If you are reading this then chances are you are embarking on your first overseas journey. Congratulations, you are about to have a life-changing adventure. To give you a bit of a head start on hijinks that might ensue, we have compiled a list of things that all first time travelers inevitably go through.

Start with some homesickness, and make your way to lovesickness… and everything in between! Bon voyage!

Start with the fighting!

No we are not talking about your video game fight pep talk; you will inevitably start having fights with your travel buddy be it your best friend, your partner or just family. That is because you will be spending all the waking hours together and that will eventually make you get sick of each other. Learning about each other quirks and habits can be a double edged sword. Do not be surprised if you feel such amount of abhorrence for each other that you will end up wondering why even you decided to travel with each other in the first place. Get as much of college student online discounts as possible to save a few fights over money.

What’s the solution?

Starve off from making any kind of rash decisions. Do not act on ideas like ditching them to travel alone for the rest of the road. These are people you absolutely adored before you got on a plane together, and now a different side of theirs is just apparent to you. So, do not act out of impulse, take a breather or if so a few hours apart from each other and you will get over this. Chances are they are feeling the same way about you as well.

Moments when you “want your mommy”!

If this is the first time you chose to travel alone without your family then be prepared to miss them. Like a lot! Now, we know what you are thinking, “No way that will happen, I booked this trip to get away from them, I want to find my independence”. And you will do so. But in between loud hostels and exhausting day trips you will learn to grow a deeper appreciation for your own bed and the warm embrace of your family.

What’s the solution?

Feeling homesick is normal, but no need to bump up on the return tickets. Just remember to stay in touch as much as you can and remember this is just one trip for a few days, you will not be gone forever.

Getting lost!

Okay you have gone through every map of the area and have all the apps for getting around that came recommended from Lonely Planet, but you will end up getting lost! It is something unavoidable. But treat this as your stepping stone to the vagabond life!

What’s the solution?

The key is to maintain calm and not panic. In fact try and enjoy it. This is one of the best ways to get a feel for the place. Be prepared for this moment, learn basic directional vocab of the place and find yourself around! Also once you are there find out places that offer discounts with student ID.

Sprint discounts for students makes backpacking easier for kids in college, which is the best time to travel, explore and learn from experience!

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You may have touted yourself to be the loner type. When your friends complain about their partners you roll your eyes around for several minutes and sigh, then comes your most taunting “I am a free bird and I can do whatever I want” speech. A speech that secretly kills you a little inside, yet you put up a brave front. I am the lone wolf with a prowl of pride, yet I am unhappy and sad inside.

It is ironical that sadness is always met with anger from others. People attack you when you are the most vulnerable. And getting attached to someone means that you are so sensitive to everything about them that even a slight change in their tone makes you churn the thoughts about what you might have done wrong.

But there is a reason you took to the path of solitude, someone left you scarred and now going through the same things is giving you the uneasy jerk of PTSD! But think of it in this way – if you could love the wrong one so much, imagine how much you can love the one that’s right.

So, put your best foot forward and ask out your crush on a date, Kolkata is India’s Paris for those with the right eye.

Here are the most amazing date-worthy places in Kolkata:

Take her out for some coffee:

The best way to get to know people is to have an interesting conversation over a cup of smoking hot coffee. Accompany it with some freshly baked cookies and you have two perfect pairs in the setting! 

Tip for first date: pick the perfect outfit that makes him/her go ‘Wow’ when they lay their eyes on you, but also it should not seem like you are trying too hard. Keep 30 minutes for getting yourself ready so, that you do not need to rush, but also not make your date wait. 

A good place to have coffee in Kolkata is at the Caafe 360 degree. They serve good quality cuppa and also an assortment of lounge menu. To make the most out of this special day we recommend getting a YUP Card subscription. A YUP Card is only available to college students in Kolkata and offers amazing student offers on restaurants.

Make Ice Cream better:

If you and your date both enjoy a sweet tooth, then the place to take her out on a date is at Mama Mia. Also associated with YUP Card one can enjoy exclusive studentoffers on Mama Mia.

