Hey there, fellow comrades!

Congrats on passing the first hurdle! It's just the beginning of an amazing journey, and trust me, it'll be a wild ride – but a fun one too.

In the end, your experience will depend largely on the people you surround yourself with. Your roommates, trip buddies, gym partners – these are the folks who will make UT Austin feel like home. The friendships you forge here will likely last a lifetime, that's for sure.

That's why I wanted to share a bit about my first day in Austin. (Feel free to skip this part if you'd like!)

DISCLAIMER: I lived with two awesome seniors, Krish Bhai and Rudra Bhai, who recently graduated. Having them move out is a real heartbreak for me.

Now, on to my first day! I arrived in Austin and headed straight to Duval (an apartment building in North Campus). Shatayu Bhai (LinkedIn) was there to greet me – I still remember that scene vividly, and every time I go to Duval now, it feels nostalgic. We went to his place, and guess what? Being the amazing host he is, he had already made daal rice for me (by the way, his daal rice is legendary here). Needless to say, I devoured it.

Just then, Atharva Bhai (LinkedIn) entered the house, speaking in Marathi. We exchanged a firm handshake, and he told me to get ready because we had to collect my EID card (apparently, that's priority number one after arriving at UT Austin!). He took me on a bike ride, giving me a glimpse of the beautiful UT Austin campus. We reached the Flawn Academic Center (FAC) building, where I went in and got my EID card.

Afterwards, I met some more amazing seniors: Pankti Didi (LinkedIn), Samarth Bhai (LinkedIn), and Ayushi Didi (LinkedIn). We bonded really well on that first day – they were all so welcoming and kind, and I felt instantly comfortable. We then headed to Jester's (the on-campus dining hall) where my flatmates were working. That's where I finally met Rudra Bhai (my flatmate)(LinkedIn) – a big hug, a warm hello, and a firm handshake. We had never spoken before I came to the US, but it felt like we'd known each other for years. We sat there waiting for my other roommate, Krish Bhai (LinkedIn). He showed up with samosas for everyone, and he'd asked them all to take care of me since he couldn't be there to welcome me or help with the EID card. They truly are more like brothers than roommates to me.

That evening, all the seniors came over to Shatayu Bhai's place for a get-together. I met everyone there: Bhaiyaa (Maityreya Bhaiya)(LinkedIn), Ishita Didi (LinkedIn), Ananya Didi (LinkedIn), Vimoli Didi (LinkedIn), and even Swaraj Bhai (LinkedIn) over video call from India. I'm mentioning everyone because they're all so special to me – they're more than just seniors. We even went on a trip to Corpus Christi together.

Our Trip to Corpus Christi

Our Trip to Corpus Christi

From the very beginning, I felt like I had a family here in Austin. I never felt homesick, and I adjusted incredibly well thanks to them. We celebrated every festival and birthday together – we were, and still are, a close-knit group. Now that they're graduating, life definitely won't be the same. But that's the cycle of college, and it's our turn to step up and be good seniors to the incoming students.

One thing my seniors constantly emphasized was the importance of being a good senior myself. I promise to do my absolute best, and I know all the other current seniors feel the same way. We'll all be here to support you in any way we can. We've learned so much from our seniors, and that knowledge will be passed on to you.

I know parents worry immensely when their children go abroad, and a million thoughts must be swirling in your heads right now. We all look out for each other because, at the end of the day, we're all far from home and need each other's support. I have no doubt that you too will find your own amazing group of friends who will become like family.

If you still don't believe me, see this…

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This is US in U.S. after 2 semesters of bonding. Now there’s nothing like senior-junior when it comes to functions, trips and all the enjoyment.

My Batchmates in the photo; Ansuhree(LinkedIn), Vibha(LinkedIn), Kevin(LinkedIn), Tanishka(LinkedIn), Vanshita(LinkedIn) & Zeel(LinkedIn). Missing in the photo Chaitra(LinkedIn). Reach out to anyone you feel like.

That's all for now! I'll share more stories when you get here. In the meantime, keep enjoying the resources available to you. I'm here to make this place a one-stop shop for everything you'll need at UT Austin.

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