I

Arun and Barun came from two different parts of Bangladesh, and from two different social backgrounds. There was a public university in both of their districts. Their parents repeatedly requested them to enroll there. The two were looking at a larger landscape. They wanted to get enrolled in one of the "big four": Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, or Jahangirnagar. A university is not confined to studies alone. A university itself is an experience. Their hard work paid off. They both enrolled in the same department of one of the "big four".

Arun and Barun became friends on the first day of class. After the class, all students went to the cafeteria to get to know each other. It did not take much time for the class to become friends. In public universities, the class-size and class members remain almost unchanged. Whether one likes it or not, this was the cohort one would have to live with for the next half decade, or even more.

It was now time to go to the dormitory.

The moment the two friends went to their dorm (hall), they realised supply and demand never meet. There were sufficient halls of residences in their university, with sufficient seats. Sadly, because multiple batches were waiting for their terminal exam, the university had no choice but to send new entrants to a gonoroom packed with other students.

This is where the story starts.

Arun's parents were rich and socially influential. Barun's parents came from a humble background. Nevertheless, Arun would stand by Barun in time of a financial crisis. Barun taught Arun many things that a village boy would take for granted.

Together, the two experienced uncertainties in life like student unrest; accidents of friends; a sudden news of the death a friend's parent; attending wedding ceremonies of friends in distant places of Bangladesh; and everything in between.

The whole class was like any other family. There were exciting people, and not so exciting people. People learned about others and adapted. If you didn't get along well with somebody, you would tolerate and live with them.

II

Arun and Barun experienced dorm life like everybody else. They learned to be on their own. They learned to live with others. They learned to be responsible. They learned to have empathy. They became tough and yet soft in later life.

Experience can also go the other way round. Those who failed to absorb the pressure of dorm life found themselves seeing their life go past them; or have their potential under-utilised.

When we talk about dorm life, we must take the "bitter with the sweet". Dorm life has the potential to prepare a person for life. It can also take away all the hope of life. We can only wish that friends in the cohort come forward with a helping hand. Sadly, sometimes that is not the case.

Asrar Chowdhury is a professor of economics. He follows Test cricket, listens to music, and spins Vinyls when he has free time. Email: [email protected]; or [email protected]