Every place has its positives and negatives. However, people often form general ideas about places to which they have never been, and they stereotype a place to simply be “good” or “bad”. Boarding schools are usually depicted as places where children suffer from homesickness, have to put up with their many roommates all the time, are malnourished, and receive no love from their houseparent. Therefore, boarding schools are usually labeled as “bad” because the mention of “boarding schools” invokes negative thoughts. However, I believe that a place can be seen as negative when it really is a place that helps one grow. The only reason people view it as negative is because it does not benefit them in obvious or immediate ways, and the hardships of that place actually affect people in healthy ways. Therefore, even though living in a boarding school for more than half of the year is grueling, there are positives about living at my boarding school, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas.

In my boarding school, teachers are more available to give personal attention and help to students than if we were a non-boarding school. Last year, my houseparent was my English teacher. Thus, whenever I had a question about my English homework, I could simply walk down the hall to her room and ask her. It was beneficial for my grade because I could clear up confusion about an assignment at any time, not just in the classroom. My English teacher/houseparent also helped me in my weak areas in English because she was available for one-on-one time in boarding. I also find that in boarding schools, you have the opportunity to know your teachers out of school. We sit with them at lunches, chat after church and school, and mingle with them during all-school activities. In this way, teachers and students build a personal relationship. Moreover, the teachers at my boarding school demonstrate their care for their students by teaching us in the best possible way. As they become closer to their students, they figure out our learning techniques and use them for our advantage. For me, the teachers at my boarding school are more than just my teachers. They are also my mentors and role models, and I believe that this is one of the unique qualities of boarding school.

Another positive side about living in a boarding school is that the boarders realize what a blessing it is to have a loving family. After I left my home to attend boarding school, I experienced bouts of homesickness for a long time. Even though I had to undergo this painful trial, it was through it that I truly learned to appreciate my family. When I was around my family all the time, I did not recognize the little acts of love that they showed me throughout the day, and I did not value their uniqueness. Instead, all too often, I focused on the negative aspects of their characters and at everything about them that frustrated me. I was ungrateful of the huge blessing God had provided me by placing me in their lives when they adopted me fifteen years ago. However, when I came to a new environment in my boarding school, surrounded my non-family members, I realized how amazing my family was. It changed my relationship with my family members in many ways, since I began to cherish the precious time I had with them. It is important to learn to appreciate your family at a young age. Otherwise, it may be too late once you are in college because you cannot rewind the clock and treasure your childhood years with them. Also understanding how precious your family is can improve relationships because you realize that arguing with them over petty reasons is a waste of time. Going to boarding school opened up my eyes to see my caring family for what they are, despite their many flaws. In this way, boarding school has had an immensely positive effect on my life.

Furthermore, in a boarding school, I cannot ignore the person with whom I have had a conflict, so I have learned to resolve my problems rather than avoid the person. If I went to a day school, I could evade that certain irritable person by choosing not to socialize with them at breaks and lunches. I do not have to see them after school since I have my own house, and they have theirs. However, in a boarding school, that person may very well be my roommate. I could try to disregard the fact that we sleep in the same room, eat the same meals, and go to school at the same place, but I cannot do that forever. In fact, once I came to boarding school, I argued more with my friends there than I did with my friends at home. It is exhausting living around the same people all the time, and we get on each other’s nerves. We see each other all the time, and we are forced to live together, even if we are two completely incompatible people. My first year in boarding school was difficult because one of my roommates and I had absolutely different personalities. I loved having people in our room; she hated it. I loved positioning our beds in creative ways; she did not. I loved playing loud music through speakers; she preferred to listen to music straight from her phone’s tiny speakers. However, in that year, I learned to keep short accounts, forgive easily, and be willing to accept forgiveness. It was hard, and I am still learning, but living in a boarding school certainly assists in providing situations in which I can apply these skills. Moreover, avoiding a problem is unhealthy, and it easily leads to bitterness. Instead, my boarding school has blessed me because it taught me to face a problem head on and resolve it since there is no other way around it.

Boarding school has not only taught me this valuable lesson, but I have also matured faster than I would have at home since I am constantly with others my age. I am surrounded by struggling teenagers and immature students just like myself. I see myself in those around me because we are all going through similar trials in boarding school: we are all away from our affectionate families, and our roommates, classmates, and friends are all the same people. Therefore, we are forced to be friends with people with whom we do not get along. Additionally, we know that our houseparent loves us even when she chastises us, but it is still not the same as being punished by our real parents. It took me a while to come to this understanding that all of us have struggles in boarding school. However, once I realized that, it caused me to mature. I know how frustrating it is to have a selfish roommate or an obnoxious classmate, but they have their own reasons for being that way, just as I am often like that, too. Once I started to put myself in others’ shoes, it helped me to have more patience and grace. Moreover, since I live away from my parents, I have had to take responsibility for my own actions. Whatever I do reflects on our family, so I must be a positive ambassador for my family name at the school. Also, because I am around staff members all the time, I cannot be as immature as if I had been at home because they are not as accepting as family members would be of my immaturity. Although I could have learned this at a normal day school, too, I think that being away from my parents helped me to grow up. Hence, learning to mature quickly is one of the positive aspects of living in a boarding school.

Another benefit of living in boarding school is that since the same people surround me day in and day out, I cannot put on a religious face on Sunday morning and act differently during the week. This is a temptation for many Christians, but in boarding school, we cannot have a façade. Therefore, the temptation does not exist in my boarding school. This actually is so freeing because you do not have to worry what your church friends would think about you if they saw you during the week. And you do not have to be afraid that your school friends will think you are not “cool” if they see you worshipping at church. In my boarding school, I have to truly walk my faith all the time, even when I feel stressed because of homework, even when I am feeling depressed because of a hurt relationship, even when I am grouchy because my roommate is not cooperative. The truth is, I am not a perfect Christian, so I do have times where I do not act like a Christian. However, my friends also have these times, and this is how we grow so close because we see each other’s positive and negative sides. In boarding school, we learn to be ourselves without worrying about being judged. We can be completely real in front of everybody, and I believe that this is healthy for our spiritual and emotional growth. Thus, boarding school is a positive experience because I can be myself at all times, around all people.

Through all the difficulties of boarding school, I have formed strong friendships and now have what I would call a second family and home. People say that you cannot have a close relationship with anybody if you have never argued with them at least once. This is so true, and in boarding school, because we are always with the same people, we get to know each other extremely well. We have our meals, our youth group, and our church together, so we see people’s habits and learn of their struggles. All of this contributes to a tight-knit community. I have learned to appreciate everybody’s distinctiveness, even though my peers’ and teachers’ peculiarities sometimes annoy me. However, this is what a family is. A family is a group of people who did not choose to be together, but instead were put together by God. They are forced to learn to love each other and put each other’s needs above their own, even when it hurts. I believe that God carefully handpicked every individual who is at my boarding school right now. None of us chose to live with each other. However, because of our closeness and openness with each other, I can call my peers, teachers, and houseparents my second family. They are the ones who support me and help me through trials when my real family is not around. They are the ones who truly care for me and have such a large impact in my life, just as my real family does. Hence, despite all of the negative connotations of a boarding school, I am absolutely grateful for my boarding school. It has such a healthy influence over my life currently, and I know the repercussions of this influence will benefit the rest of my life.