Shweta Dubey
2nd year

When we join college, aren’t we excited more about the hostel life than the college life itself? Well, I was. I was excited about my hostel life. I can say it did turn out to be how I imagined it. I was a tad scared as I had to live away from my loved ones. Let me tell you, my biggest worry was whether I would be able to sleep on a new mattress or not, and next was whether I would get good roommates or not. Now that I think about it, I had a sound sleep on the first night on the new mattress because I was really tired, and as for roommates, I got lucky.

Hostel life may appear dreamy from the outside, but it requires adjustment since not everything will be to one’s liking. It’s a significant transition with its challenges and opportunities, akin to a first step into the real world. I had fun and I am still enjoying my hostel life. There are quite a few things that I have experienced that I would like to share. When I moved into the hostel I embraced the changes rather than resisting them. The new room felt alien to me, so I decorated it with my roommates. The personalization helped me get used to the new space. Now, my room at KIIT is my haven.

As an introvert, I was hesitant to initiate conversations, but making friends turned out to be easier than expected. I realized that it was not only me who had to initiate; people were eager to talk to me and others. That is how I met one of my roommates, she quite literally adopted me, and since we have been very good friends. While I believe, that socializing is important we must not force ourselves to interact with people as it will drain our energy. I am not saying don’t mix with people, but only so much that it does not tire you in any way. Another very important thing that I tried to take care of was not invading privacy. It is natural for people to come close to each other while living together but I think we must respect their personal space.

I have learned many things by living in a hostel and the most unexpected yet natural ways. Money management, keeping the room tidy, resolving differences with friends, time management, self-reflection, and the list goes on and on.

Honestly, I am glad that I get to experience this life. Hostel is a different world in itself where there is a solution for every problem and yet new peculiar problems are rising every minute. At some point, my ardent desire was to get rid of some individuals here, but these people blessed me with anecdotes I tell my family about. For me, this place has seen my true self. I have made tons of memories and I know there is more to come. I hope I can make the most of it and so can you.