NEWS

This Sunday marks Students Day, as the winter exams draw to a close and Russia's brightest young things prepare to mark the anniversary of the foundation of Moscow State University back in 1755. Those exams are an important rite of passage - tradition holds that a Russian isn't a real student until that first semester is successfully complete - but others insist that only a true scholar has experienced the unique world of the student dorm.

Each year thousands of youngsters flock to Moscow from Russia and beyond, finding themselves in a shared dormitory with their peers. Indeed, alongside teaching staff, academic reputation and future career prospects, a dorm berth can be a decisive factor in choosing where to study.

"When I was a freshman I was told there were not enough places in the my university's dorms and I had to wait for a new one to be built. Fortunately I have relatives in Moscow and I lived with them for that time," said Sasha, a second year student of The Higher School of Economics.

About 50 Moscow educational institutions have dorms. Different universities have different approaches: some have a chain of dorms, others just one. Some favor a campus system where living and studying happens in one place, others are scattered throughout the city.

"I live in a university campus. Our university owns several dorms, and the longest it can take to get across campus territory is 20 minutes. It only takes me 5 minutes to get to the university building," said Maria, in her fourth year at Moscow's Timiryazev Agricultural Academy.

Not everybody is so lucky. For most students their day inevitably begins with a crowded commute by train or metro. "My dorm is in Podmoskovye, but it is brand new, and the living conditions fully outweigh the disadvantage of having to take a commuter train every morning," adds Sasha.

The accommodation is not always so well-regarded. Stas, a first year at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music rates his current home as "tolerable." "There are no bathroom facilities in the room," he said. "One restroom is located on each floor, and shower rooms are on the first floor only. It's inconvenient."

Strict rules are another common grumble. Safety cameras and security passes make it difficult to welcome guests from outside, while many dorms impose a curfew - typically closing from 1am - 5am. It's rare for overnight visitors - however innocent - to be permitted and those guests who have braved the security system can expect to be unceremoniously kicked out at a pre-appointed hour.

Smoking is another issue. "This year smoking zones were abolished all over the dorm. Smokers didn't kick the habit, of course. So several people were already evicted from the dorm because they kept breaking the rules," says Stas.

Yet students dismiss their complaints with the post-script "but you get used to it." and focus on the perks of dorm life. Many regard it as a highlight of their student years. They love living together with friends and quickly learn to share their space and create a comfortable environment for everyone else. On top of everything else, it's also a cheap way of keeping a roof over your head.

The key part of living in a dorm, according to everyone, is hanging out with people who share your interests. Dorm life is usually great fun, from bonding over tricky homework tasks and personalizing an institutional room to celebrating birthdays and throwing raucous fancy-dress parties on a whim.

"I only see pluses in living in a dorm. All my life right now is concentrated there. Socializing is the key factor. We talk about everything. There is a special atmosphere that I enjoy," says Katya, a second year student at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).

Most dorm students disagree with the assumption that it is impossible to study there because of the distractions. In fact, they say, it is easier to study because you can always find the necessary books and ask for help if you don't understand something.

"If you need silence to study you can go to the reading room like my roommate does," said Olesya, a first-year at MSU. "Another friend, when she needs to read out loud but her roommate is sleeping, brings a chair into the hall, seats there and reads. Even in the dorm you can find privacy."

Living in a dorm is no obstacle after graduating. Many students successfully climb their chosen career ladders. Moreover, dorm students often have outstanding achievements at work, perhaps partly due to the fact that living in a dorm promotes independence and responsibility.

So the majority of students really love their "dorm sweet dorm", a place where they made incredible friends and acquired crucial life skills. "This is one of the best times of my life. To sum it up if I were asked to repeat everything I would do that without any doubts", says Maria.  N

FACT BOX

Student's Day

- January 25 marks the date of the foundation of Moscow State University in 1755, and has been celebrated by students all over Russia ever since.

- The biggest festivities are in Moscow, where the area between the university and Vorobyevy Gory stages a party.

- Medovukha, a fermented honey drink, is traditionally drunk on this day by students at Moscow State. The Dean of the university awards the best students with a glass at the start of the celebrations.

- January 25 is also St Tatyana's Day, a popular religious festival and name-day for millions of women throughout Russia. The Orthodox Church regards St Tatyana as the patron saint of students.

By Anna Laletina