As a day scholar, I learned many important skills like adaptability, aiming for higher goals, and staying away from students who didn’t match my mindset. This idea of avoiding certain people was something that had been taught to me from the beginning. With a strong mind and growing confidence, I finally shifted from the day wing to the residential wing of the same school where I had been studying for the last 10 years. You know, no one can truly be adaptable until they step out of their comfort zone. That was the case with me. I thought I was adaptable, but I was just comfortable in the environment of the day wing. Moving to the residential wing, even though the hostel was just 10 minutes away from my home, was not an easy decision. I wanted to stay in the same school to complete my 12th and also experience hostel life—all in one place. I had full faith in my school, Birla School Pilani. My father wanted me to join coaching because he believed I wouldn’t score well without constant guidance. But I challenged myself to prepare for competitive exams without any coaching. I convinced my father and requested a transfer to the residential wing. In the beginning, hostel life was fun and exciting. But with time, it became clear that it wasn’t easy to manage everything. I had to study, keep my room clean, and spend time with friends—all on my own. Earlier, my parents and teachers used to guide me constantly, especially when it came to studying. The hostel offers freedom — with no one to constantly remind or correct you, you build responsibility on your own. Many students get carried away in this freedom and waste their time. It was difficult for me too, but slowly I learned how to manage everything. Now I think—why didn’t I move to the hostel earlier? In the residential wing, I truly understood what adaptability means. I also realized why my parents always asked me to focus on studies—not to pressure me, but to help me become responsible. Looking back, I can say that every student should experience hostel life during their school years. I don’t know exactly what changes in a person—but I can say for sure, it changes a lot.
Krishna Patel
Class – XI *The views expressed in the blog are those of the author.
