Chennai – a place where new meets old, tradition meets innovation and culture meets industry. The city you’ve called home for so long. And while you lived at home with your parents, life was pretty easy. You didn’t have to think twice about things like household management, budgeting or grocery shopping. But now that you’re leaving your comfort zone of studying in one of the top schools in Chennai, you’re about to step into a whole new world. That’s right, you’re headed for hostel life in college and you’re not sure how to survive it. Well, you’re in luck. Hostel life is actually a lot easier than it sounds. And once you get used to living with others, making friends, and interacting with people from across the country, you’ll end up having a great time.
All you need to take care of are some teething problems that may occur in the initial weeks or months of living in a hostel. And that’s why we’ve brought you this list. Getting yourself these essential items will ensure that you have a hassle-free life in your hostel right from day one. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at what you need.
Extension board
Living with a roommate is a recipe for a lot of fun, laughter, and enjoyment. But it’s also bound to lead to some squabbles over the power sockets in your hostel room. Because most hostels don’t provide more than one or two outlets in a particular room. Now take a look at the number of gadgets you have to plug in and those squabbles seem a lot more justified. But there’s an easy way to remedy this. Invest in an extension board with multiple sockets. These are easily available at most hardware stores and even online. They’re an efficient and inexpensive way to combat this problem. It’s best to get an extension board with a longer wire so that you can adjust the position to be the most convenient for you.
Command hooks
Hostel rooms in Chennai don’t always tend to run huge in size. Coupled with the fact that you’re not allowed to drill nails or make major modifications to the room makes it a little difficult for you to store all your belongings. Thankfully, you can rely on command hooks to do the job for you. These sturdy solutions are a great way for you to hang up anything from keys or necklaces to bags or even plants without making any dents or holes in the walls. They also work great to expand your vertical storage space inside your cupboard or behind your door. Trust us, once you start using these command hooks, you won’t be able to stop.
Disinfectant wipes
The pandemic has taught us how important it is to sanitize ourselves and our surroundings. And even without a virus around, it will be important to keep your room clean. Well, those mountains of disinfectant wipes (or even regular wet wipes) will actually come in really handy. They’re a great way to tackle most of the spots in your room that are difficult to clean, including the tops of drawers, shelves, and your ceiling fan. Accidentally spilled crumbs all over your desk or laptop in the middle of a study (or to be more realistic Netflix binge) session? A swipe with a disinfectant wipe makes cleaning quick and painless.
Reusable plastic containers
Disclaimer: We’re not asking you to go and buy new plastic containers now. We’re talking about reusing the ones you already have at home. Those old Tupperwares or even repurposed ice cream tubs are going to be a godsend when you’re living in one of the hostels in Chennai. Because more often than not, you’re going to be microwaving your meals (and your Maggi). These containers are microwave-safe, easy-to-clean, inexpensive, and pretty much unbreakable. So, save your precious stainless steel and glass utensils and use this as a chance to reuse all your plastic containers.
Table fan
Yes, your hostel room will obviously already have a ceiling fan. If you’ve opted for an air-conditioned hostel, you’ll have an AC too. But it’s still a good idea to invest in a table fan if your hostel allows you to. Because when you’re sharing a room with roommates, it doesn’t take long for the room to become stuffy, especially during the summer months in Chennai. Having a table fan will improve circulation and ensure that you’re able to remain cool and comfortable at all times.
Making your hostel life hassle-free can be just that easy. All you need to do is invest in the items listed above and you’ll be good to go. Try them out yourself when you move into your hostel, and you’ll definitely be grateful.
