Young me went to a strict, highly academic school where we had a lot of rules written in the back of a pocket diary we had to carry around (to log homework, sports training and fixtures, etc).

I was also a little rebellious and I hated being told what I could or couldn’t do.

One day, our Art teacher is off sick and an English teacher who hated my insubordinate guts sat in on the class and made us do sketchbook work in silence.

I’d just got my hands on the first MP3 player to hit the market (by doing a lot of gardening work for family members). So I popped in my ear buds and started sketching.

A minute or so later, the buds are yanked out of my ears and the English teacher confiscates the MP3 player, saying it’s against school rules to have one. I, naturally, object rather passionately and get myself written up for having a banned item in school.

Later that day, I’m pulled into one of the disciplinary staff member’s office to be given an ear full. After they finished chastising me, I pulled out my little pocket diary, flicked to the back, and read:

“Students are not permitted to possess nor use CD or cassette players on school grounds”.

Me: “This is an MP3 player. It’s neither of those things.”

After a long silence, I’m handed back my MP3 player and told to not bring it back again.

The next term, the new diary has a mysterious little amendment to the rules, now mentioning “audio” players instead.

But that very term I also spotted that “All students must have a school tie” with no specification that one must actually wear it…