I was 13 when I joined a boarding school. No, I was not a trouble maker or poor at studies, and no one ever went to a boarding school from my family. At the time I was also happily living a laid-back, luxurious life in a small town in India, thoroughly enjoying being pampered and treated like a princess by my doting parents. So the thought leaving this life to join a boarding school never crossed my mind, until one day, when my childhood friend came up to me and announced that she was joining a school in Panchgani the following year. The moment I heard this news, I knew I wanted to go too! The urge was so strong I successfully managed to tolerate all the emotional atyachaar of my extremely loving desi mom. At the end of weeks of drama, my parents relented.
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Allowing me to spend my school years in a boarding was one of the best things my parents did for me and no other experience has taught me better about life. Apart from learning to be independent and doing things on my own, here are some life lessons from boarding school that I want to share with my kids as I prepare them for today’s world.
1. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – The entire boarding school spoke just one language – English. Coming from a Hindi speaking state in India, this became my biggest challenge. Fearing that I would make mistakes, I found myself communicating in sign language or mostly avoiding conversations in the initial days. I finally got over my fear, with the help of fellow boarders.
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2. You got to get along with people, including the ones you don’t like  – At the boarding school, I bumped into students that I didn’t really like. But I had no choice. I had to learn to like them. This taught me to be more tolerant and adjust with different types of people around me.
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3. Make the most of what you’ve got – When you are in a boarding school, you are always on a limited budget and your stock of those favourite goodies must last you till you break for next vacation. I knew what it meant to have just one packet of cream biscuits left with so many days left for the break. I learnt how to value the things I owned from a very young age.
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4. Follow a routine – The strict routine at the boarding school is the reason I need a schedule in my daily life as well. From waking up at a particular time to lights out at 9 pm, everything works like clockwork.
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5. Celebrate the little joys of life – A letter from our parents, the caramel pudding which was served only on Thursday dinners, the surprise leave of our dorm matron in the middle of the week, sneaking in food under our pullovers for midnight feast, extra 30 minutes to watch TV. These were the things that made us happy. Simple, inexpensive, good, clean fun!
Though boarding schools are often associated as a place to send your child when they don’t perform well at school, I must say boarding schools are nothing short of wonderful places to study in where you make friends for a lifetime and study while having fun!
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Mansi Zaveri
KSP Team
