Day Student vs Boarding Student Experience

Boarding students are like lions: they proudly roam the savannah, their fur blending with the dry plains, whereas day students are like tigers: they are solitary predators that hunt in the mysterious jungle, their bright orange fur contrasting with its green hues. The differences between day students and boarding students are glaring, though they do share many similarities of course. As tigers and lions are both cats, day students and boarders are both students who thrive in their environment. At Middlesex, all students are exceptionally well versed in their academics, arts, athletics, and other aspects of school life, some of the most brilliant minds and individuals.

Nevertheless, there exists a gap between the majority of day students’ and boarding students’ social experiences. Dorms dominate boarding students’ social lives, as boarders live on campus and immediately become a part of a rich, fun micro-community. Furthermore, because boarders live on campus, campus is a home where they are able to fulfill themselves with the constant buzz of friends. The relationships that boarding students make are much stronger because they have the privilege of time and private space to build these connections after the academic day. 

Most day students, on the other hand, are often deprived of experiencing this blooming, robust social life. Indeed, while day students have friends and maintain a social life, they don’t have the opportunity to live in a dorm, have a roommate, or have multiple opportunities to stay on campus late into the evening and truly expand their circles to make rich, lasting relationships. Day students are bound to their families and maintain a close-knit pride of their own, but a teen’s connection to their family is not equivalent to the exciting and youthful social circles that boarding students have the privilege of taking part in.

Still, day students have the privilege of having independence and being liberated from such a small campus. Day students can be more adventurous, wandering in their cars and maintaining friendships outside of Middlesex--their social life is much more fluid. Additionally, they are able to be more themselves, for better or for worse, because they do not need to adhere to the rules or codes of conduct they must follow at school. Day students also have the choice to be by themselves or be more alone and intimate with certain friends or significant others off campus. 

Do boarding students have FOMO? Yes. Do day students have FOMO? Also, yes. Ultimately, both types of students lack what the other has: students desire both community and strong bonds as well as independence and intimate bonds. However, there is a more profound divide between day students and borders that results because of these different social spheres and experiences that has to do with their development as people.

It should not be a surprise that the majority of students who graduate and go on to attend the most elite universities are usually day students. Because friends do not constantly surround them or are distracted by fun late-night school events, day students have the ability to focus more on their academic studies during their time at Middlesex. Thus, throughout their tenure at Middlesex, they lead academically as some of the most diligent, hardworking, and gifted students. 

On the other hand, boarding students have constant distractions and indulge most in the sweet years at Middlesex. In being a boarding student, however, students must mature much more quickly and adapt to a residential life at Middlesex, so they learn how to be much more independent and become in charge of themselves. Thus, they possess a certain astuteness and wisdom that not all day students have. 

Boarding students are ultimately best prepared for their futures while day students are able to accomplish more. In short, day students and boarding students will have different social experiences that will likely lead to two different paths, both of which are welcomed, exciting, and meaningful. The tiger and the lion are each the king of their own jungles and have great things awaiting them. 

Luca Raffa