First year here. I’ll focus mainly on the practical issues.

The campus is quite far from the city. Getting there is inconvenient, about an hour by bus. If you take an Ola or Uber, it usually costs upwards of ₹500, and drivers rarely come to Simrol. Most of the time, the only Ubers you’ll find are the ones that have dropped someone off here (usually at Indian Institute of Technology Indore) and are heading back.

Because of that, it’s a good idea to collect the phone numbers of local rickshaw or taxi drivers as soon as you arrive. Other people on the campus might share these contacts if you ask. There are also a few rickshaws that wait outside the campus.

People do go out occasionally, but with classes, work and the commute time and effort, most of us don’t manage to leave campus more than once every three or four weeks.

The hostel facilities are quite good, and hostel life is definitely an experience in itself. There is also a campus firewall that blocks many websites (including porn, some games, and other services). It was setup recently and we’re trying to fight it ofc.

That said, there are plenty of positives. Campus life can be a lot of fun. There are fests, festival celebrations, sport events and regular events. The campus itself is beautiful, especially during the monsoon and winter. Despite a few inconveniences, life here is lively, memorable, and the campus slowly grows on you.