1. Introduction

The residing experience in university hostels serves as a pivotal development period for students by creating a setting which promotes independence as well as learning engagement and friendships but at the same time it presents crucial obstacles. University students experience critical changes when they leave familial systems to handle independent life and academic demands and living with others which result in effects on their mental and emotional health. Studies about student housing mainly investigate structural elements of housing facilities and institutional guidelines yet lack research on how residents cope with hostel experiences and their identity development together with social adjustment (Batara & Orpia, 2022). The research shows conflicting outcomes about hostel residences that develop student resilience while other findings present negative consequences producing social disconnect and cultural integration challenges and high levels of emotional stress. The fragmented nature of these perspectives fails to provide a complete theoretical framework that explains student approaches toward managing hostel life (Mithu Regmi, 2023). A qualitative study needs to investigate the unstudied areas by studying hostelites’ experiences along with analyzing their stressors, coping approaches alongside institutional support systems (Mohd Jamil et al., 2020).

The Social Identity Theory by Tajfel and Turner (1979) helps explain how hostel residents form social groups resulting in both group cohesion and social conflict as per Williams and Parker (2020). Hostel students instinctively create social groups based on background similarities so their identities align with either their own group or others which results in both positive bonding and possible marginalization (Worsley et al., 2021). Social cliques existing within hostels create protective communities but these groups simultaneously drive students toward group pressure which impedes the integration process for new members. Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) Stress and Coping Theory examines how students take psychological approaches to deal with hostel stress including academic responsibilities and social tensions and financial issues (Miller et al., 2021). Individual students choose between problem-focused coping by obtaining academic support together with structured time planning or they use emotion-focused coping methods including social avoidance along with substance abuse (Jameel & Agiel, 2023). Research shows that hostel experiences vary between individuals who differ in personality traits combined with their cultural heritage and the level of university-sponsored support.

Hostels play a vital role in universities as more than housing facilities because they create environments where students learn through both education and bonding with new friends. The combination of students living in hostels enables them to learn different cultural points of view which develops their intercultural competencies and adaptability. The beneficial learning environments of hostels encourage individual growth but such benefits come with stress factors that include student homesickness and academic strain and adaptation challenges. Research indicates university hostel residents experience psychosocial problems which manifest as anxiety and loneliness and depression even though their institutions have support mechanisms (Azeeta et al., 2021).

Students encounter adaptation stress during their transition to hostels according to Schlossberg’s (1981) Transition Theory. Adjustment after major life changes depends on three elements according to Schlossberg: necessary environmental backing alongside personal adaptability and effective sense of controlling situations. Moving into hostels forces students to transition from dependent living to independent living as they face environmental challenges and financial limits and lack their parents’ care support (Moore et al., 2021). Stress levels among hostel residents surpass those of day scholars because they struggle with time management and building relationships and living in shared zones which ultimately harm their mental state and academic results.

A primary issue associated with living in hostels lies in how it affects educational performance which serves as one of the main purposes of higher learning. Academic stress levels among hostel students increase because of environmental elements together with psychological difficulties. The combination of academic competitiveness and personal self-discipline responsibilities during university leads many students into greater stress situations. Academic pressure stands as the prime factor that causes stress among hostel students according to research conducted by Jameel and Agiel (2023) and impacts their sleep quality and dietary habits and mental processes. The insufficient presence of personal study areas leads to magnified academic challenges because roommates combined with social pressures result in diminished concentration abilities. External social elements along with common living areas frequently cause academic routine disruptions which result in decreased academic performance levels alongside increased mental stress.

Based on the Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) people must experience autonomy while developing competence together with maintaining meaningful relationships to achieve such intrinsic motivation. These psychological needs of students are typically damaged when they live in hostels because they face restrictions and decreased privacy along with outside responsibilities. The research shows that student hostel residents face challenges sustaining stable study routines because they frequently lose focus on their academic work to social interactions. The prevailing hostel culture determines how peer interactions will potentially provide academic motivation as well as cause stress through competitive relationships and unrealistic social demands and peer pressure at various time points.

