What was so great about being at a boarding school?

I was asked this question last week. I thought a little and came up with two answers.

i) It taught me that community living needs people to just get things done for the greater good. If it's your turn to put out the bins, then put out the bins. Don't moan, just do it.

I am not sure this is well understood today.

ii) It taught me to keep an open and curious mind in all things. Boarding created so many opportunities to fill empty hours with unexpected ventures that turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable. Choral singing, trips to exhibitions, learning the art of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Not every opportunity was welcomed but virtually all of them were beneficial.

I fear that today's self-centred 'my-choice' society denies this type of forced-opportunity to learn and grow.

Having offered two answers I then made an observation that the influence of the church on the experience of boarding was, in my day, huge. Daily chapel and a visible and active Chaplain meant that, like it or not, one was exposed to and absorbed over the years a huge amount of the riutal and teachings of the Church of England. For some it put them off for life, for others it did the opposite

And then I was asked if going to a boarding school affected my relationship with my parents. My answer? Well, imagine spending a term, say Michaelmas which is 14 weeks from September to December, without seeing or hearing ones parents and living on news from one 'bluey' (areogramme) to the next. Can you imagine that not having an effect?