Hostel life for Outstation Students: Adjusting to tough, new environs

Dileep Kumar PK is a Keralite student from Kannur, Kerala. He has been in Delhi since the past three years. He completed his MA in social work from Kerala and is now studying at the Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, where he is doing his M Phil in international studies with sustainable urban development studies as his major focus. He lives in the campus hostel and has been there since over a year.

“Homesickness is a normal problem for everyone when they are away from home” says Kumar. “There are seven hostels in the university and only 15 Keralite students on the entire campus,” he adds. He shares his room with other three students who hail from different states. A few times they’ve come to blows. He says, “Fights do occur but they are usually resolved easily.

It’s a boys’ hostel and such things happen.” He has no problem with them, which actually translates into his ability to adjust well. However, some things are, literally, hard to digest. “The mess facilities are very bad. The contract has been given to some locals and somehow the quality goes down everyday,” says Kumar. Even in the mess hall, some sense of clanism exists.