The experience of living in hostels strongly involves social conflicts together with interpersonal stress matters. The combination of social interactions that hostel environments generate for development needs exists along with potential conflict patterns between residents. The development of social interactions in hostels depends on roommate relationships together with ethnic diversity and the rules that control student-to-student contact. Student perception studies demonstrate different kinds of social pressures students face because of roommate arguments and cultural differences and feeling alone which make them vulnerable to mental health risks (Worsley et al., 2021). Students become more likely to experience anxiety depression and loneliness since they lack personalized emotional support networks like family during their time in hostels.

Hostel residents face major life adjustments regarding their nutrition along with their physical and psychological wellness. Iddy & Fussy (2023) demonstrate through research that students in hostels usually eat unhealthy meals because they have few food choices and they eat hastily while being unsatisfied with their hostel cafeteria facilities. Emotional distress from poor eating patterns leads to decreased student ability to manage academic along with social challenges. Hostel residents struggle with inadequate sleep primarily because they live with others and experience academic pressure and social demands. The scientific evidence shows that disrupted sleep patterns degrade mental capabilities while reducing emotional control and academic achievements which generates higher possibilities of developing anxiety and depression.

The present conditions necessitate official investments in improving hostel accommodations and student well-being. The academic and psychological outcomes of students strongly depend on the conditions of their hostels which universities must recognize. The implementation of organized support networks combining mental health assistance with peer support networks alongside hostel infrastructure upgrades will create more successful student lives while minimizing their mental health issues. Instutional policies need active measures to support hostel residents while guaranteeing that hostels work as enabling tools instead of inhibiting factors for academic growth. Implementing policies that focus on students produces beneficial hostel environments which will boost student success and health alongside institutional retention.

A substantial body of research evidence recommends implementation at the institutional level to achieve complete hostel management excellence. Hostel life will receive substantial benefits through policies that combine inclusivity programs with structured well-being initiatives and student engagement practices because of the multiple influences between academic performance and social interactions and psychological development. Evidence-based strategies developed specifically for students will create conditions that make hostel accommodations contribute positively to students’ educational development together with their personal advancement.

1.2 Research Problem

Life in a hostel provides multiple exposures to students for their academic, social, and psychological safety. The communal aspect of hostel life allows students to become independent and resilient, but it also introduces stressors that can significantly impact their mental health. Research indicates that hostelites often experience higher academic stress due to the lack of private study environments, excessive peer influence, and external distractions that can impair cognition, academic performance, and overall attainment (Wong & Wei Jie, 2022). Unlike day scholars, hostel students may struggle with self-regulation in their academic routines, leading to irregular study patterns and reduced motivation (Schuhmaier, 2025).

Rationale

The social culture within hostels further complicates students’ experiences. According to Social Identity Theory, individuals seek group affiliations to establish a sense of belonging, but hostelites frequently encounter fragmented social structures that contribute to loneliness and homesickness (Tajfel et al., 1979). Studies also indicate that conflicts with roommates, adaptation difficulties, and cross-cultural differences exacerbate psychosocial stressors, issues that institutions often overlook (Wong & Wei Jie, 2022). Additionally, dietary habits in hostels present significant health concerns. Poor food quality in hostel meals often leads to meal skipping and unbalanced diets, resulting in nutritional deficiencies and psychological distress (Dange & Kumar, 2025). The Theory of Planned Behavior suggests that attitudes toward hostel food and social norms strongly influence students’ eating behaviors, yet institutional policies rarely address these challenges effectively (Ajzen, 1991).

The broader institutional disregard for hostel-related concerns underscores the urgent need for policy reforms, focusing on structured mental health support, conflict resolution mechanisms, and improvements in hostel living conditions. Without targeted interventions, students are left to navigate these challenges independently, often at the cost of their academic performance and psychological well-being. Bridging these gaps requires a holistic examination of hostelites’ lived experiences, recognizing the necessity of institutional accountability and evidence-based policymaking.

1.3 Research Aim and Objectives

Aim: To explore how hostelites experience and perceive challenges in their daily routines, academic pursuits, and social interactions.

Objectives

• To identify the most common problems hostelites face in their daily lives.
• To examine how hostelites navigate social interactions and conflicts in hostel communities.
• To explore the coping mechanisms hostelites adopt to manage hostel life challenges.

1.4 Research Questions

Main Question: How do hostelites experience and perceive the challenges of hostel life in their daily routines, academic pursuits, and social interactions?

