Hostel Life vs. Home Life
A home is a place of love and warm affection by the caretakers. It has the love of a mother and the affection of a father. It has the equality of brothers and sisters and lap cozy protection of the family. Mahatma Gandhi describes his house as a place that is open for all the cultures from all lands. He wants such air to be blown all around his house. As for himself, he wants to be fixed and stable. He does not want to be carried away by any trend or phase.’
Hostel, a place where learners stay away from parents and personal places. Even princes and children from rich families used to be sent to such places known as Gurukuls or Guru Ashramas. Lord Rama and Lakshmana were sent with Guru Vishwamitra. In the same way, Kauravas and Pandavas were sent to the Ashrama of Guru Dronacharya.
Lord Krishna and Sudama studied together in the Ashrama of Guru Sandeepana. These hostels were managed to impart practical training to students. Guru Ma used to assign duties and different odd jobs to these students and they used to develop a spirit to work in a team.
The same is the clear objectives of hostels. Literally, they are meant to provide opportunities and training for theoretical as well as practical studies. The students of all castes and creeds work and handle things themselves. They know how to take up time management and how to handle their own problems themselves. It is found that the hostel boys are more self-dependent. They manage the co-operative mess, the work to purchase items on competitive and comparative rates. In the same way, they learn to keep their own room, books, and clothes neat and clean. Similarly, travelling is also a lesson for the wards and they learn to do it independently.
In homes, the moment a boy wants to do small things, he is prevented by the family members on the plea that this did not work for the boys or student girls. Their advice is to devote the same time to studies. Hence, it is very difficult to learn the dignity of labour and work. The household subject remains totally neglected in the homes. It is always a thrill to stay independent and do things on your own. The hostel provides ample opportunity for experiments right from the cooking of delicate dishes to cloth washing. The results of these experiments are found to be guiding the whole life and students make use of these achievements. Careers are decided, talents are exposed in the hostel and everybody is encouraged to participate in group or solo activities.
Children learn how to share the sad and joyful moments of other students. They smoothen the mind of newcomers in the hostel and take all the best care of the young ones. The atmosphere in a hostel is more dependent on the interest taken by the warden of the hostel. They can impart training in small items by self-participating.
Some boys or girls take up to bad habits but that can happen at home also. The hostel provides contact in a wide circle and people learn to manage things on their own here. I certainly favour that every student should be exposed to hostel life and should be given an opportunity to learn things thoroughly.
