“IT was my first day of college. It was pouring cats and dogs. The trains stopped running and the college closed. All of us were waiting for trains at the station, when this senior of mine, a complete stranger till then, shared a cab with me. He took me to his home and insisted that I don’t leave till the rains stop and the trains start plying. I left the next day. This was the first impression of Mumbai,” says Rohit Paul, a media professional and alumni of S.I.E.S college.

This fast-paced city often seems intimidating from outside, but you will discover that Mumbaikars tend to have a helpful attitude.

Ironically, they also tend to have a ‘live and let live’ attitude and are usually a non-interfering set of people. Initially you might mistake it for unfriendliness or lack of concern, but you will soon revel in the freedom it offers. And in case you need help, all you need to do is ask.

Sharmishtha Dey Sarkar, a PhD scholar at IIT, Bombay, says, “Living alone in this city makes you self-sufficient. You know that you are on your own and need to take care of everything yourself.”

Coming out of a sheltered life, where you did not need to spare a thought about your food, laundry and other nitty-gritty of every day life, to taking complete care of yourself is not easy. Though the freedom and fun it affords can be quite heady, it also entails a great deal of responsibility as you are on your own; you need to draw the line for yourself.

Finding a place to live

However, in case you are not lucky enough to find a place at the college hostel, make sure you stay as close to your college as possible. This will stand you in good stead till you get your bearings and will help you save both time and money. Poulomi Dey, ex-student of Sophia Polytechnic and currently interning as a photographer, points out, “At least in the first month, you should stay as close to your college as possible. As you get to know people, you’ll get leads on better and may be even cheaper places and then you can shift, if necessary.” 

In case you have to stay on your own, a hostel or a PG is preferable to renting your own place. While negotiating a deal for a PG, try to get one which serves meals and takes care of cleaning your room and doing your laundry as well. The food might not be to your taste but opt for it. After the first few days, you will realise that getting cooked, edible stuff after a long and tiring day is a blessing in itself. Also, discuss the night curfew timings, else you might find yourself locked out the entire night or spend hours pleading with the landlord/landlady to let you in.

Accommodation is very expensive in Mumbai and the more south you go, the dearer it gets. Besides the monthly rent, you need to pay a hefty deposit (refundable). Everybody is crunched for space here, so have realistic expectations. It is best to avoid hiring the services of a broker as their charges are high and they can easily take a newcomer, especially a young student, for a ride. Try looking up the classifieds in the newspaper or in relevant sites like www.99acres.com and www.magicbricks.com.

The only affordable way to rent an apartment is to share it. This is definitely a safer option and you can also split the chores. You can spread the word that you need a roommate or a flatmate through friends and social networking sites. It is preferable to share it with someone you know or who knows someone you know. Though staying with roommates can be loads of fun and you may even find your best friend for life here, it has its share of woes.
 
Issues like privacy, study hours, listening to music, monthly expenses, division of chores and the like should be discussed and decided at the very outset. So, even if you don’t find like-minded people, pray that they are at least friendly and willing to share and lend a hand. Be ready to cooperate and do your bit, while making sure that your kindness and politeness is not exploited. Sharmistha cautions, “You need to adjust, but you should see to it that nobody takes undue advantage.” 

Locality is also an important factor. There is a large vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian population here, so ensure that you take up accommodation in a locality where people have similar preferences. Many housing societies and PGs forbid you from eating non-vegetarian stuff at home. On the other hand, in case you are a vegetarian make sure your landlord knows this.

Navigating Mumbai

Though the first experience of travelling in a local train can be a little daunting, rest assured that very soon you will not only get used to it but also prefer it to any other mode of transport. Its biggest advantage is that you can avoid the terrible Mumbai traffic. It is also a blessing in the rainy season unless it pours so much that they stop altogether. 

You need to remember is that since the trains stop only for a couple of minutes, you have to wait at the right place and this will vary depending on whether the train has 9 or 12 bogies.

You can also take BEST, MSRTC, NMMT buses, depending on your location and destination. Unlike many cities, all buses do not stop every where. You have to either look up the route number at the bus stop, or simply ask someone there. Another thing is that auto rickshaws do not ply in town.

Managing your money
Staying on a student-budget can be quite challenging. Making a monthly budget and allocating money as needed is advisable. To begin with, maintain a detailed journal of your expenditure the first month, so that going forward you can budget accordingly.

A few important heads will be accommodation, food, travelling, shopping (which will include books, clothes, shoes and accessories), phone calls, class and exam projects along with money for participating in competitions and recreation activities. 

As Poulumi it, “You have to live within your means and find out ways to save.” Prioritise. For instance, you cannot allocate more money for shopping and cut down on healthy food but you can try forgoing those awesome shoes to buy that priceless management book. You might come up with your own ways of saving and spending. Sharanya Misra Sharma, Sophia College and Sophaa Polytechnic alumni and currently interning as a reporter, suggests, “You can’t really buy expensive stuff on a student-budget, so in case you really like something - you can either ask your parents to gift it to you for some occasion or ask your friends to pool in and buy it for your birthday.”

On the weekends
At college you will be swamped with work, projects and competitions. You can also take a breather at the beaches and sea faces. For an enriching Mumbai experience, here are a few ‘must-dos’ to satisfy the culture vulture in you:

• Exhibitions at Jehangir Art Gallery
   
• Exhibitions at National Gallery of Modern Art
   
• Theatre at Prithvi Theatre (Prithvi Café is a great place to hangout.)
   
• Experimental Theatre at National Centre for the Performing Arts
   
• Kala Ghoda Festival
   
• Banganga Festival
   
• Mumbai International Film Festival
   
• Elephanta Festival
   
• Thespo - theatre group youth festival
   
• Mumbai International Book Fair
   

Haggling on the streets
Though street shopping means great deals, it entails some haggling as you have to drive a hard bargain. The thumb rule of bargaining is never take it personally and feel victimised. Quote a price which is a little lower than what you are willing to pay and indicate that you are prepared to walk away in case he does not agree. Also looking around at a few shops to find out the price of the same or similar stuff is a good idea.

Curfew time
Ask Rohit Paul whether Mumbai is safe and he says excitedly, “Yes, of course. Where I come from, people don’t venture out after 10 p.m. unless essential, whereas here I’ve gone out at all odd hours in the night and this city is still abuzz with activity.” There is no doubt that Mumbai is one of the safest cities in India, where you will find women travelling on their own late in the night.

However, if this is your first tryst with the city, best to play it safe. Take your time to understand the people and the pulse of the city. At any rate, all parts of the city are not equally safe.

Stay focused
Mumbai is almost synonymous with ‘opportunities’. It offers innumerable courses and career options that you can take up while pursuing your mainstream academics. However, its sheer size and the freedom it offers can be quite overwhelming. If you are hard working and earnest in your efforts, you are sure to carve a niche for yourself in this city of everlasting dreams.