<p>Did you find it hard to leave all your friends/family? How did you tell everyone about the news? I know that at my public school, many students are not rich, and I've only told a few of my closest friends about this, who have known about this throughout the application proccess. I didn't want to tell everyone, because what if I didn't get in? I didn't want everyone to think that I was on a high horse or something. I was going to have a huge going away party, for me to kinda tell everyone that I will be leaving. Others poeple I know who went to boarding schools were able to just kinda leave. They had their small group of friends, who they told and then they left. End of Story. Because of this, they don't really hang out with anyone when they come back. I don't want this though. I don't really want to be forgotten, you know? Like my friends all assure me that we will always hang out during break and whatever but...I don't know. It's not the same. Also, parents doesn't want me to tell people, because they knows alot of people are not rich, especially in this economic situation and we aren't either. But I don't want people to get jealous, because it really isn't a big deal. </p>
<p>Haha, I really don't know why I'm saying all this, but it's late, 1:30 here and I tend to just keep on typing until everything I've been pondering is out of my head. </p>
<p>I'm sorry if I sound like a social climber, but I really am not. Just confused about this. I know I am soo incredibly lucky to be in this situation right now, and I really shouldn't be worrying about this as much. </p>
<p>to current students..Do you ever feel like you have your friends at home, and your friends at boarding school? That there are sometimes 2 categories, because there is such a varying level of friendship? </p>
<p><3</p>
<p>I really think this “leaving” situation has a lot to do with you, and only you. Of one is the type of person who doesn’t really have many close friends in their current school-- they’ll probably leave school without a second thought. It’ll be harder, though, for a person with several very tight friendships to leave a world where they see those friends once a day, every day, and enter a world where new bonds are bound to be made. It really depends on each person, and their individual personality. Maybe some people can just dissappear without caring whether people remember and think of them or not-- even if that’s not the case for you.</p>
<p>I do think, that if I do attend a boarding school, I’m going to have a small “going away” party over the summer. Something with my boyfriend, my best friend from third grade, and the few friends I’ve made in my short public school career (I’ve only been in the school system for two and a half years, I had been homeschooled before that). I really think that a party like that would be a great way to make our friendships tighter before I go, as well as make another happy memory of my life at home.</p>
<p>If leaving is going to be difficult, I suggest doing something cheesy, like buying a white pillow case and having all your best friends sign it-- or taking pictures of you and your friends and making a scrap-book with them just before you go. It’d be a way to easly remember the people back home who care for and miss you, without making you sad or upset.</p>
<p>If your worried about loosing touch with your friends back home: My advice is “never fear, technology is here!” these days keeping in touch with those you love couldn’t be easier. Just remember to fire off some five-minute emails to your BFFs back home when you get the chance. It’s a fast, painless way to make sure your charished friendships don’t die while you’re at shool. And remember, most schools have three-week winter and spring holidays. Make sure to spend those with the people you care for!</p>
<p>One last thing: As much as we all love our friends at home, new friendships at school are bound to happen. Make sure you don’t spend so much time worrying about the old friends that you forget to find the new. :]</p>
<p>I’m sorry for that being so long.
Oops. Well, hope it helped! :]</p>
<p>I agree with Lillium that technology is a great way to keep in touch. IM and, especially, Facebook. However, if maintaining your friendships with friends from home is important to you, be prepared to invest some time and energy into it and get used to being the one to drive the connections. It is natural to be “out of sight, out of mind” so it will take work to keep those friendships going at a distance and you’ll find yourself busy with your new school, all your activities, new friends - and the same will be true for your old friends. </p>
<p>You may find that you grow in different ways then your home friends. As a boarder, you’ll have much more independence living “on your own”. Your social context will be different, you’ll find you never watch tv, your musics tastes are likely to change. </p>
<p>My child has maintained friendships with a small handful of of the most important friends but it takes her initiative to do so. Unfortunately, she has found that some old friends seem resentful of her new school life and finds herself not talking about school much with them anymore because of it.</p>
<p>My husband’s experience with hometown friends while he was at BS was that, though a very few remained close, it appeared that he had “outgrown” most. It’s not the term he would have used when he was a teen, but as an adult with hindsight, it’s what he sees as having happened.</p>
<p>I have one best friens and alot of good friends, but I’m lucky they support me. I am worried though that when I come back on break the will be too busy or wont even remember I’m home. I dont want to lose them.</p>
<p>Do you really want this? Does this school really mean anything to you? Nothing in this world that’s worth having comes easy. Personally, I would leave and try to keep it unemotional; it just makes it more complicated if it is. And I know this is cynical, but don’t let friends hold you back from what you are destined to be.</p>
<p>And yeah, use the internet.</p>