Our home away from home

Mariselle Stofberg
Chanté Moses

The thought of living in the hostel might be quite terrifying for some, but at Windhoek Gymnasium, we are a big family. The facilities are state of the art and all the staff members are ready to assist all the boarders’ needs.

Residing in the hostel brings a plethora of different people from different backgrounds and cultures together. Being a boarder allows one to explore outside his/her comfort zone, as they have to create bonds with fellow boarders. The learners depend on one another for emotional support. “I know I can count on my fellow hostel mates for anything,” says Anoeschka Freeman who has resided at the Windhoek Gymnasium Hostel since grade 8. “The unconditional support means so much to my mental growth,” emphasizes Cherizaan Zwartz.

High school isn’t a walk in the park, therefore emotional reflection is a necessity. On select weekends and Wednesdays, game nights are hosted and everyone is jolly. The more, the merrier. Expressing your feelings and views is a form of stress relief, which is why the hostel boarders are very vocal on their opinions.

Rules are rules and they must be abided at all times. The hostel constitution is quite similar to the school’s code of conduct, of course it is adapted to living conditions. This does mean that you will be part of the school’s detention system if you break the rules. There is a mandatory study session from 19:00-20:30 from Monday to Thursday. This ensures that all hostel boarders are up to date with their academics.

“It’s very convenient to be close to the sports fields as learners can constantly train and do better in my sports.”, shares Tanaka Wadzingenyama. Parents do not have to fret about their children being late to practice or missing games because transportation is always provided and the hostel is located right behind the sports fields.

Being part of such a close-knit community brings a peace of mind to all. If we don’t support each other, no one else will support us. We have learnt to lean on each other and embrace the true gimmie spirit.

Hostel Superintendent: MD Greyling

Hostel head girl: Kayla Kamahene

Hostel vice head girl: Kelisha-Ann Diergaardt

Hostel head boy: Ugo Ikeakanam

Hostel vice head boy: Nyasha Marufu.