The First Year

Everybody remembers their first year in college. When it comes to first year at the hostel, only one thing comes to my mind, it’s just impossible to forget it. The other day, for some reason, I happened to speak about my engineering college & its hostel with one of my colleagues. Later on that evening, while driving back home from the office, numerous pleasant and some not so pleasant incidents of my college & hostel life crossed my mind. The most surprising part was that the scenes from the first year at the hostel were so vividly clear as compared to the rest; it was as if I’m watching a movie.

Later on I was wondering, why this would happen that the incidents of the first year, especially those which occurred at the hostel, would remain etched in my memory and come out sparkling fresh as if they have just happened yesterday. And then I realized that probably it’s because everyone goes thru a metamorphosis in personality in the first year, more so when one resides in a hostel. For almost everybody, the contrast between life @ home vs life @ the hostel is so extensive that this experience creates an everlasting impression on one’s mind.

There is no source which offers you more differing personalities coming together at one single place than a hostel. Some come from a humble background; first time out of home types, some come with already a lead in life since they belong to well established families and then there are those for whom this is not the first time in a hostel. In my view, it’s one of the best places for a student carrying out research in psychology. In the initial period, everyone is anticipative, only the degree varies.

It doesn’t take long for some groups to be formed. A few strong decisive factors could be city of origin, religion, language, similar personality types, same habits e.g. smoking, fate – landed in the same room, etc. Then comes the period of adaptation & adjustment, which leads to some groups getting reinforced and others getting regrouped. Sooner or later, they get cemented, cured and are bonded till the end of college tenure; a couple of them even attain permanency.

There are handfuls who are born leaders and it’s almost impossible for them to stop themselves from stealing an occasion where they can exhibit this trait, be it a position in hostel mess, a college club or a sports team. They come with the firm belief that once they establish themselves as the leaders, it will pay off not only while they are in college, but later too. They are the ones with a long vision. Invariably they find one or two strong supporters, whom they pamper to enjoy a continuous canvassing. It is not unusual to once in a while witness rivalry amongst this influential lot. And then there are the rest who are sheepishly happy to be led. After all, why exert! Here, I would not like to miss to mention those who quickly spot the opposite gender, with whom they would spend rest of the time, totally oblivious to what is happening around them. 

In my view, barring the initial hiccups, which would include being ragged by seniors (at times seriously), the life in the first year is the best time in the entire student-life tenure. The hopes are at their soaring best, there is ample time to reflect on what one would like to do while in studies and later in life, energy is oozing out and life is fun.

PS: Hope this reminds you of your first year in college / hostel and encourages you to recommend the same to those who are on the verge of entering one.