Letters from the dorm
Boarding houses are at the heart of college life - so much so that one of the first questions you ask someone when you meet them for the first time is: 'What house are you in?' Although each house looks pretty much the same on the outside, they resemble completely separate countries on the inside, ruled by the housemaster or housemistress, along with their government of prefects, and complete with their own symbol and customs.
For example, Christowe is the oldest and steeped in tradition, while Chandos is the newest, featuring a central atrium with a winding glass staircase. In Leconfield, the only food on offer is plain cheese 'toasties' and small bowls of bananas and pears, while the girls in Westal can enjoy hot dogs and a variety of summer fruits.
But Leconfielders would never trade their snacks if it meant having to give up a personal sink and mirror - small privileges that are coveted by the boys of Newick in their cramped 'shacks', or rooms.
The location of a house and its proximity to the college is also a deciding factor in a pupil's relationship with their house. Christowe and Newick are grouped together and are at least 10 minutes' walk from college grounds. This prevents the boys from returning to the comfort of their own rooms during breaks in the school day.
As with any controlled society, there is a hierarchy. The housemaster obviously occupies the top position, followed by the prefects, then Upper College, Fifth Form, Fourth Form, and then the Third Form. Thankfully, the archaic boarding school system of 'fagging', or the enslavement of the younger students by the prefects, has been abolished, although senior Leconfielders can still order a younger boy to vacate a seat in the Recreation Room.
Gavin Yeung studies at Cheltenham College, Britain