Subquestions:

• What are the most common problems hostelites face in their daily lives?
• How do hostelites deal with social interactions and conflicts in the hostel community?
• What are the coping mechanisms hostelites adopt to deal with the challenges of hostel life?

2. Literature Review

2.1 Conceptualizing Hostel Life

The notion of hostel life is not just confined to accommodation but a journey that moulds students into officers, shape their academic, social and personal life. Scholars have amply weighed the significance for student life of hostels against other arrangements such as private tenancies and family homes. Some point out that hostels teaches a person independence and resilience, while others suggest that this type of living has psychological stressors and restrictions (Irving, 2021).

Hostel is defined generally as the residential facility of the educational institutions for those students who live away from home. These accommodations are generally shared rooms, teamed dining halls and shared study rooms, environment of accommodation in which encourages study and social interaction. But the usefulness of hostels in the advancement of well-being is still debated. Some researchers believe that hostels encourage independence and discipline, and others criticises lack of personal freedom and the home sickness experienced by residents.

One of the essential aspects of hostel life is its structured nature. Lots of hostels have policies around curfews, meal hours, and visitors that keep the living experience fairly structured. Despite the fact that these guidelines are made up to assure, order and security, they could also give rise to stress and disappointment of scholars. Hostel students often are under more stress than the day students due to their rigid time-table. The condition of the hostel facilities has the impact on the satisfaction among students. Studies has demonstrated that infrastructure, hygiene and quality of food can cause negative hostel experiences. If available, services like electricity, internet connectivity, medical facilities are a top of the list determinant of student wellbeing, studies have shown that overnighters with great hosts report lower pulling out rates (Almyasheva, 2021)​.

The debate about the benefits and drawbacks of the hostel life continues to which is more over when compared to other student accommodation. The comparisons between hostel accommodation, private housing and shared living with family have been made by numerous scholars, drawing out the main divisions between autonomy, social asssimilation and academic performance. Personal housing advantages and makes the students to create their own schedule and living condition (Elsayed, 2023). Hostels are subject to institutional control and punishing rules that might look undercutting. Although this structure helps students who need discipline and structure in their academic setting, it restricts the personal growth of those who excel in self-motivated situations (Iftikhar & Ajmal, 2015)​.

Hostel life encourages always to live with friends, encourages a good attitude and cultural exchange. However, this environment also increases the chance of interpersonal conflicts, peer pressure stress resulting from lack of personal space (Kameli et al., 2016). Studies have shown that students who prefer being alone or need quiet spaces to study usually get a hard time with shared hostels (Ariapoor et al., 2020). Hostel accommodations is usually cheaper than property rental, as it includes various services like meals, repairs, and security within your affordable room rental. But according to the Moore et al., (2021) financial constraints does not always lead to a better experience. Research has shown that, despite being cheaper, complaint levels for hostel experience—especially food quality and cleaniness—remarkably remain high (Dange & Kumar, 2025)​.

The academic consequences of hostel-living are still debated. Some research suggests that hostel students have a gain from peer learning opportunities and conventional study spaces, garnered superior academic outcomes. Though some argue that too much socialization, noise counterparts, and mental health issues distort concentration and educational performance (Ganina et al., 2018)​. The concept of hostel life is a matter of debate among academics, considering it as either an aid to the student’s success or a factor causing student anxiety and discomfort. The structured but communal environment of hostels offers possibilities and difficulties as it does depending on individual learner’s needs and institutional procedure. While affordable, social accommodations offered by hostels must also include enhancements in facilities, flexibility in regulations, and support for mental health to enrich student living experience (Nagy, 2016).

2.2 Challenges Faced by Hostelites

Hostel life though provides opportunities for personal growth and academic focus comes with plethora of problems that can greatly affect a student’s mental and academic health. These challenges encompass daily routine difficulties, academic obstacles, and social and psychological issues. One of the most notable daily routine difficulties is an adaptation to a new environment. Adapting to new environment becomes tough when you live in a small congested room with multiple roommates which results into emotional stress and mental struggles as students leave their comfortable place (International Student Support Services, 2023). Living poor setting, such as as overcrowding, bad sanitation facilities, and bad body hygiene can offer a variety of health risks, raising vulnerability to as breathing infections and stomach disease. These health problems can lead to absenteeism impacting academic performance, and creating a difficulty of students to keeping up on the lessons (Foster, 2024).

