Vital point to remember when studying away from home

Vital point to remember when studying away from home
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With the pages of the calendar turning to the last few days of July, a lot of students will be leaving their homes for the first time. Every year, lakhs of students across the country go to a city that is different from that of their hometown in pursuit of their dreams. While attending college away from home, they will have to put up in hostels. These hostels may either be college 

Most people, in their later years, recollect that hostel life was the most exciting part of their lives. However, in the initial days, adjusting to a new way of life is something that many youngsters find difficult to cope up with. Being away from home for the first time, they feel vulnerable and unprotected. The absence of familiar faces and things like ragging only make matters worse.  At such times one must remember that this phase will pass and that this is necessary for the molding of an independent, self-sufficient adult; someone you have always aspired to become.  To help you ease your way through the initial days of the hostel, here are some tips and suggestions.

1.    Train your taste buds

No matter how good your hostel mess is, it will not be able to provide you your favorite food as cooked by your mother and grandmother. There is no point in lamenting over the same. Adjust to it and tell yourself that this is a sacrifice you are making for the career of your dreams.

2.    Do not expect perfection at first attempt

For many people, hostel life will be the first time they will be doing their laundry, planning their study schedule or cleaning up their room. In such a case, do not set unrealistic expectations of being as good as your mom on the first attempt. Everyone learns from their mistake and it is important that you do not lose hope.

3.    Personalize your room

Nothing can make for the room at home where you grew up in. However, to make your hostel life better, start off by decorating your room in a way you would like. Most hostels will not allow you to go for stickers or anything that may potentially damage the walls. But that does not stop you from having photo frames with pictures of the people you love, pen stand, a fancy clock cushions, matching bedsheets, tablecloth, and curtains. You may even go ahead and paste a couple of your favorite stickers in your wardrobe. All of this will help in making you feel at home in the place.

4.    Bond with the hostel staff

Irrespective of which part of the country you are in, this is a golden rule of hostel life. Understand that during your hostel life, you are bound to fall ill occasionally. At that time, the hostel staff will be the ones taking care of you. Hence striking a good rapport with them from the very beginning will pay off. Be kind to the hostel staff and greet them whenever you meet. Once in awhile strike a casual conversation with them and, if possible, give them some fruit or other food items.

5.    Befriend people

Remember that you are the one in a new place and you are the one who needs friends. Do not hesitate to extend the arm of friendship. Find out common interests and try to blend in as much as possible. You will be amazed to see how making new friends in college will help you overcome your homesickness.

6.    Choose your friends

Just because you are in an unfamiliar environment, it does not mean that you must befriend every person you meet. Hostel life will introduce you to many people and some of them will be detrimental to your personal growth. Learn to identify the positive and negative people and take care to stay away from the latter. While identifying people, do not listen to what others have to say about a particular person and trust your gut about it.

7.    Learn to sleep with light and noise

If you are staying in shared accommodation, chances are that your roommate’s study schedule may be different from that of yours. In such a case, the room of the light will be on when you head to bed. Learn to sleep in such an environment. If needed, get yourself an eye mask. Similarly, your roommate may play music when you are sleeping. You may ask him or her to keep it low but asking them to turn it off is completely unfair as the room is as much theirs as it is yours. In fact, sometimes the noise may even come from outside the room and you will not be able to do anything about it. The trick to a sound sleep is learning how to adjust. Get yourself a pair of earplugs if need be.

Adjustment is the key life skill that hostel life instills in you. While this is something that will play a crucial part in your later years, it is equally important to learn how and when to say no. If you are uncomfortable with someone taking your things without permission, make sure that you make the same clear to others. Hostel life will give you ample opportunities to take to cigarettes, alcohol and sometimes even drugs. Make sure that you do not give in to peer pressure. Also, there is no need for you to give in to ragging.

Post the implementation of the anti-ragging act in 2010, the Supreme Court has declared ragging to be a punishable offense. Thus, if someone is ragging you, make sure that you bring it to the notice of the concerned authorities.

Understand that hostel life is one of the most beautiful phases of life and with a little bit of alertness on your part, you will be able to make the most of it.