At the risk of sounding like Albus Dumbledore, it’s that time of the year when new students step hopefully into EFLU (English and Foreign Languages University) for the first time, and old students come back “home” after the long summer.

From grappling with the various mess and hostel challans, settling into your new room, and figuring out your timetable, there are a tonne of things to be done once you reach campus.

However, there are some things to be experienced over the course of your time at the university without which you are not a true exponent of EFLU Hyderabad!

Trip to Moula Ali for sunrise/sunset:

This is a rite of passage more important than the official orientation. Unless you and your buddies have trekked up this beautiful hill to the ruins at the top and watched the sunrise or sunset – both beautiful rewards for your sweat and effort – you’re not a true EFLUite!

Bonus points: Moula Ali Hill is a photographer’s paradise!

Regular biryani from Bawarchi (or any place of your choice):

When you live in Hyderabad, you will invariably develop an insatiable appetite for biryani, and a favourite restaurant to get it from.

You will also develop the ability to gulp it down by the kilo, a talent that will be shared by your friends, but will earn horrified looks when demonstrated in front of anyone else.

Falling in love with double ka meetha:

Who knew bread could be so tasty? We got to know that within days of beginning our EFLU journey.

This dish made out of bread is the ultimate Indian jugaad in the world of sweets, and the perfect way to wash down those kilos of biryani previously consumed!

Waiting for the Sunday and end of month mess dinner/lunch:

It is the sacred duty of all hostellers to complain incessantly about the mess food. We EFLUites do that every day of the week, except on Sundays and the last day of the month!

The special dishes of pulao, paneer, chicken, and a sweet cause queues to form well before mealtime, and we shamelessly ask for more, a la Oliver Twist!

Walking around campus way past midnight, even during winter:

Going to bed on time is passé. It’s much more fun to walk round and round campus with your friends, maybe nursing a cup of chai, giving the security guards a headache as they try to keep track of the students appearing suddenly out of random corners.

Going to Gautam Da’s Kitchen:

In the heart of Telangana, we savour Bengali food!

That’s right, for those of us craving home food, sick of the mess, too broke for Swiggy, or a combination of all three, Gautam Da’s Kitchen comes to the rescue, with homemade Bengali food that doesn’t create big holes in our pockets.

Holi on campus:

You’re walking sedately on the road. Suddenly, a gang of hooligans accosts you, lifts you up, carries you and dumps you on your butt in a pool of mud, which they then proceed to kick all over you.

And if you’re a guy, your shirt gets ripped off and flung into an unreachable tree. Sounds like a mugging? Nah, it’s just Holi at EFLU!


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Standing in queues outside the COE window and cursing everybody:

Normally, we love walking around campus after class instead of heading straight to the hostel (unless we weren’t done with our beauty sleep).

The one day we HATE being outside is the dreaded admit pass day or ID card day – then, standing at the COE window in the sun becomes the world’s greatest torture.

Sitting in NAB with friends and watching movies:

During the day, we wait for classes to end so we can sprint out of NAB. At night, we congregate there with food and laptops (and in winter, with blankets too) and squabble over which movie to watch before enjoying a couch potato marathon.

Developing an emotional bond with the campus doggos/cattos:

Husky, Foxy, Sultan… Do Any of these names sound familiar to you?

They are all attached to four legs and a tail – the one who’s happiest to see you return to campus after the holidays, and who is the perfect silent walking partner on lonely nights.

When the Maggi stall becomes life:

Because we all need our share of unhealthy food, right? And what’s better than creatively named varieties of Maggi (what is tandoori Maggi? I still haven’t figured it out) with Nestle cold coffee and Nestle chocolate- scions of the capitalist food industry- to fuel our late night debates on socialism?

Going to Sagar Stores even if you have no reason to:

From food to homemade juice to pens to toothpaste, Sagar Bhaiya has everything that a broke college student could probably need.

He also has a warm smile and a few affectionate words for everyone who comes in, so much so that we end up going to visit him more than to buy things from his shop.

DJ parties:

You love them or you hate them – there’s no in between! From English tracks to the most raunchy Bhojpuri numbers and everything in between, DJ parties are EFLU’s way of letting loose the inner monkey.

Going to Boon Bakery or Amul:

Going to Boon Bakery or Amul to buy bread, milk, and maybe a bar of chocolate too is the EFLUite’s method of adulting.

The maximum would be to travel to the Tarnaka Big Bazaar, when we come back laden with ESSENTIAL STUFF and feel like RESPONSIBLE ADULTS.

Screaming “Pushpa!!!” during a powercut:

Adulting aside, it’s also fun to terrify the mythical ghost of F-wing, Basheer Hostel during every damn power cut (which should ideally be HER time to rule, right?) by screaming PUSHPA, and taking away what little peace was left in her wandering soul. FYI, Pushpa also has FB and Instagram accounts – that’s one hep ghost!

As someone who has already finished my MA from EFLU, these are some memories that are fresh in my mind and define my EFLU experience.

If you’re an EFLUite and have any more, mention them in the comments below!


Image Credits: Google Images

Find the author online at: @samyukthanair_


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