My First Day at Residential College: Rules, Romances, and the English Hurdle

 It was the year 2012, and I was more nervous than excited. A long, exhausting journey finally ended late at night when I arrived at a residential college focused on character building and faith—essentially, a strict boarding school for young adults.

After a whole day of travel, I just wanted to rest. My family had driven me there, and we were all made to sit in the reception area, waiting for "Director Sir," the college boss.

After a seemingly endless wait, he and his wife finally appeared. His wife immediately launched into the college's rules. I remember thinking, Couldn't this lecture have waited until morning?

Then came the shocker: "Boys are not allowed to talk to girls."

I paused. Wait, are there even girls here? I thought this was a boys-only college. I also wondered why I was getting a lecture before I had even done anything wrong. I’m an introvert; I barely speak to boys, let alone girls! I write more than I speak.

But I was relieved when the lecture ended. I was ravenous. "Who wants to talk with girls?" I thought to myself. "I just want food."

After dinner, my brother and relatives left. I quickly set up my bed and unpacked my luggage, desperate for sleep. Thankfully, I was spared from any evening activities meant for the other students. I crashed.

The 4 AM Wake-Up Call

My friends woke me up at 4 AM sharp. It was a college rule. I silently wondered if the Director was a sadist, but a rule is a rule. We went through the morning activities—and that’s when I saw the girls clearly. In the hustle of the night before, I hadn't noticed them, but now they were there, their accommodation separate from ours.

Director Sir gave me a formal introduction to everyone as the 'new student.'

After bathing and getting ready, we had breakfast. Another rule: boys ate upstairs, girls downstairs.

The English Hurdle

The next challenge was the classroom. As a highly sensitive person, I prioritize stability, and all this change was making me incredibly nervous. The strict rules and new environment were stressful enough, but then there was the language barrier.

Hindi might be the national language of India, but here, English was the only language spoken, written, and understood.

I was given a little leniency initially, a grace period, but I knew it wouldn't last forever. I had to learn English—fast.

Students were divided into three grades: 1st year, 2nd year, and 3rd year. In my 1st-year class, there were three girls (names changed for privacy): Palak, Rani, and Tara. Rani was great at English, but the rest of us often faced punishment.

Eventually, my grace period ended. Our English Sir had a unique (and painful) method of discipline: he would pinch our stomachs very tightly. It reminded me of my old school days, and I wondered if it was even legal.

But I'm a quick learner. I learned English surprisingly fast, surprising everyone, and in no time, I became one of the top students in the college.

The Start of a Love Triangle

Okay, I’m getting carried away with the academics. Let’s skip that part and focus on the story you’re here for: my friendship, or maybe love, story.

When I first arrived that very first night, during the director’s wife's lecture, I saw Palak.

I kind of fell in love. She was incredibly beautiful—a truly magical moment.

But reality hit quickly: talking to girls was strictly forbidden. I had to resist and stay in control.

Later that night, I was eating dinner alone because everyone else had finished. Palak was cleaning the dining room. She asked me where I was from, in Hindi (we were both struggling with English then). I was terrified of breaking the rules I had just learned, but I hesitantly answered. The conversation was brief, and she left.

Days passed. I didn't talk to the girls, or many of the boys either. But one boy became my best friend. He was a senior in 2nd year, and he was also in love with Palak.

This is where my entry created a love triangle. The only difference? His relationship was "official." They were boyfriend and girlfriend.

He confided in me, saying that I was his girlfriend’s "ideal potential" because I had all the qualities she liked. "If you had come earlier," he told me, "she would have chosen you."

I lied and said, "I don't like Palak; she's not my type." Even though I fell in love with her the moment I saw her, I didn't want to hurt my best friend. I respected their relationship too much to interfere.

The Letter

Palak, however, was finding things difficult. I think she was falling for me. Moreover, I was in her class, sitting right behind her every day, while her boyfriend was in the senior class. I was always around.

One day, she wrote her boyfriend a letter hinting at a breakup. He used to read her letters with me, sometimes asking me to read parts aloud. Inside, I wanted to scream, "Please don't read her love letters in front of me! I love her too much already!" But I only hinted at my discomfort, which he didn't understand.

The next day, I talked to Palak. I told her, "Please don't break up with him. He loves you so much." She respected me enough to listen, and she stayed with him.

Enter Tara

There was another girl, Tara, who was interested in me. She broke up with her own boyfriend just a few days after I arrived. She was strange—whenever she saw me, she used to blush and smile. I liked her very much, maybe even more than Palak, but I was oblivious to her interest in me.

Her ex-boyfriend wasn't oblivious, though. He noticed everything and threatened me, telling me to stay away from her.

"Why?" I asked. "She's my friend."

"She's my girlfriend," he insisted.

"Okay, good for you," I replied. "But I didn't ask who your girlfriend is."

Tara and I remained friends despite his threats.

One day, she came with Palak into the dining room while I was cleaning (it was my duty that day).

"May I come in, sir?" she asked playfully.

I couldn't say anything but smile as both she and Palak laughed.

Rules, Crushes, and Christmas Breaks

One day, Tara was arguing with someone in the dining room. I was nervous because I’d never seen her angry before. The moment she saw me, she started blushing and smiling, and my nervousness instantly turned into surprise.

But she never proposed to me. I was waiting for her to make the first move, and I didn't propose to her because I was convinced she was still in a relationship.

Then, someone complained to Director Sir that Palak and her boyfriend were in a relationship. Her boyfriend was expelled from college, while Palak was only given a warning. I felt bad when my best friend left college. Palak and I remained good friends, but after some time, I think she found a new boyfriend. I was aloof and focused on my studies.

Christmas holidays arrived, and I went home, relieved to finally be in a stress-free, rule-free world.

The Second Year, and My Exit

After the holidays, we returned to college for the second year. A new guy named Parker arrived and became my new best friend; I was glad to have a close friend again.

Parker and Tara started dating. Tara had assumed I would never propose to her, so she moved on with Parker.

I asked Parker to clarify things with Tara, as I still thought she had a boyfriend. She told him she had left the other guy long ago and didn't like him anymore.

After a few more months, I realized that college life wasn't for me. I decided to leave. Everyone was sad to see me go. Tara was asleep when I was leaving, but someone woke her up. She came to see me off, sleepy but visibly upset.

I left the college that day and never saw my friends from that time again.

I don't know if Tara and I were just friends or something more, but I cherish every moment and every smile we shared there. It was a strange chapter in my life, full of rules, secrets, and missed connections.