Dilemma of attending a boarding school

When one is sent to boarding school at a very tender age, one develops unique personality traits that make one stand apart from the rest.

I spent nine years in one of the elite boarding schools of Pakistan — Sadiq Public School, Bahawalpur — which has apparently left a great imprint on my personality.

My father’s government service in various districts of Sindh is the reason I was sent to a boarding school outside of my native province at the very young age of four years and nine months. He never wanted my education or that of my elder brother to be affected by his constant transfers and movement from one district to another. He did not want us to switch school constantly.

Living in a hostel since a very young age, I got a chance to mingle with students from all the areas of Pakistan, including overseas Pakistanis. At the same time, however, I feel deprived of being able to spend my formative years with my family. It was the best of times as well as the worst.



The best in that I learned to be independent, developed social skills and confidence at a young age. The worst in that I had to spend months away from my loving family and had to suppress emotions to be able to live away from them. I was shy with the girls and stubborn in my beliefs.

Now, whenever I recall my years in boarding school, I cherish them as the best years of my life. I made hundreds of reliable friends but going back to school after the holidays was never easy and that last hug with family members at the airport or a railway station was emotional.

I love that I grew up in the best possible environment from an early age which could have never been possible without being in a boarding school. I must say that I could never focus on my studies, as I always remained preoccupied with extracurricular activities.

In attaining one thing one must inevitably lose another but I’m still not very clear on whether being sent to the boarding school was the best possible option that would enable me to become a good human being or whether attending schools wherever my father was posted would have also done the trick.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2016.