It is normal for you to be a bit apprehensive and excited about your new life in a boarding school. A boarding school in India or the school dorm requires you to be more Independent and disciplined, and your responsibilities towards yourself and your studies will also increase. Unlike your home, you will be primarily responsible for your own studies and the guidance of the parents will be absent. You may also have to be more extroverted, ready to intermingle, and a team player when you want to study at a boarding school. There will be new friends, teachers, school surroundings, and the environment. You will have to adapt to the new place where you might spend a major portion of your school years and life.
Children who are in school at boarding Institutions are often more adaptable to college life because they are or already exposed to independent living.
Here are 5 important things that you should know when you are a first-time boarder and would be starting a new life at a boarding school in India.
1. Overcoming Anxiety and Nervousness
In most cases, the children who join a boarding School find many things new and surprising at the place. Only in a few instances are there students or teachers whom a student already or previously knows. Being anxious and nervous in this new setting is common and obvious. But you should be mentally prepared for the surprises. To emerge as a winner in the situation, you need to make a conscious effort, acclimatize with the environment and befriend those with whom you are going to spend your schooling time. You can start by introducing yourself to at least 3 classmates, and see where the communication and the small interaction take you. Many other pupils like you will also be new to the school, as it would be the time immediately after registration of the new school session. You can be familiar with others while eating your food (including lunch and breakfast), while playing, or while going to the room, among other instances. It is even better to strike a friendly chord with your roommate, who would be spending the maximum time with you.
2. Orientation Programs
The best boarding schools in India are joined by a number of students every year and many of these are there in the early years of life. Hence, being introverted and shy is common at this age. Therefore, almost all boarding schools run the orientation program to make the students familiar with the school teachers, environment, and their classmates during the early part of the year class sessions. The tailor-made programs are for “cutting the ice” and aim at initiating friendship and catalyzing conversation in between the newcomers. Orientation programs and plans may include sports like bowling/rowing/tubing (among others), advisor dinners, and others. If you are not interested in participating in the field, you can boost the morale of your new classmates by cheering for them and can join the bandwagon.
3. Acclimatization
After a few orientation sessions and programs, you will be more familiar with the schooling environment and will also have found a few friends. You’ll also have to acclimatize to the new environment. Students and people from different parts and regions of India (and international students as well) join the boarding schools. You may find that there are students from Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka (among different Indian states), and from countries including Nepal and Bhutan (among others) at your boarding school. The environment of the place will also be different if you are from a far-flung area, and therefore acclimatization would be required. Some students who are close to their homes (are from places closely) will adapt to the surroundings and will acclimatize with the environment faster than others. Acclimatization is a spontaneous process and you would be able to grasp the new environment easily in a few days. Remember that you should have all the clothing to face the new environment (especially if it’s a cool and hilly region) and to remain healthy.
4. Don’t Be Shy To Get Support
Boarding schools have a friendly culture where the classmates, teachers, and people of the administration keep on communicating with each other. Problems including homesickness, or impaired self-organization, and others are common. But do not let these problems and issues frighten you, as you will get support for almost everything you want. You will be provided with tips and advice and there would be many tours to the surrounding areas, which will help you know the region and place better. Be patient and stick to your studies, and all other problems will be resolved eventually and gradually.
5. Follow The Rules
Remember that following the rules of the school is essential for your own safety when you are living away from your home. You need to organize your time well and make use of all the opportunities you get to pursue your studies and interest. In most cases, you will have to be a go-getter and independent. But do not exploit your independence and misuse it in any way. Eat healthy food, carry on with your game and exercise sessions and be a polite and disciplined student who can be a role model for others to follow. As your parents/guardians will be far away from you, you should follow the advice and orders given by the management and dormitory monitors. This will ensure that you do not fall into trouble and conclude your boarding school time happily, successfully, and without any issues. When you are alone, you cannot trust anybody. See to it that you have made the right friends. Your friends should have good habits and should be collaborative and honest, even if they are not exceptional at studies or sports. Do not trust strangers when you are outside your school campus, as there can be other dangers that you might not have thought of. Leave the school premises with permission and never cross the time limits.
Remember that it is not abnormal for you to be nervous during the first few days or weeks of your new boarding school sessions. Take part in all the orientation activities and do not shy to ask for help. Apart from the administration and teachers, your seniors, as well as your classmates, can also be forthcoming in helping you with kinds of problems, in all sorts of situations and scenarios.
