Sunday, April 6, 2008

BOARDING SCHOOLS

A common misconception- most kids are sent to boarding school either because they are too naughty or because the parents want to get rid of their children (having their children home only for the holidays is so much less trouble.)
Being a boarding school product myself, I think people are plain ignorant of the fact that most parents put their kids in boarding not because they have to see their kids only during the holidays but because they believe that their kids are going to get a better education, not only academics but in other ways that matter too.
I have been in boarding school all my life and I strongly feel that sending me to a boarding school is one of the best things my parents have done for me. Of course I was scared about going into boarding and of course I hated it at first and yes, I did cry the first few times my parents called (but a friend of mine started singing ‘Rudolph the red nosed reindeer’ every time she saw me because she claimed I had a red nose whenever I cried which instantly put an end to my tears because I was extremely embarrassed by the song) , a new place is always scary but once I made friends and got used to the place I LOVED it!! I know a lot of people who hated being in a boarding school, but the majority of people I have met swear by boarding schools and most of them talk about the amazing times they have had there.
Some of my best and most memorable times have been in the boarding. Whether it was the bullying seniors, the various punishments, the midnight feasts, the late night chats, the silly fights, the irritating juniors- all this and much more are things that I will never be able to forget. Cribbing was one thing everyone loved doing but it’s not until I left that I realized just how lucky I have been.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like going home, in fact I love going home and I love spending time yapping away with my mother in the kitchen and bonding with my dad over Animal planet but its just that being in a boarding school is an experience, maybe bad, maybe good, but in my case it’s the latter and I loved every single minute of it.

8 comments:

Aashika said...

WELCOME to the world of blogging...:)
nice post...well i think boarding is an experience definately...bt somewhr its true that the child does not or might not be able to adopt the family values if he experiences boarding at an early age...boarding is best after a new years of child grooming by the parents..before that maybe the child is unable to establish any connectivity later...like for instance ive a friend who has lived in a boarding house all his life...he doesnt even feel like going home neither has any natural love for his parents...his life revolves around his frends who mean the world to him..(this is another way of living life...i dont think its wrong in any way)...in short he has lost the connectivity forever...
in such a case the parents play an imp role.

ruchika said...

i have heard a lot from you about life in a boarding and my opinion about it has changed a LOT after that..
you guys have had a lot more fun in many ways than we did staying at home.;-)
life in a boarding is certainly an experience and i remember telling you how i refused to go to a boarding coz i developed a cold feet!! i certainly regret my decision now and wish i would have gone then..:-)

Nina C said...

aashi- i feel it totally depends on the kid..
and ruchi-hee!hee..yeah i know,i wish u hadnt developed cold feet at the very,very last minute:)

Ragamalika said...

Boarding must've been fun.. I've always wanted to experience it, just never got the chance. But I wasn't too bad off at home either, methinks! There are some things, like growing up to be a spoiled brat, which don't happen unless you're at home and your parents do all the work... including homework at times! :P
-Rgmlk

Nina C said...

haha..true raga,very true...but in a boarding you got to bully your juniors to do the homework for u though;)

Akki said...

FINALLY.... you've started blogging..
First things first... great start..
My views of boarding school changed too after i met you and you told me all those stories about it... Me started crying or rather howling, when my dad told me in 8th grade that he wants to send me to boarding... maybe i should have listened to him..
But i think that home was great too... you get to be a brat, pampering, etc. but there's two sides of a coin in both cases.. life would be different if me was in boarding.. better or not.. i shall never know..
he he

Nina C said...

thank you aki..n yes of course there are always two sides to everything so also boarding school:)

malted socktail said...

i love how u put it... perfect without burnin any feingers... whenever i broach this topic it usually goes into "oh so u think ur better cuz u were in boarding " :P
nice girl...
and u better keep writing!