fields of life. It has a history of dedication and struggle in making it what it is today; the dream of every young girl.
I am lucky enough that my dream has become a reality: today, I am a KCite.
Everyday, I embrace the pride of being a part of Kinnaird because it is an institution that not only inculcates professional skills in a woman but also grooms her personality inside and out, giving her the courage to chase her dreams.
Kinnaird emphasises on non academic participation as much as academic performance. It offers something for everyone - name your talent and Kinnaird gives you a platform where you can hone it. Serving without discrimination, the institution teaches tolerance, respect and love. And that is what makes every Kinnaird girl love being a part of it.
Breaking Kcite stereotypes
Now that it is part of my identity, the reputation of Kinnaird is a matter of concern for me. When I was in high school, I had heard all kinds of stories about the students at Kinnaird. There have been certain perceptions about KCites in the minds of people outside the college who think of them as spoilt, careless and arrogant girls.
With similar impressions in mind, I was somewhat wary of befriending girls during my initial days at Kinnaird as a BA student. But when I did make friends, I found them as normal as I am. We came from different backgrounds, but we all had normal families, concerned parents, identical values and high hopes for our lives ahead .
In one year, I have met hundreds of KCites; we have talked, planned and worked on different projects together. The majority consists of energetic, hard working and well brought-up girls. I don’t deny that there are bad eggs among the Kinnaird crowd because there can be no world that has only roses and no thorns. However, in the world of Kinnaird such thorns are few and far between.
‘Marriage material’
Here is another popular notion which is a frequent part of discussions in the KCite circle: KCites get married easier than others. When asked for their remarks, the students of Kinnaird seem divided in their opinions. Some say it is true but many disagree. They argue that being a part of Kinnaird may be a positive point for a girl but it should not be a requirement for marriage.
Some KCites cheerfully boast that since Kinnaird grooms its students to perfection, they become the best choice for marriage. Sarah, a media student at my college made an interesting comment:
I have observed that a number of girls have quit college to get married and some are waiting to tie the knot once they complete their degrees. But there are others (10 times greater in number) who are single and plan to remain so at least until graduation. For them, marriage is a matter that fate will decide, and I think that is the way it should be.
Marriage (sooner, later, easier or not) is a matter of fate and not a matter of what institution one studies at. If this was the case, no Kinnaird student would be single, and the Kinnaird motto “light, courage, love” would also include the word “marriage.”
Kinnaird College is not something out of the ordinary; it takes regular girls, offers them a wide range of options to excel in and prepares them for life ahead. KCites are normal human beings, and so they vary from each other in their life styles and behaviour. They face the same issues, wonder about their future and have desires just like the girls of Punjab University or Lahore School of Economics.
I am lucky enough that my dream has become a reality: today, I am a KCite.
Everyday, I embrace the pride of being a part of Kinnaird because it is an institution that not only inculcates professional skills in a woman but also grooms her personality inside and out, giving her the courage to chase her dreams.
Kinnaird emphasises on non academic participation as much as academic performance. It offers something for everyone - name your talent and Kinnaird gives you a platform where you can hone it. Serving without discrimination, the institution teaches tolerance, respect and love. And that is what makes every Kinnaird girl love being a part of it.
Breaking Kcite stereotypes
Now that it is part of my identity, the reputation of Kinnaird is a matter of concern for me. When I was in high school, I had heard all kinds of stories about the students at Kinnaird. There have been certain perceptions about KCites in the minds of people outside the college who think of them as spoilt, careless and arrogant girls.
With similar impressions in mind, I was somewhat wary of befriending girls during my initial days at Kinnaird as a BA student. But when I did make friends, I found them as normal as I am. We came from different backgrounds, but we all had normal families, concerned parents, identical values and high hopes for our lives ahead .
In one year, I have met hundreds of KCites; we have talked, planned and worked on different projects together. The majority consists of energetic, hard working and well brought-up girls. I don’t deny that there are bad eggs among the Kinnaird crowd because there can be no world that has only roses and no thorns. However, in the world of Kinnaird such thorns are few and far between.
‘Marriage material’
Here is another popular notion which is a frequent part of discussions in the KCite circle: KCites get married easier than others. When asked for their remarks, the students of Kinnaird seem divided in their opinions. Some say it is true but many disagree. They argue that being a part of Kinnaird may be a positive point for a girl but it should not be a requirement for marriage.
Some KCites cheerfully boast that since Kinnaird grooms its students to perfection, they become the best choice for marriage. Sarah, a media student at my college made an interesting comment:
“Even if a girl barely makes it to graduation, there is one thing she learns for sure while being at Kinnaird: style. And with the materialistic approach of young men today, style wins over brains.”
I have observed that a number of girls have quit college to get married and some are waiting to tie the knot once they complete their degrees. But there are others (10 times greater in number) who are single and plan to remain so at least until graduation. For them, marriage is a matter that fate will decide, and I think that is the way it should be.
Marriage (sooner, later, easier or not) is a matter of fate and not a matter of what institution one studies at. If this was the case, no Kinnaird student would be single, and the Kinnaird motto “light, courage, love” would also include the word “marriage.”
Kinnaird College is not something out of the ordinary; it takes regular girls, offers them a wide range of options to excel in and prepares them for life ahead. KCites are normal human beings, and so they vary from each other in their life styles and behaviour. They face the same issues, wonder about their future and have desires just like the girls of Punjab University or Lahore School of Economics.