Lessons my Hostel taught me.

Four years we spent in one room, in one building, four years we made memories as we drifted through the coridoors, moving from room to room like nomads. Four years we spent sitting on the same bed with mates, to watch a movie, or to gossip, or to cry under the blankets once the lights are out. We laughed, celebrated, resented, disdained. We entered as immature, aloof eighteen year olds, we leave as mature, responsible (upto an extent), independent twenty-two year olds. We spent those four years of our lives which sculpt an individual. We interacted with complete strangers who went on to become best friends, we also interacted with people who became foes. Knowingly, unknowingly, we changed. Apart from the homesickness and appreciation for 'Ghar ka khaana' , hostel life taught us some lasting lessons. These are few I could think of.

1. There's much more to a person than what meets the eye.

The quiet girl may be the most wild person you've ever seen. The most friendly girl may be the one wearing a mask and hiding scorn underneath. The only tricky thing was deciphering which was which.

2. There is always somebody.

When you stay at a place where multiple people reside, not all of them can be your friends; but there's this invisible bond between these people, like we are part of the same territory. And this invisible bond renders you with always having somebody to fall back on. You may have never spoken to her, but she'll still lend you a pack of Maggi at 3 AM when you're as hungry as a hungry person. (Pardon my simile).

3. Laughter is always around the corner.

Everyone has their days when things seem gloomy and there's a grey cloud hovering above your head, with a constant downpour which drenches you to the bones. Such days, all you want is to be left alone, but considering the fact that there's no isolated place in the whole building, you resign to your bed, put on your earphones and snap out of reality until you're sane again. When finally you're ready to get out of your den, you will always find someone who will lift your moods. It may be as small as sitting with a friend at the hostel entrance, gazing at the empty lane ahead, or as grand as going for a movie with your posting batch.

4. You begin to appreciate solitude.

Like we all know, Man appreciates what he has after it is taken away from him. Having company is great, but sometimes the only company you need is your own. As the daily routine starts taking a toll on you, you find yourself inclined towards disconnecting from the crowd, and surrendering to your solitary retreat. You need some time alone, and you realise that it rejuvenates you just as much as spending a day out with friends does. You learn to differentiate between loneliness and solitude as you periodically retreat to the silent abode.

5. People drift away.

The people who were best buds in first year, become 'Hi-Bye' friends by final year. The more time you spend with a person, the more you get to know them. This may work for you or against you. Many a times you find people who get closer, and the bond becomes stronger with passing time; but there are also people who get distant and move out of your orbit gradually. It is a mutual process, no bitter feelings, just that oil and water can never be miscible.

6. You learn to stand up for yourself.

From being the timid pushover, to being the rebellious fighter, you evolve. You acknowledge that there are people who are going to walk all over you, and there's only you who can save yourself. You stand up to the girl who thinks she can mock you and pass it off as a joke. You stand up for your friend who is being humiliated by a couple of baneful seniors. You become your own knight in shining armour.

Basically, I think staying away from home has it's own pros and cons. However, at the end of it, you always emerge more mature , more confident, and more grown than what you were when you first entered. From doing your own laundry, to taking care of yourself on sick days, you grow up unnoticably. It's only when you pack your bags, and see your batchmates clearing up their rooms to leave, that you realise, inspite of all the tough times, you're grateful for having experienced this emotional, adventurous ride.
Remember how you felt when the renowned TV series F.R.I.E.N.D.S got over? This feels just like the last episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Today, I leave my hostel. Today, I prepare to start living outside in an apartment, bereft of the protective cocoon that hostel provided. Today, I tie up all the memories I've made, and proceed to make new ones. Today, I end a journey that began four years ago.