Time for Freedom and responsibility. Review on Tips on Hostel Life

Tell me your friends and I'll tell you what you are

A lot can be told about you , looking at where you live

Note: The Review is written based on my hostel experience in my school and college days.

I guarantee that in your hostel , you can hold true , both of the above statements . I grew up in hostel, right from school to my +3. I did one smart thing during my +3 hostel life. I became smart by not repeating the mistakes. I have drawn up a list of Do's and Dont's , and really stuck to them. If you are prepared for Hostel Life, you are prepared for anything in life. You find different kinds of people. Some would be your friends. Some would just ignore you , but still keep you in the corner of their eye while gritting your teeth, some just would love to make your life miserable.

One must also realize that Mom isnt there to get you what you want. Back home you are the king. You can dictate your terms , but here in hostel, things are different. Its is how you should keep your stuff and your schedule organized. I may sound like my grandparents ( or your grandparents) in saying so, But if you should listen to their advice , you can save yourself a lot of trouble.

1. God gave us relatives, But thank God you can choose your friends

This is a simple funda. Relatives whether you like them or not , they are your relatives. But friends there are two choices. Friend or not a friend. If you dont get along with your relative you cannot say he isnt my relative anymore. Friends come and they go. Life went on without them, Life will go on without them. Some friends you can say they are as good as a pleasant dream ( as goes true with all my friends here on MS). But some friends are a nightmare. choosing the right friend is the trick. General rule of thumb is choose the friend who shares your interests. Thats a good start. Some begin as sugar sweeteners and end up as bad breath when the mask slowly wear off. We are all gifted with a sixth sense. Something which people do and say , triggers off an ''alarm''. This ''alarm'' is usually a warning your sub conscious mind is giving you to be aware and be cautious ( usually associated with your ESP). Usually we tend to ignore it. But if you are careful, sometime later you would have known that it was a right choice to have listened to the ''warning bell''. Have the wrong set of friends you will end up broke and hurt.

2. Time Management

We often spend a lot of time on things that barely matter and less on stuff that really matters. ( I've been there too). If its a working mens ( or womens ) hostel, probably this dont apply here. For a students hostel, your study time is important. In my +3 many times friends come down and say hey man , lets chill , you can do this tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes. Make sure you are in touch with what has been taught in the class that day. Also make sure your friends respect the time you spend for studies. Just two hours a day spent in studies will never do any harm. Also pay more attention in the class. I spent exactly two hours a day , go for at least one movie in a week , booze and party with my friends , and active at other extra curricular activities and yet I was the class topper .. while the same bunch of friends I used to hang out with were startled as to how I could manage all this. Even my girlfriend(s) were not sure how I could manage. There is no secret. Just manage your time effectively and you are set. at any cost , I never missed out on those two hours of study. 5 am to 7 am morning while my friends just lining up at the bathroom. Probably another hour in the Evening after the college will do you a lot of good.

3. Money Matters

During your student life there are three things regarding money you ought to know. One, Money dont grow on trees. Two,Your parents cant manage more that what they are sending you. Its their hard earned money. Three , money talks, usually it lies , but it indeed talks. It has its own language. The best thing money can say is good bye. surely you would love to help your friend when he/she is short of money. but the question is, are you really helping him, or are you spoiling him. My roommate Sashikanth had this problem. by the 20th of the month he was broke. I lent him money for the first two months, but later I refused. Because I realized that I wasnt helping him. I was spoiling him, and I am ending up broke by helping him. Its not just money, its anything you have. You bike if you have one, your cassette player or anything that is yours. Let your friends scoff at you as kanjoos (miser) but hey it isnt your money, it is your parents. Many times I ended up broke myself while my roommate was treating his girlfriend to a movie on my expense. ''I will pay you back next month'' He says, as of today he owes me Rs.1500 /-. Some relief came in when I landed a part time job , teaching computer classes.

Here is a line on the Internet I have read ''If you pay someone $10 and he doesnt come back, Be happy that he was worth it.''

4. Routine

Sleep early ( except on weekends) rise early. Incorporate this in your routine. Apart from attending classes and dinner table , you must also be in touch with the world around you. Newspapers, TV time, movies Sports , fun time. If you have this in your daily routine, you are prepared to take on the next step towards your career. Have a balanced routine. Spare time for other books, and never let anything or anyone change your routine. (one exception is smoking).

5. Get organized

Right now I am a single guy in Chennai living alone in a single bedroom. I can give you the keys to my place, and tell you what you can find where. Be it my college certificates , My passport, Salary slips, Books - I remember in what order they are placed in the shelf. It isnt easy but it is possible. If you take out something from someplace , put it back where it is supposed to be. That way you dont have trouble finding things. I know it is easy said than done. It all takes less than a minute to put it back where it was supposed to be. Keep your place neat and tidy. Once you clean your room, all it takes is 15 minutes every day to keep it that way. Go back to the second line of this review to see what I mean.

Davie Boy says... ( borrowed from the original Thus Spake )

I may have sounded like a lecturer, but hey , I speech what I practice. If you are used to doing this the way it is supposed to be, your professional life will be easier. You will find new and innovative ways to get your work and personal life organized. Follow the above and the advices from other members posted in this section and you re sure to find that you can have things your way. Hostel life can be fun, or a disaster, you make the choice. On a closing note I wish you all the best and good luck.

Review Dedicated to all my friends in MS.

Comments Most Welcome

DavieBoy