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My hostelmates and other animals !
Oct 05, 2002 03:02 PM 2141 Views
(Updated Mar 16, 2003 05:39 PM)

(with apologies to Gerald Durell and my hostelmates, wherever they are !)


What is it like to live away from the protective environment that is your family ? To share your life with perfect strangers (until you get to know them !) ? To do things by yourself that you have always had someone take care of, for you ? To assume responsibilities that you never had to bother about earlier ?


It’s tough, but great fun !


This review is based on my 4 year stint in a small hostel (GVN) in a small town (Mandya), while I was pursuing my graduation. I am going to try and approach this from a different angle as I find that other MS ians have already given you huge dollops of sensible advice and insights into what hostel life is all about ...


Hence I will introduce you to the animals in the menagerie called the Hostel :


a) The Big Brother


The Senior who will help you carry your luggage in as you enter the hostel for the first time, tell you where your room and everything else is, intervene when the ragging gets a little too rough, be your introducer to help you open a bank account, lend you his books, etc. Hopefully not an extinct specie.


b) The Morally Upright


The Good Guy who will not indulge in ragging and take a stance on alcoholism and wild parties in the hostel. Is a regular visitor to the nearby temple. Will write regularly to his parents, even when not in need of money. The only one who will not have his tongue out, when a mod girl passes by ... There are a few left in the world, and they should be declared a protected specie.


c) The Sponge


Highest on the food chain - Wondering what happened to that packet of eats your mother sent you ? Or that pickle bottle that you purchased just last week to make your meals in the hostel taste just that bit different ? Look no further than the Sponge - avoid this animal like the plague if you can exercise your choice of roommates. If you go to a restaurant with the Sponge, you will end up footing the bill. Lock up your toothpaste if you have the misfortune of being saddled in the same room as a member of this specie.


d) The Slob


Only animal in the hostel more repulsive than the Sponge. Easily recognizable from miles away even if you do not have full use of your visual senses. Helps cut down the hostel maintenance bill by having a bath once a week and washing his clothes even less frequently, but that is the only saving grace. His room looks like a tornado is a frequent visitor.


e) The Clown


Every hostel has one or more of these. Inclined to make merry more at the expense of himself than others. The heart and soul of hostel parties, this animal provides the much needed free entertainment in humdrum hostel life. Generally tends to be built along the lines of an elephant, with a light sense of humour.


f) The Meek


Whoever said the Meek will inherit the Earth needs to do some serious rethinking. (No offense, please !) In a hostel, the Meek gets trod upon and treated worse than the doormat. He runs errands for others and is chosen to volunteer for all the rotten tasks. Is the lowest in the food chain. However, hostel life has the good quality of making a man of such sheep.


g) The Geek


The lights are on in the middle of the night. It’s the Geek, hard at work, while the rest of the hostel sleeps. If you are the type who can sleep with the lights on, you can bravely team up with the Geek and become his roomie. Otherwise, entirely avoidable. But the Geek is the most sought after animal in the hostel around exam time. You see, he has actually comprehended what the lecturers have been saying and he has voluminous notes that are a boon when it comes to preparing for exams.


h) The Fitness Fanatic


Has more dumb-bells (not dumb belles!) in his room than books. Given to expounding on the theory of brawn being as important as brain, this animal is useful for moving furniture around but little else.


i) The Great Communicator


Every hostel has one of these, who always gets more visits from the Postman than anyone else. Other animals turn green, while this creature struts around with a handful of mail. Can be relied on for supplies when in dire need of stamps, inland letters or postal covers.


Disclaimer :


My experience relates to a small hostel accommodating 30 male students. I do not profess to know anything about what happens in a hostel for the fairer sex. :-)


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