Monetary limitations also have a huge impact in college hostels. In London for example rent increases have exceeded maintenance loans, so that for students finding a place to live is becoming ever harder (Foster, 2024). This economic burden can mean living in squalor, and quoting accordingly worsen strain and reduce focus for studies. Academic issues are also common amongst hostel residents. Lack of private space and noise in hostels may also affect the study schedule and lowers the academic grade. Students find it hard to get focused partly because of all the interruptions that keep happening, which in turn creates more stress and anxiety (Reddit, 2023). Inconsistent internet connection in many hostels obstructs students to access for online materials and complete their assignments effectively (Star Vista Hostel, 2024).

Social and psychological challenges also add to the problems of hostel living. Missing family and knowing familiar places can be emotionally difficult especially at first so causing homesickness emotional strain. Creating a new network within peer and staff circle is essential to overcome these emotions (Vocal Media, 2023). Having friends and hangs out can sometimes take away from school work and could possibly lead to under performance in school (Vocal Media, 2023). Apart from that, students hosted have a lot of difficulties and challenges like financial crisis, adjustment problems, personal helplessness, misery, change in routine of eating and sleeping and so on. This can result into psychological distress and affects students well-being (Nagy, 2016). ​

2.3 Social Interactions and Conflict Management in Hostels

Life in the hostel is a peculiar form of social experience which offers opportunities of both interpersonal growth and possible conflict. Shared accommodation in hostels provides a platform for a mini version of society where students encounter complicated delicate social situations and adapt to a wide range of cultural, personal and social (Owsiak, 2020). Although hostel experience facilitates socialization and students develop strong relation, soft skills and cross-cultural understanding, it incorporates several issues also including conflicts about personal space, lifestyle differences and sufferings generated by cultural diversity (Ganina et al., 2018).

One of the most crucial factor of hostel life is the effect of community living on personality development. Communal hostel life helps to hone essential life skills such as adapting oneself, tolerance, and friendship. Through interactions every day, students practice peer-to-peer learning, that feedback their learning outcome, their emotion intelligence and their social integration. The existence of people of different types in a small group requires the generation of collaborative behaviors, mutual understanding which are important for a person development. The same things that help learning and personal growth can also lead to conflicts when social norms, personal values, and habits conflict (Estevez Santos et al., 2022).

Factors affecting social dynamics and conflicts of hostelites can diverge from minor differences on shared resources to acute kind of social exclusion or bullying (McMordie, 2021). Study suggests that anti social behaviors, which includes verbal conflicts, peer pressure social alienation etc. found in hostels are caused by some factors like, competitive type of academic stress, difference in life styles, lack of personal space (McMordie, 2020). Peer influence is similarly significant in forging the behaviors of hostelites honing either the positive impact through friendships or negative repercussions in exclusionary attitudes and further conflict escalation among students (Idrees & Malik, 2022).

Another important part of hostel socialization is conflict resolution strategies. It is recognized that the use of effective conflict resolution skills in hostels promotes a balance social environment and support respect amongst students (McMordie, 2021). One of the most frequent things that hostelites do is avoidance, which means disconnecting from conflicts to decrease anxiety and protect peace. Avoidance may be useful in response for avoiding confrontation of direct confrontation but often leads to unresolved conflicts and lasting social disengagement (McMordie, 2021). Proactive conflict resolution methods such as open communication, mediation and communal guidelines have also been demonstrated to promote amore healthier situation in the hostel’s relationships .

Effects of hostel management on social interaction and conflict resolution cannot be ignored. Autonomous structures that govern smooth and structured mediation, cultural sensitivity training, and inclusive interactions and events help ensure a more peaceful hostel environment (Khan et al., 2020). The hostel administrators are a crucial figure in making the campus a safe environment to express their concerns and resolve disputes through mediation not confrontation. Incorporating student-initiated programs such as peer mediation programs and resident assistant leadership options also augment conflict resolution (Michelle, 2024).

