In Mathea Finvold Mikkelsen’s (17) class, almost everyone lives in a dormitory, including Mathea herself. The move was for practical reasons, including to avoid at least two hours by bus every day. Mikkelsen goes to Grong upper secondary school in Trøndelag, and notices a big difference between everyday life at home and in the dormitory. – You are suddenly responsible for everything yourself. It’s a big transition, there’s no one looking after it, says Mikkelsen. Moved voluntarily There has been a storm around Innlandet county recently. The Labor Party, the Conservative Party and MDG want to close several upper secondary schools due to low student numbers and financial challenges. The school pupils may therefore have to move to a dormitory against their will. – Then I don’t think I would have been satisfied, no. It would have been pretty cool. I don’t quite know how it would turn out, says Iver Leivestad Mork. Henrik Løvås Eiken and Iver Leivestad Mork thrive in a dormitory in Grong. It’s extra great when fellow students come to visit. Photo: Mari Svenning / news After secondary school, Henrik Løvås Eiken (16) and Iver Leivestad Mork (16) wanted to play volleyball. That is why they have moved three hours north to Grong completely voluntarily. – It was a bit stressful, but we were looking forward to it the most. It’s a bit more fun to have all the control yourself. The biggest challenges for the boys are distributing the stipend they receive each month and getting up in the morning. Otherwise, they can report that it is going very well. – There have been no major problems. – They learn to take responsibility School researcher at Høgskolen i Inlandet, Thomas Nordahl, believes that a good dormitory life equips young people. – They learn to take responsibility. They learn to have some control over their own lives. They get structure in their lives and in that way become both independent and robust. Nordahl emphasizes that those who live in dormitories are not entirely representative of 16-year-olds in general, since many have moved voluntarily. School researcher Thomas Nordahl believes that dormitory life can be a useful experience for young people. Photo: Frode Meskau / news He believes that changes in the school structure and that more people become dormitories can affect how young people cope. But he still believes it is important to look at the positive aspects. – The statistics we have show that things are going relatively well for those who live in dormitories. They complete and pass upper secondary education to the same extent as those who live at home, says Nordahl. Parents on the ropes Living in a dormitory is something the young people in Grong have been planning for some time. The passion for volleyball trumped going to high school in a bigger city. If they encounter challenges, there is no doubt who gets the call. – If there is something, we call our parents, says Iver Leivestad Mork. Head of department in student services at Grong upper secondary school, Irene Opdal, feels an extra responsibility for the dormitory residents. Environmental supervisor June Jamt and head of department in Student Services Irene Opdal work together to ensure that the dormitory residents have the best possible experience. Photo: Mari Svenning / news They act as both drivers to the store, and they take care of wake-up calls and dormitory calls. – It is important that the school has a good system that looks after those in dormitories, says Opdal. Although Mathea Finvold Mikkelsen lives with a friend, she can feel a little lonely in the evenings. Then it’s good to know that the weekend is just around the corner. – Then I’ll go home. Mostly every weekend, says Mikkelsen. Published 23.10.2024, at 05.41
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