Bengaluru beginnings as perceived from the experienced

Moving to a new city entails multiple challenges that are to be undertaken for accomplishing academic aspirations & scouring for better employment opportunities. Bengaluru has adopted this identity in contemporary times to become a harbouring ground for the development of multiple professionals.

Along with the opportunities presented here, some hurdles faced by students were steered to help encourage self-development. “It was a good experience where I got to learn to manage my routine,” said Devyani Todi, a postgraduate alumna of Mount Carmel College, from the 2019-2021 batch.

Devyani is an 2021 alumni of Mount Carmel College

For her, moving to Bengaluru from Kolkata was a partly anxious and partly exciting moment as she moved away from home for the first time, but had also set her goal to develop her career path and inculcate self-development procedures. “Initially I had to face lots of challenges finding a good PG and learning to adapt with different people in a small place,” said reminiscing her first days in the city, said talking about the discomfort faced in the initial days. However, gradually initiating and acting on a plan to find roommates and shifting into a house helped her cope with the struggle faced in the early days.

Similar excitement was shared by Pinku Syngkli, a Masters's student at St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous) as he recollected his initial days of shiting to Bengaluru to attending an undergraduate degree from the same college. “I was excited about learning new things in a new place and, meeting new people and making new friends,” he said. Talking about the struggle he experienced in a city, after moving out of his home from the North-East, he said, “It was too early for me to be staying alone in a new place.” For him, taking up a house at a location further from his college also proved to be an obstacle. However, for him, “It was easier to adapt.” He attributed his daily smooth adjustment to his interest in “ exploring new places and learning new things.”

Pinku is a Masters student from St. Joseph's College (Autonnomous)

Budget & expenditures are important elements a student starts considering in the early days of their stay in Banglore. Pinku highlighted that it is a feature that one had to adapt and that it would be done subjectively. “Life in Bangalore is also fun but, only if you know how to survive in the given budget from home,” he said.

Language disparity is an issue faced by many such outstation students. This is how Devyani perceived & adapted to the situation, “Sometimes it would be difficult travelling when auto drivers were adamant to speaking Kannada,” she said. With the assistance of technology, specifically, Google Maps in Devyani’s Case and aid from her Kannada-speaking friends, she was able to persist. Pinku shared his experience of facing this issue. “Language is always the biggest obstacle when we’re visiting a new place,” he said. “I’ve given many attempts in learning the language but never succeeded,” he added.

However, these experiences are their own and for a newcomer to function in the city, one has to experience on their own and discover how they can unravel their path to self-development and success on chasing aspirations.

These are some tips that both Devyani & Pinku suggest to help you establish a firm ground on your Bengaluru presence as a student:

• Get a pg or a hostel either near the college or near your working space to avoid the infamous “Bengaluru traffic.”

• If you’re working get a two-wheeler for your convenience to explore the city or get a bus pass and learn your bus routes.

• Friends are very important to survive and enjoy in a new place.

• It will never work out in one go. You will experience different situations and that's how you'll know what's best for you.