Even with potentially turbulent times, hostel life is still a life-changing occurrence that teaches people to be social and resilient. The interaction of different cultures, upbringings and peoples brings about a better insight into mankind’s nature and the integration of the social part. Effectively handled conflicts can be a learning opportunity as it helps students to develop stronger in emotional intelligence, ability to adapt and conflict resolution skills, required for their future professional and personal life. So instead of treating conflicts as purely disruptive, they are seen as essential part of the socialization, highpoints the need for managed conflict in hostel environments.

2.4 Coping Mechanisms of Hostelites

Hostel life has its set of challenges that hostel students have to face, that need them to develop a necessary coping mechanism to cope with the related stress norms. Studies have shown that seeking social support is one of the most used coping strategies for hostel residents unlike ineffective methods of externalizing behaviors like shouting or talking shockingly (Shrestha et al., 2023). Participating in physical activities, sports and hobbies is also a useful distraction from homesickness and stress and enhances the emotional adaptation (Çağın YULUK & Hayrettin Gumusdag, 2024; CollegeForMe.Org, 2023).​

Cultural background greatly affects the coping mechanism. Individuals from collectivist cultures, like Chinese Americans, resort to ways which encourage social harmony, usually looking for supportive feedback from peers in conflict. Those from independent cultures, as the European Americans, tend to choose confrontational strategies, although, potentially resulting in the immediate discomfort, leading to more positive long-term consequences (Luong et al., 2020). These cultural differences highlight the need for support systems within hostels to be tailored to different coping styles.​

Institutional support therefore makes a big difference in managing hostel stress. Universities and hostel administrations that offer counseling services, stress reducing workshops and recreational activities provide students with skills to effectively cope up, thus, improving overall hostel life. Creating an atmosphere that permits peer support and self-regulation can lower stress and build a sense of community among the hostel residents.​

2.5 Theoretical Framework

​Hostel life creates an environment from which personal development is shaped by various psychological concepts. One such framework is Tajfel et al. (1979) Social Identity Theory, that suggests that the majority of an individual’s sense of self is obtained from memberships in different social groups. When it comes to hostel life, students usually form in-groups as they share similar interests, cultural backgrounds, or academic preferences. This group identification fosters a sense of belonging and self-esteem. While it can also cause intergroup biases, where in-group favoritism is connected to marginalization of out-group members. Such dynamics can also impact the interpersonal dynamics and community social climate of the hostel.

A related framework is the Stress and Coping Theory by Lazarus and Folkman (1984), where the person focusses on cognitive evaluation of stressful circumstances and subsequently employed coping mechanisms. Hostelites face many stressors including academic stress, social adjustment stress, and personal stress. Their perception of these stressors—whether viewed as threats or challenges—greatly influences their emotional and behavioral responses. Efficient coping methods, namely: problem focused coping is active treatment of the source of stress, and emotion focused coping deals with the distress of the situation emotionally. The effectiveness of these coping strategies is important to students’ psychological welfare and their capacity to transfer into hostel living​ (Wikipedia Contributors, 2019).

Chickering and Reisser (1993) Student Development Theory gains understanding about the development task that students go through when they are in higher education institution. The hostel setting serves as important developmental contexts for this developmental processes, providing opportunities for initiative of identities, autonomy development, and interpersonal competence. The obstacles and experiences that students face in hostel life can either help or hinder in completing these developmental tasks, depending on the available support systems and coping mechanism utilized. Knowing these theoretical frameworks presents interesting insights on the psychosocial themes of hostel life and motivates the need for supportive environments that support good student growth.

3. Research Methodology

3.1 Research Paradigm

Thus, a qualitative research approach, determined within a constructivist paradigm, is adopted in this study to better understand the lived experiences of hostelites (Guba & Lincoln, 1994) in terms of their challenges, coping strategies, and social interaction. Constructivist paradigm is appropriate since it focuses on the co creation of meaning out of participants’ experiences and interpretations hence reality is subjective and social interactional in nature. This approach provides an opportunity to develop a deep, contextually detailed understanding of hostel life, where the researcher is able to abstract and present their views of students’ personal and social experiences that are vastly different and change over time.

3.1 Research Design

Qualitative methods generate valuable, detailed understanding of students’ daily experiences, academic challenges, and social relationship matters which can be difficult to understand by using quantitative approaches. Through centering personal narratives, this application guarantees covering of hostelites’ lived realities.

