Arnav  (17) was super excited when he heard that he will be going to another town for senior school and live in a hostel. But the hostel was not what he imagined it to be. Do you want to know what happened next? Well here’s what he shared with TeenBook for My Diary. 

Dear Diary,

I was in seventh heaven when I first got to know that I would be going to a hostel for higher schooling! Oh, finally! I would be free from “wake up now,” “go to school,” “go and buy dhaniya,” and all those ghar ke kaam! Ahh, what a relief. I had butterflies in my stomach whenever I thought about my hostel. The hostel in my dreams was nothing less than paradise, especially with my roommates sharing the vibes! And so began the new chapter of my life.

New beginnings

The first few days were spent having lots of fun, making new friends, new contacts, new books – everything was new and going really smoothly. But, just like every coin has two sides, the other side of these days, was yet to come. 

Slowly, I was starting to really miss my Maa. I knew she might be missing me too, but the only option was to study sincerely and make her proud. Strangely, I also realized that the homemade food, for which I used to complain about, was actually the best meal!

The rollercoaster of relationships

Oh, and how could I forget about her! Straight across from my hostel window lived my graceful classmate. My new crush! Hey, by the way, it’s totally fine to move on from your school crush and find a new one! You know, it’s just a teen thing, switching crushes with every grade. But hot tip: don’t let your hostel know about your crush! Oh god! Even if a single person finds out about it, the next day pura hostel will be on to you, wanting to know the story. It’s just how hostels work I guess! But I would rather share my life with a friend than the strangers I live with.

Eventually, we started dating! The early days of the relationship were quite interesting, but as time passed, it turned into a bit of a headache. Soon, as we realized that being in this state was not doing either of us any good, so we stopped dating. During this period of hormonal kabaddi, it was very important to stay on track and to know our responsibilities towards parents and towards our future! The wrong person can ruin this stage, but with the right person, this journey becomes memorable!

Kettle cooking adventures 

Oh man, a special mention for the amazing times was cooking with my roomies using just a kettle! Those were the absolute highlights of the whole journey. I learned how tricky cooking can be – boiling, stirring, sautéing, overcooking, firing, scorching, ruining, wasting, you name it! And the best part? Standing in line in front of the warden’s office for some punishment – that was pure joy! Those days are unforgettable.

Home is where the heart is

Dealing with academic pressure, the weight of the syllabus, friendship roller coasters, relationship drama, and more – I faced it all. Yet, the sole inspiration that helped me overcome these challenges was the sparkle in my parents’ eyes, carrying millions of dreams for me! What more could I ask for? Home, which used to feel like a cage, now feels like a castle. Things have really changed from wanting to go out during holidays to happily saying, “Maa, I’m coming home during holidays.” Hostels aren’t like prisons or ‘torture khana’; they have their own charm. But, no matter what, nothing beats the special feeling of being home.

Names have been changed. This article has been authored by a member of our TeenBook Advisory Board (TAB). To learn more about what TAB is and how to join, please click here.