Life in a hostel !!!

I still remember the very first time when i heard that i might have to go to a hostel for further studies. I was so scared and worried. All my life i have lived with my parents, protected and pampered by them. The thought of being far away from them that too for 2 years was enough to give me goose bumps. I was wondering that what in the world has happened that my parents are sending me away. Am i becoming too much of a burden?

While coming to IBS, Hyderabad (my soon to be college) to give my interview, i had full intentions to screw it up ( n i actually thought that i did). But all my planning and calculations got a hit when i received my call letter where it was clearly mentioned that i have successfully made it to IBS. Half halfheartedly i boarded the Delhi - Hyderabad flight still with the hope that maybe its all a dream. But to my disappointment and fantasy of it being a dream, 2 hours later there i was, standing at the new Shamshabad airport of Hyderabad, with my whole cupboard packed. The journey from the airport to the college was a task in itself. Reason being that the college is situated on the outskirts of the city (30 kms away can u imagine!! How n where will I party?) and 40 kms from the airport. Somehow i managed to reach the college with my supposedly happy spirits intact ( for my parents sake who all seemed happy about the prospect that i was going to a hostel). With heart thumping hard, blood gushing into my ears and fear of the unknown i entered my college gate. At this point of time i was not thinking about the different and exciting life i'l be having but how little time was left with me to spend with my parents. After setting up my room and filling the formalities, my parents left me in this alien world where i didnt know any one. Here i was supposed to fend for myself. The days of hot coffee in bed and "sleep my child you are studying since long" was gone.

So,begins my life in a hostel. Hostel life is very different from what i had perceived it to be. Being fed by the Hindi movies, i always imagined hostel consisting of stern female wardens, dormitory full of girls and late nights doing loads n loads of work. But that's not the case. Hostel life is supposed to be full of fun n masti. The part where stern female wardens n late nights are concerned is perfectly true but with a slight difference. We are awake the whole night not doing work but watching movies, updating ourselves with the latest gossips and listening to music. In between all this if we get time assignments and submissions are also remembered.

If we see, hostel has a lot to teach us. Till few days back i hated my parents for sending me to the hostel, but now i know the rationale behind their move. It was not because they hated me or didnt love me. Infact it's probably one of the toughest decision that they took. They sent me to make me a person of substance. Hostel teaches you to be independent ( atleast to me it has taught that), makes you value friendship and people around, helps you to take your own decisions in life ( that i'm still learning). During my hostel life i have seen the worst and the best of times where my friends have been a constant support (truly guys without you all, things would have been difficult). Here i have seen people change, some being positively others negatively. Hostel is a place where you commit mistakes and learn. It develops your personality not completely but surely enough to make others see the change in you. However hard have i criticized my parents for sending me here, i now feel its the best decision they have taken.