3.2 Sampling Strategy

A purposeful sampling method is used in the study in order to get diverse perspectives from male and female students in hostels in NUST and other universities within the capital. Inclusion criteria entail that participants should be fulltime University students who now live in hostels and exclusion criteria are all nonhostelite students, parttime students and students with less than six months of hostel experience. Three participants in total will be interviewed, and the data will be collected until the point of thematic saturation, when it will no longer yield new insights after a certain point.

3.3 Data Collection Methods

Semi structured interviews will be held with university students staying in hostels of NUST University and similar universities of the capital, to collect the data. Semi structured interviews were chosen for this reason that they enable to deepen to the lived experiences of participants and at the same time allow some flexibility to probe further. Because of the interviews’ private nature, the participants can freely talk about their challenges, their coping strategies as well as their social interaction. This is a method of the rich and detailed understanding of the life of hostel, which provides within the detailed absorption of personal stories of subjective interpretation.

3.4 Data Analysis

This study will use thematic analysis [7] on the framework posed by Braun and Clarke (2006) which is broadly used in qualitative research for identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns in data for data analysis. This enables the flexibility of recognising themes that are gleaned from the hostelites’ lived experiences whilst remaining grounded in the participants’ narratives. The process of thematic analysis will follow six distinct phases: (1) familiarizing with the data, which involves transcribing interviews, reading and re-reading the data, and noting initial observations; (2) generating initial codes, where key features of the data will be coded systematically across the dataset and relevant data will be collated under respective codes; (3) searching for themes, where codes will be grouped into broader potential themes to explore commonalities and differences among participants; (4) reviewing themes, ensuring that the themes align with the coded extracts and constructing a thematic map to visualize relationships among emerging themes; (5) defining and naming themes, where each theme will be refined, clearly defined, and contextualized within the study’s objectives; and (6) producing the report, which involves finalizing the analysis, selecting representative extracts, and linking the themes back to the research questions and literature to form a coherent narrative.

Brakceting and Reflexivity

Moreover, analytical rigor will be increased using reflexivity and bracketing in this study. Reflexivity refers to the researcher stopping to consider the influence that the study has on the interpretations of the data and biases, assumptions or worldview the researcher brings to the overall process. The study will keep a reflexive journal to be transparent in the analytical process. It will also use bracketing (bracketing: another critical phenomenological term), as a way to limit preconceptions on the development of themes. In this process, preceding knowledge and theoretical suppositions were consciously put aside in order to leave themes to come out of the data on their own accord. Integrating these strategies guarantees a robust, systematic and unbiased analysis of themes as it relates to experiences of hostel residents.

3.5 Ethical Considerations

Ethics will be maintained by careful throughout the study process. Following ethical considerations will be made:

Informed Consent

Ethical integrity will be upheld throughout the research process, beginning with obtaining informed consent from all participants. Before conducting interviews, participants will be provided with detailed information about the study’s objectives, methodology, and their rights as participants. They will be informed that their participation is entirely voluntary, and they may withdraw at any stage without consequences.

Confidentiality and Anonymity

To ensure confidentiality and anonymity, all participants will be assigned pseudonyms, and any personally identifiable information will be strictly withheld. This measure will safeguard participants’ identities and prevent any potential harm resulting from their disclosed experiences. The study will adhere to ethical research standards by protecting individuals’ privacy throughout data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Right to Withdraw

Participants will be given the right to withdraw from the study at any time, without needing to provide a reason. They will also have the option to request the removal of their data, ensuring that their autonomy and comfort are prioritized. This provision reinforces ethical integrity by respecting participants’ free will and agency throughout the research process.

Minimization of Harm

Efforts will be made to minimize psychological or emotional distress during the interviews. Given the sensitive nature of hostel life experiences, participants will not be pressured to answer questions that cause discomfort. The researcher will adopt a respectful and empathetic approach, ensuring that participants feel safe in sharing their experiences. If necessary, guidance will be provided to university counseling services for additional support.

Data Protection

Strict data protection measures will be enforced to ensure that participants’ responses remain confidential and protected from unauthorized access. All electronic data will be stored securely on encrypted devices, and hard copies of transcripts will be kept in locked storage. Only the researcher and authorized personnel will have access to the data.

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