COMMENT | Loneliness brings a variety of emotional responses. The mere thoughts of being deprived of the company of your family and friends can lead to depression and other conditions.

When you lie down and look at the concrete ceiling in the nights, you will tend to feel barmy. The comforts of a big bed, a thick mattress, and an air-conditioner cannot be found in such residential colleges.

In a new environment, sleep will not come easy, especially for the first few days, after which you will accept the fact that you have little choice – you have to grit your teeth and complete the course.

No longer will be there anyone to sing you lullabies to make you fall sleep or light music to ease your day. The only sounds you may hear will be those of the crickets or civet cats in their domain – the wooded area nearby.

Of course, there have been instances in the past when certain residents claimed to be ill and asked to be sent away to the nearby hospital to recuperate.

But the public and marauding eyes of many a nosy parker and inquisitive journalists will view, consider, and label you a malingerer – trying to avoid the stay-in.

Unlike other collegemates who stay in cramped rooms and sleep on the floor, the bursar may...