Every year, thousands of girls move to Delhi for college — from smaller towns, from other states, sometimes from other countries. For many, a girls PG in Delhi is the first place they'll live without their family. It's exciting, slightly terrifying, and nothing like the photos on Instagram suggest.
This guide is for you if you're about to make that move — or if you're one month in and wondering if what you're experiencing is normal. The short answer: yes, it is.
College students relocating to Delhi from another city or state, living in a girls PG for the first time. Also useful for parents trying to understand what their daughter's daily life will look like.
1. The First Month — Adjustment Is Normal
The first month in a PG is almost universally the hardest. You're adjusting to a new city, a new institution, a new room, new food, new faces and the absence of your family — all simultaneously. Here's what typically happens:
- Week 1: Novelty carries you. Everything is new and interesting. You may be too busy to feel homesick.
- Week 2–3: The adrenaline fades. The food isn't exactly like home. Your room feels small. You miss your bed, your family, even your annoying sibling.
- Week 4: You start finding your rhythm. A coffee place you like. A shortcut to college. A co-resident you connect with.
Homesickness in the first month is not weakness — it's evidence that you had something worth missing. Almost every resident we've spoken to says the first 4–6 weeks were the hardest, and that they look back on that time without regret.
Call home every day if you need to — not just twice a week. Set up your room with one or two things from home (a photo, a cushion, a plant). Introduce yourself to two other residents in your first week. Don't compare your experience to anyone else's social media posts.
2. A Typical Day in a Delhi PG
Once the initial adjustment settles, daily life in a good PG has a natural rhythm. Here's what a typical weekday looks like for most students at Kuriosity Homes:
- 6:30–7:30 AM: Wake up, freshen up, breakfast served. Most students eat together in the common dining area. These morning meals are often where the best conversations happen.
- 8:00–8:30 AM: Head to the metro or catch an auto. The commute to DU or IP University is 30–45 minutes from Kirti Nagar.
- 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch at college — most students pack a tiffin or eat at the canteen.
- 4:00–6:00 PM: Return to the PG. Some go to a café or library first. Evenings are quieter in the first term while everyone is still adjusting.
- 6:00–7:00 PM: Dinner. This is the social hour — the entire PG is typically present, and it's when friendships form most naturally.
- 8:00 PM onwards: Study time. The common study area or individual rooms. Many students study until midnight or later during exam periods.
Your ability to study in the PG affects your entire academic year. Before you confirm a PG, check: is there a quiet common area? Are rooms thick-walled enough for concentration? Does it stay reasonably quiet after 10 PM?
3. The Month-by-Month Arc of Your First Year
4. Managing Money on a Student Budget
One of the biggest surprises for new students is how quickly small expenses add up. Here's a realistic monthly budget breakdown for a student living in a girls PG in West Delhi:
| Expense | Monthly (₹) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PG rent (all-inclusive) | ₹10,000–₹14,000 | Room + meals + WiFi + electricity in one payment |
| Metro / commute | ₹800–₹1,500 | Smart card + occasional auto |
| College canteen / outside food | ₹1,500–₹2,500 | Lunch + occasional chai/snacks |
| Stationery & books | ₹500–₹1,000 | Buy second-hand from seniors to save |
| Personal care & toiletries | ₹500–₹800 | Buy in bulk from Kirti Nagar market |
| Clothing & accessories | ₹500–₹2,000 | Highly variable — Delhi has excellent markets |
| Entertainment & outings | ₹500–₹1,500 | Metros + entry fees + street food |
| Total estimate | ₹14,300–₹23,300 | Choosing an all-inclusive PG saves ~₹5,000–8,000/month |
A PG where meals, WiFi and electricity are included removes three of the biggest variable expenses from your budget. You know exactly what you're spending on accommodation every month — which makes everything else easier to plan around.
5. Making Friends in a PG — It Happens Slower Than You Think
Everyone worries about this. You arrive at the PG and see 15 other girls who all seem to already know each other. They don't — they're just better at hiding the nervousness.
Friendships in a PG form in three main ways:
- Proximity: The girl in the room next to yours. You start with a borrowed phone charger and end up as close friends.
- Mealtimes: Dinner is a shared experience. Sit with someone new once a week. It's easier than initiating conversation in any other context.
- Shared struggle: Exam stress, a difficult warden rule, Delhi's unpredictable power cuts — shared inconvenience is surprisingly bonding.
Don't force it in the first two weeks. Don't compare your progress to the girl who seems to have ten friends already. Real friendships in a PG often form in month two or three — and they're frequently the friendships that last longest.
"I thought I'd never adjust. Six months later, I didn't want to go home for winter break because I'd miss everyone here."— A Kuriosity Homes resident, DU student
6. What to Look For When Choosing a PG as a Student
Not all PGs are suitable for serious study. If you're here for academics, these factors matter beyond just price and location:
- Study area: Is there a common study space? Or are you confined to your room, which may be shared with someone who keeps different hours?
- WiFi quality: Ask specifically about speed and reliability. "We have WiFi" and "we have WiFi that supports 10 people streaming simultaneously" are very different things.
- Meal timing: Do meals align with your college schedule? A PG that serves dinner at 7 PM sharp when you often return at 8 is a problem for five days a week.
- Noise levels: Visit the PG in the evening, not just in the morning. This is when you'll actually be studying.
- Power backup: Delhi has power cuts, especially in summer. A PG with genuine power backup means your study session isn't interrupted at 10 PM.
- Laundry access: Sounds minor until you're doing laundry at midnight before an 8 AM exam because there was a queue all day.
For a detailed comparison of what to verify before signing, read our guide on how to choose a safe PG in Delhi.
7. Looking After Yourself — The Part No One Talks About
Academic success in college is closely tied to how well you look after yourself outside the classroom. Living in a PG removes the family safety net — which means you have to build new habits:
- Sleep: Delhi college life can run late. Set a non-negotiable minimum — 6 hours at least. Poor sleep compounds academic difficulties faster than anything else.
- Eating consistently: All-inclusive meal PGs remove the temptation to skip meals because you're busy or broke. Eat breakfast. It's already included.
- Physical movement: Even a 15-minute walk to the metro twice a day is enough. Delhi has beautiful parks — Lodi Garden, Deer Park, Nehru Park — all reachable for free.
- Calling home: This is not childish. It's one of the most effective ways to maintain emotional stability during a high-pressure academic environment. Call when you need to.
- Knowing when to ask for help: Most colleges have counselling services. Most PG wardens can be confidential sounding boards. Use these resources before problems escalate.
The students who thrive in a Delhi PG are not the ones who find it effortless — they're the ones who kept showing up through the adjustment and built a support system around them. That starts with choosing the right PG environment from the beginning.