Adjusting To Living Away From Home

Some young people experience difficulty adapting to the communal living situation in the dormitory – it is a very different environment from the family home. For a speedy and pleasant transition to boarding, a prospective boarder should be proficient in a number of independent life-skills:

1. Looking after own belongings and personal area – some suggested personal skills needed are the ability to make a bed in a neat and tidy manner, pick up and put away their belongings and keep their personal area clean and tidy. 2. Keeping belongings in good condition – they should know how to use an iron, and a little knowledge of sewing such as buttons, name tags and simple hems would be beneficial. They do need to learn that temperatures other than “high” can iron their clothes just fine! 3. Understanding of personal hygiene requirements – you should ensure that your child knows the importance of soap, clean hair and deodorant, daily showers, changing underwear and socks regularly, using clean linen and towels. Without this knowledge it is possible that a boarder may be ostracised by their peers, creating a very difficult situation for both the child as an individual and boarding house members in general. 4. Ability to organise study times and achieve study goals set – there will always be staff on duty during Prep times, but students need to develop the independent motivation to work through the time period without constant direct supervision. 5. Ability to structure leisure time in such a way as to avoid getting bored or having little to do. School life provides lots of opportunities for recreational activities, but there will always be some ‘spare time’ to fill in. 6. Understanding of others’ need for personal space and privacy – students are discouraged from wandering into other people’s areas without invitation and must never touch or take someone else’s things without that person’s clearly given permission. 7. Younger students also need to be aware of the physical and psychological changes they will experience during adolescence, so that they are familiar with, and not surprised by, what will happen. Girls should be aware of the sanitary products necessary. Guidance in these areas may be given by the boarding staff, but it would be much easier for your son/daughter during the settling-in period if some basic preparation has been given at home.