Packing for Pilani
While preparing to move away from the sweet comforts of home to Pilani, one is often racked with worry about surviving hostel life as well as the town itself. Both the “survivors” and the “city kids” who come to BITS eventually get used to the ways of life in Pilani, provided they’ve brought all the essentials with them.
Assuming the required academic documents and affidavits have already been taken care of, here are two extremes of how students could decide on what to bring.
Technology
SURVIVOR: I’ll need a phone, so I can talk to my mum. Someone is bound to have a charger should I “forget” mine. The computer lab should satisfy all my computing needs, so I think I’m all set here.
CITY KID: I should pack my smartphone, a power bank, my Kindle, my laptop, and an assortment of chargers. My waterproof bluetooth speaker is essential, because only imbeciles bathe without music. I’ll need earphones, and a spare for when the other pair inevitably gets stolen. Oh, I’ll add a table lamp and a power-strip, because what if Akshay doesn’t have good quality ones?
Books & Stationery
SURVIVOR: I shall beg and borrow textbooks from my seniors. Akshay will have notebooks. I can flick a pen from one of the labs, although I might need a backpack from home. Or I could just “borrow” everything from my roommate.
CITY KID: I’ll take spiral-bound college notebooks (they’re in this season), my lucky pens and pencils, an electric sharpener, a scented eraser, and a geometry box. I can get new textbooks, graph sheets, and record books whenever I need them from Akshay. But I’ll need to buy a couple of trendy bags to carry all this. Almost forgot – must take a dictionary for that report writing course, and a good calculator.
Toiletries
SURVIVOR: I’ll just need a toothbrush. My wingies will have the rest. Will go to Akshay as a last resort to get my own stuff if they don’t approve of the fact that I plan on borrowing their things indefinitely.
CITY KID: What if Akshay doesn’t have the brand that works best for my skin type? I’d better stock up on my go-to soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, hair oil, hair gel, talcum powder, perfume, cologne, and face pack. And of course, my electric toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and my personalized shaving kit. Oh, and my combs, brushes, nail-cutter, and my shower cap collection.
Clothing and Footwear
SURVIVOR: Seven sets of clothes and innerwear should last me a fortnight, or maybe even a month during the winters. I’ll bring my deodorant as well – it might help them last even longer. Perhaps a pair of jeans for labs and parties. Dad just reminded me – that towel for the occasional bath and a sweater for winter. One solid pair of rubber chappals and a few pairs of socks should suffice. I’ll just borrow a pair of shoes during labs.
CITY KID: I’ll take about ten sets of innerwear and socks for a week. A dozen T-shirts, five varieties of shorts and pants, and four pairs of jeans should last until the weekend. And of course, I need to make some room in my luggage for the winter apparel my uncle sent from the US. I will need fitting shirts for special occasions, a suit and a blazer, a few eye-catchers from my tie collection, belts, cufflinks, and other accessories for the occasional evening date.
I’ll take three sets of sportswear because I need to combat the unavoidable freshman 15. Four pairs of sports shoes should be enough. I’ll need two pairs of slippers, one for bathroom use, and the other for the room (one of those fuzzy slippers with bunny ears). Three pairs of sandals and sneakers for everyday use will work.
Bedding
SURVIVOR: The college provides a cot, apparently. What more could I ask for?
CITY KID: My favourite pillow-and-cushion set is extremely important. And I cannot sleep without my Mickey Mouse bedding and Glow-in-the-Dark wall stickers. Akshay has good mattresses but I should probably bring my own 12-inch springer. I’ll have my beanbag shipped; I’m sure those regular chairs don’t offer enough back support.
Miscellaneous
SURVIVOR: I SHALL SURVIVE! Akshay will always be around to save the day.
CITY KID: A vacuum cleaner, and an automated room freshener might be useful for the room. I can get curtains, a mop, and shoe polish from Akshay. It might make more sense to order my Espresso machine off Amazon or Flipkart after I settle in, although I can only manage a few days without caffeine. Oh, and finally – chamomile tea bags, for an uninterrupted night’s sleep.