Packing and travelling
Carrying flammable objects on a flight is illegal, but forgetting to pack Parle G, Good Day biscuits and Maggi is a crime. Smiling uncle from MDH Spices will never forgive you for not carrying his Jaljeera Mix. And Hajmola tablets are desi cocaine.
If you’re wondering about carrying headphones, instructions for that item will come much farther down the list.
For now, follow these up with clothes, toiletries, chargers. The list becomes more complex if you wear glasses and contact lenses. What about the headphones you might wonder. Well, not just yet. We have to still pack in the tickets and passport. And finally, don’t forget to collect the crushing thought of this education business really being worth all the trouble. Once you’ve waded through immigration and security checks, you’ll find yourself on the flight where it is imperative to blank out the fact that your shuddering plane is actually just a metal tube hurtling through the sky. (Also furiously hope you’re nOtBLeEDing because Economy class airplane washrooms are a nightmare.)
This is when you’ll remember you forgot your headphones at home.
Currency conversions It is advisable to think twice before buying a bottle of water or using a vending machine. By nature, vending machines are unkind beings and will not relent even if you fling yourself at it with shuddering sobs because it ate your £1 coin. (That’s ₹100 rupees btw.) A better solution would be to swallow your own saliva and await rain (which could happen anywhere between now and an hour given the English weather.)
You have to wash up and do your laundry
Because you can’t keep buying new underwear every week.
Wildlife and Foliage
You’ll suddenly discover just how many fleas bananas can attract. There’s no competition, bananas just like showing off. You’ll also find yourself hating a very particular shade of blue and/or green that paints itself on bread and cream cheese respectively.
Weather You might be physically prepared for it, but mentally? Kabhi nahi. If you’ve grown up where it’s always sunny, but end up where it’s always raining things can get admittedly depressive. This author’s recommendation is to keep yourself armed with sunscreen, a mini umbrella and exceptional faux-positivity at all times. Because the weather will go from bright-hot sunshine to – jk now it’s raining to – sorry I meant it’s foggy af , good luck getting home all trains are now delayed.
(Part 1) There are far too many cute boys in this world:
Issa riot!
(Part 2) And you don’t actually know how to flirt: So the cute boy buffet is wasted on you. This is a horribly crushing discovery to make.
Too much freedom
Perilous. This has the danger of briefly making you forget that you’re originally from an Indian family where privacy is not a concept. NOT a concept. I repeat
Making new friends
Ah, vital. These strangers will become extended family. You’ll be studying, eating, whining with them. They’ll know every single disgusting thing about you (including that you pee in the shower) and you’ll be totally influenced by them whether you like it or not. They will turn you into the person you’ll most likely be for the rest of your life. So choose wisely.
The pressure cooker
The humble Indian invention of the century that also doubles up as a heart attack every time it whistles. This is akin to basically filling out a bomb with curry and rice, lighting it on fire and hoping for the best. It’s courteous to leave a note of warning outside the kitchenette for any non-desi who has never heard the shrill shriek of its whistle before, to give them ample time to brace for impact.
You actually really love your family
Because, quite suddenly, you miss them, and everything they silently did for you. So you want to hear their voice at super odd times, mostly when they’re asleep and you really shouldn’t be shocking them with a 3am phone call.
Oh, and lest you forget, do remember that you still have exams to sit for, and assignments to hand in. After all, you did shift out to STUDY.
For Amazon India
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