Looking for a room

If you are a new student at DU and do not belong to Delhi, there is a fair chance that you will be on the lookout for a place to stay. Ideally, one would like to get a room close to one's college. However, these are likely to come at a very high rental, as their owners realise that students prefer them. To make things worse, these rooms often lack even the basic facilities. Students might be attracted by their location and proximity to their college, but the fact is that staying in them is often a pain - both in terms of finance and comfort.

Of course, you can avoid this situation by keeping a few things in mind before you select a room:

• Talk to your seniors who are living in rented rooms and seek their advice. They will provide you with a true picture of the scenario.
• Find out if the room has been legally built.
• Check the electricity and water supply.
• Insist on electricity bills instead of monthly fixed amount as charged by room owners.
• Whenever possible, opt for a room that has good ventilation and access to natural light.
• Fresh air is a must for a healthy mind. So try to get a room with a balcony.
• Make sure that the room has proper sanitation.
• Try to avoid taking a room in a 'noisy' location, such as near a flour mill, music shops, gensets, etc.
• Make sure that the room is well-guarded against rain.
• If you don't have a cellphone, try to get a room near a PCO.

- TARUN JANGID