[Boarding School Life in the UK: The Big Revelation]

What do students do every day in UK boarding schools?

When it comes to UK boarding schools, the first thing that comes to mind is the boarding house, where students spend half of their time. Parents often ask me, "Zaki, do boys and girls in UK boarding schools live on the same floor? Isn't it dangerous when the lights go out at night?" There's no need to worry too much about this. Boys and girls live in separate dormitories, and they are prohibited from entering the dormitories of the opposite sex. However, I believe parents don't need to worry too much about their children interacting with people of the opposite sex. Proper socialisation helps children adapt to gender roles and prevents them from feeling shy when they go to university or enter the workforce.

Now, let's get back to the topic. In the boarding house, the responsibility of taking care of students mainly falls on the housemaster or mistress. Their responsibilities are often greater than those of teachers. In addition to taking care of the students' daily lives and meals, they also play the roles of social workers and nurses. The role of a housemaster or mistress is essentially similar to that of a mother at home.

Compared to day schools, the advantage of boarding schools is that the daily instructional time is longer. Moreover, because students spend so much time together, they often become lifelong friends. The friendships formed on campus are valuable assets in life. As for me, it has been nearly 20 years since I left boarding school, but I still have several friends whom I met during my time there. Although we have all gone our separate ways and started families, we still regularly talk on the phone, and our conversations almost always revolve around the interesting things that happened during our time at boarding school.

The so-called busy boarding school life starts from the moment you open your eyes in the morning until you close them at night. Students live a structured and fulfilling life every minute, with continuous learning and activities that extend into the evening. During my time in boarding school, we would wake up promptly at 7 a.m. and have breakfast starting at 7:15 a.m. In my era, breakfast choices were limited to either eggs or toast, or perhaps cereal. It's not as luxurious as it is now for the kids, with their "Buffet Breakfast."

Around 8 a.m., students would walk from the boarding house to the classrooms to prepare for the first class. Generally, there would be a 20-minute break after two to three class periods. When the weather was nice, some students would even have a little picnic on the lawn. As for me and my active friends, we would immediately head to the sports field to play basketball, and parents who have played basketball will know what "OUT" means!

After the break, another two class periods would take place before lunchtime. Lunch is the same as breakfast. In my era, "Buffet Lunch"? That was wishful thinking. But nowadays, students have it easy with a buffet lunch every day—pasta, fries, rice—all kinds of options! Lunchtime lasts for about 1.5 hours, and some students who participate in music or drama societies would use the time to practise their instruments or rehearse plays. Alternatively, if they have any homework questions, they can seek help from teachers during the lunch break.

After lunch, one or two more class periods would conclude the day's academic learning, followed by a series of extracurricular activities. After school, the students are like birds without feet. Of course, boarding schools do not allow students to go out freely. Apart from participating in activities, some students would stay in the classrooms for self-study or seek additional tutoring from subject teachers. Extracurricular activities usually end around 5 p.m., and then students return to the dormitories for a short rest and to freshen up. From 6 to 7 p.m., supper would be served, which is essentially dinner.

After dinner, students would have "study time." Lower-grade students would go to the classrooms or library to complete their assignments and review their lessons, while higher-grade students (Year 10 and above) could study and do homework in their own rooms. During this time, the housemaster/mistress and resident teachers would assist students, and if they had any homework questions, they could ask for help immediately.

Around 9 p.m., students could relax in the common room, have a cup of hot cocoa, chat, play table tennis, or play pool. They could also stay in their rooms quietly, listening to music or reading books. Around 10:30 p.m., lights out officially start, and the day's activities at the boarding school come to an end.

With such a rich and packed daily schedule, it's no wonder parents often jokingly complain to me, saying, "I can't find my son or daughter!" Parents on this side are longing for their children far away, while at the same time, the children in UK boarding schools are experiencing a different scenario: they are busy and happy every day, sometimes even forgetting to call their parents. Apart from Sundays, which are rest days, the school days from Monday to Saturday are full of classes and activities. Boarding schools provide care beyond academics, including academic guidance, life support, and physical and mental health support, which undoubtedly gives peace of mind to parents who are thousands of miles away.