Tanzania, Feb. 27 -- In January, as schools across the country reopened after the end-of-year holiday season, a wave of excitement swept through the hearts of students embarking on a new educational journey.

For some, this marked the transition to boarding school, which is a requirement of many schools to allow students to prepare for national exams later in the year.

To capture the sentiments of students venturing into this new chapter, Smart World spoke to several pupils, who revealed mixed emotions surrounding the boarding school experience.

Alvin Mkisi, a 12-year-old Standard Seven student at Kilimani Primary School in Dar es Salaam, shares that he felt both excited and nervous on January 7, when his parents took him to boarding sc...