Topic: Study in Switzerland
We asked two former pupils to share the highlights from their school days
Experience of a boarding student
“Boarding school gave me so many benefits. Depending on your home situation, it can be a little overwhelming at first but it really does become a home away from home. As a boarding student, you can always find your clan of friends. My closest circle of friends became siblings that I’ll have for the rest of my life. You learn to interact within a society and navigate the challenges that can raise.
Spending so much time in such close proximity makes it much easier to read people. Managing relationships with people of different tastes, interests and personalities is a great skill to learn for adult life. When you first start boarding, it can take a minute to overcome home sickness, but you also learn to be much more independent as well. It builds confidence and resilience in your own skills and abilities to manage any situation. Schoolwork can be easier to manage too, as there are set study times and plenty of people around to ask for help!”
A day student’s lifestyle
“Being a day student at a boarding school means that you enjoy the best of both worlds. I loved being with my friends but enjoyed going home and spending weekends outside of school. We were sometimes jealous of the boarders though, they had each other and could keep having fun long after we had to go home! There’s definitely more freedom in your timetable as a day student, but it can be a bit harder to be disciplined. There are no set homework hours and no one who you can ask for help. Plus there are plenty of distractions at home…
If there’s a good mix of day students and boarders then the groups tend to mix. We couldn’t always join in with the evening or weekend activities, but there was no social divide. We could also sign boarders out for the weekend. They could have a taste of home life and we could have a sample of what it was like to have a classmate around outside of school time.”
Finding the right balance
At the end of the day, every child is different. Some may be keen to become a boarding student from a young age, others might eventually consider weekly boarding for their final year. And some may be very happy to be a day student all the way through. There is no right or wrong way, only what’s best for your situation. If you’re considering a boarding school in Switzerland, our small team of expert counselors will be happy to walk you through the available options for your family.
