smugled discreetly), pulling group all-nighters during exams (because we are all in it together, for better or for worse), late night calls lasting up to around 3 am, turning the room into a mini-theatre for a particularly famous movie (with added special effects), petty catfights and short-lived grudges, endless chatter with friends and many such spontaneously hilarious instances where in the end, everyone has great stories to share. Everybody has everybody’s back and is accepting, no matter what. It’s a sort of a long sleepover where everyone is hyped up and not quite ready to sleep yet. The personal boundaries start to diminish, albeit for the better.
The downside, however, is the large number of restrictions. Specific time limit even on the campus, an outing per month, the decrepit food items of the mess hall and the general limitations imposed at every step; everybody is equal in the eye of the devil. The hostel mess ID card is a Mark of Cain, and the huge ‘H’ on our IDs is like an albatross, hung literally around our necks. And-but-so the life in hostel grows into a biosphere of its own where everyone knows everyone without actually knowing each other. Stepping out of this zone feels liberating and foreign at the same time. It takes some time to settle in and find our comfort zone in this ever-extending environment, but once we do, it feels strange to let go of it. Nevertheless, the time spent in a hostel is an experience of a lifetime; the people we meet and the memories we have with them remain with us for very long. So, to the newbies who have just stepped into this: look forward to a world of awesome moments and don’t be afraid to try something new, and to the ones who’ve had this experience already: try to hold onto these memories and grow beyond.
- Rupika Sunidhi