my life, my chai

  🏠 Hostel Life 101: Real Tips for Surviving (and Thriving) Far from Home If you’re about to step into hostel life, let me tell you something straight from the heart: It’s not going to be easy. But it’s going to change you — in ways you never imagined. I’m not writing this as an expert. I’m just a regular girl from Kerala who moved to Chennai, away from family, comfort, and familiarity. I’ve cried quietly on some nights. I’ve laughed like crazy with my roommates. And I’ve learned some hard and beautiful lessons . Here are my real, unfiltered tips to help you survive — and maybe even enjoy — hostel life 💌 1. Don’t Expect a Warm Welcome — Create It Yourself The first day won’t be like a movie. No one’s going to hand you a welcome kit and hug you like a sister. You’ll walk into a room full of strangers. Some might smile. Most won’t. It’s okay. Take your time. Unpack slowly. Decorate your space with photos or fairy lights. Make your bed feel like your corner of the ...

  🌙 Strangers, Roommates, Soul Sisters: The Girls Who Made Hostel Feel Like Home When I first entered my hostel room, I was exhausted — physically and emotionally. I was homesick, nervous, and overwhelmed. Sitting on my bed were three girls I’d never seen before , quietly arranging their things. One from Karnataka , one from Andaman , and one from Tamil Nadu . They didn’t even look up. I’m from Kerala , and this was my first time away from home, in a city where everything felt unfamiliar — the language, the people, even the air. My first thought? "They look so serious… are they going to be mean?" I had arrived late, so I didn’t get much choice with the room setup. I got the smallest cupboard , no personal table, and a bed squeezed into a corner. I kept my bag down and stood there for a few seconds, wondering what I’d gotten myself into. 💫 A Lost Earring, A Found Bond That evening, I lost my earring . In all the mess and chaos of settling in, I dropped it somewhere a...

 🌙 My First Day in Hostel: Chaos, Silence & a Tiny Bit of Courage I still remember the nerves I felt that morning — the kind of anxiety that just sits in your chest, refusing to move. It was my first day of college and my first day in hostel life, and I wasn’t sure which one I was more terrified of. After college, I headed straight to the hostel. My parents were already waiting there — I could see the tiredness in their eyes, but also that soft worry they were trying to hide from me. They thought they’d help me settle in, arrange my things, maybe make the room a little homier. But no — they weren’t even allowed inside. And just like that, I had to do it all alone. I walked into my new room. It was tiny, crowded with four beds squeezed into corners, barely any space to breathe. Since I was a latecomer, the best spots were already taken. I didn’t get a separate study table and only got a small compartment in the shared cupboard. I smiled and acted cool — but inside, I was scream...

One girl. One city. One chaotic journey Hey there, I’m Abirami , and this is officially my first blog post — and before you roll your eyes thinking this is just another college girl’s diary full of drama and hostel complaints… well, okay yeah, there’s gonna be some of that 😅 But also? A lot more. I’m currently a second-year undergraduate student living in Chennai . But this city? It’s not where I grew up. I landed here like a confused little puppy — completely out of my comfort zone, new language, new faces, new everything. 🌍 Life outside my comfort zone I’ll be honest — I had no idea how hard it would hit. I thought moving to a new city would be exciting. Freedom, right? New start, big dreams, hostel fun, etc. But in reality? It was: Me standing in the middle of a new campus not understanding a single word people were saying. Me eating food I wasn’t used to and crying because I missed home-cooked meals. Me calling my mom at 2am just to hear a familiar voice after a bad...