Life at a hostel is easily one of the most important yet memorable experiences of college, and can make or break your life in a new city. It’s not easy living away from family, which is why need a hostel that makes you feel ‘at home’, and a sense of togetherness with your fellow hostelites. Making the right choice can be hard are there will certainly be crucial factors that you may tend to overlook. Here’s a complete checklist for you to make note of when you’re choosing a hostel to stay at
Convenience
The location should be the first thing on your checklist when you are searching for a hostel. Ideally look for a hostel that’s convenient to reach your college by any form of public transport. Don’t opt for something that would take you tiresome hours to reach because let’s face it, we’d all kill for those few extra minutes of sleep in the morning.
Be safe
You’ll obviously have a couple of valuables on you, like laptops, cameras, cash, etc. when you’re away from home, so it is important to have these secured at all times. Make sure that the hostel you choose has some sort of security system in place, in the form of lockers, safety deposit boxes, and more. This also means you need to look out for personal safety, so chose a hostel that’s located in a safe and busy neighbourhood, and not too far from a police station or a hospital, in case of an emergency.
WiFi…. Obviously!
If the hostel you’re eyeing does not have proper internet connectivity, it’s advisable to ditch it all together. It’s impossible to survive even a day without internet, and if you’ve a couple of assignments that require the internet, or even to video call your loved ones back home, the internet must be one of your priorities. Sometimes, hostels tend to block certain sites on the internet (mostly adult) but if there’s a website that you will not be able to access, you must check with the officials.
Curfew hours
Always check for the curfew hours of any hostel, as you will certainly have to plan your entire day around it. Student hostels do not have very lax timings, but at the same time, you wouldn’t want too strict a curfew. Also, inquire about night outs, what is the procedure to apply for them, and whether it’s okay to (occasionally) return at wee hours, with prior permission taken.
Meals
Other important criteria when selecting your hostel is their meal options. Most hostels in India offer all three meals of the day, but if they don’t, then you will need to make arrangements for your food. Do not expect restaurant-quality food here, as long as you’re being provided with nutritious, hearty three meals.
Social gatherings
Your hostel mates are your temporary family, which is why it is integral to be able to bond with them, and it is in-turn important for the hostel you’re staying at to organize activities that foster the same. Social events encourage breaking the ice and getting to know each other, and is also a great break from boring day-to-day routine. Most hostels mandate freshers’ parties, and Diwali and Christmas parties, so maybe this isn’t something you need to stress too much about
Reviews
Every hostel will have some kind of reviews somewhere on the internet, and if you must, spend hours researching them. The people who’ve lived here before will be able to tell you best what life at this particular hostel is like. If you see too many bad reviews, then certainly take it as a warning sign. You may also have a family member or a friend who has stayed here before, so it’s highly recommended that you talk to them and get their insights before locking in on one.
Other main factors to take into consideration include storage space, room size, beds, and if all the above factors are well worth your budget.
