Student life in a hostel can be great fun provided one has the willingness to adjust and get along with all kinds of people. The first few days can be a little difficult. Getting used to a new place and strangers can be pretty unsettling, especially if you have been treated as the centre of the universe in your own home. Some students may take the first bus or train back home when they realize that the world doesn’t revolve around them anymore. But this is the biggest mistake they can do.
For living in a hostel can be an enriching experience. First of all there is the freedom factor. There is nobody breathing down your neck to see if you are studying or doing your homework. Then there is the prospect of outings with friends to the cinema, park or beach without the unpleasant task of begging permission from parents.
For those who have no siblings, it is a wonderful opportunity to form close friendships with like-minded people. Of course, the food will take some getting used to. At home we are used to eating the things we like but in a hostel we have to eat whatever we are provided. It may not be tasty or even very hygienic but we don’t have a choice.
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We may become less fussy and demanding when we go home the next time and also appreciate our mother’s cooking more. Then there is the issue of privacy. Most often, two or three students have to share a room. A policy of give and take and mutual adjustment is very essential to get along with people of differing temperaments. If we can establish a bond of trust and camaraderie with our roommates then we are lucky.
It is better to be honest with each other and discuss problems openly. Space may be limited but even then we must not intrude on each other’s space. When someone falls sick, the other roommates should take care of the sick person for sickness exacerbates one’s homesickness. Sharing problems with each other can help form good relationships.
Roommates should share chores and take care not to do anything to offend others like playing music loudly or making a mess of the room. A few years of hostel life can therefore teach us valuable lessons in good social behavior.