 

Tip for those going on a first date: while your instinct might compel you to ask several questions but, do you really want you date to appear like a college or job interview? All you need to do is to make the conversation going. You could even try making funny observations like – “Don’t you feel awkward when you make accidental eye-contact with people who have stopped next to you at a Red light”.

Show her your adventurous side with a themed restaurant date:

The best way to connect with people and have real chemistry; is to be your own weird self. So, if you think roller-coaster rides and arcade games are the best places to date or a quiet walk by the old cemetery is romantic! Then so be it. 

You could further mix it up with a themed-restaurant lunch or dinner date at Jaisalmer, this is a north Indian restaurant with amazing ambience and a la carte and buffet menu worth salivating for hours! With a YUP Card subscription you can get student discount at Jaisalmer of up to 10% off on the total billing amount. 

Here were a few from the long list of date-worthy spots in the City of Joy! For more such articles and news on best deals for students stay tuned to the updates from YUP Card.

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Have you recently joined college or university and are living by yourself? Then apart from the overwhelming feeling of independence will be accompanied by the lackadaisical attitude towards the kitchen or cooking in general. And if a traumatizing firecracker incident has also left you scared of flames, then reaching out for the takeaway menu will seem like the better option for you.

But if ulcer or jaundice does not entice your appetite or simply the costs of ordering in everyday are bringing your budget down, then hold fast and trust in us when we say that you can do it. Cooking is an essential life skill which must be mustered by all earthlings irrespective of age and sex. So, why not start now so that your liver can breathe some relief.

Here in this article we have enlisted the kitchen cupboard basics that must be stocked by you; so, that you always have a full stomach and tasty dishes up your sleeves.

The good old black and white duo – salt and pepper

The most common of spices that a chef simply can’t do without which are be used to spice all foods to turn them grand from bland. Did you buy those tasteless chips from the takeaway restaurant again while walking back home after having a few extra drinks? Now the next thing on the list will only be to bin them. After all the after taste of a hurl does not go well with salt-devoid, bland chips, so spice it up with some salt and pepper to get some taste to it. Spice things up with a good sprinkling of old salt n pep.

Grow up and get some red – chili powder will help to give you that extra kick

An old time favorite of all cooks, the taste of a little chili goes a long way. And it will be especially helpful for you if you catch a bug to help with that runny nose. Spice up those potato wedges for the late night movie-time snacking, chili powder can also turn basic pasta sauce into a fiery feast. Use it to spice up the warm soup nice and hot during cold winter nights to feel warmer. Also to save the faint hearted souls thankfully it comes in varying degrees.

Cart those pasta packets at the grocer’s to keep you from sleeping hungry

For deadbeat poets, writers and artists and college students, pasta is your best friend. One can cook it easily in a short time adding different types of things to it. Moreover, it is not only filling but also cheap.

The simplest snack you can make is pasta with some grated cheese to finish it off and you are good to go for the night. Also this tastes much better than the pot noodle you heat up on lazy nights.

Sweeten the deal with some – sugar

Keep things sweet with some sugar. Your neighbor may not be the friendliest one, especially during your hot-mess college days. So, if you do not want to be that annoying character from old sitcoms, keep stock of the good old white crystals (no pun intended) as it is needed in all types of recipes and also helps to swallow the medicine easily. Imagine days when you don’t get pancakes or your morning coffee without sugar! Doomsday Shoomsday, sweet tooth knows no race!


Now find amazing stores with student discounts with a card that gives unlimited swipes. Register for your YUP card now.

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Let’s face it it’s not the small budget, lack of time, or the small dorm room that is preventing you from doing that pile of clothes that is growing like a gargantuan black hole threatening to consume the whole dorm room. It is sheer laziness that is keeping you from washing your dirty laundry which you probably last washed when you were leaving home. And that bed-sheet yes, it was favorite baby pink or aqua which now looks like the shroud of Turin. It may just be the time to address the whole laundry situation in your room to make some space for yourself. And if you want to go the smarter way and you live in Kolkata, then the city of joy can save your happiness with Launderette. The deal can be further sweetened if you have a YUP card subscription to bag amazing discounts on laundry services by these magic washers like Launderette.

For others, this crash course on doing your own laundry will help you assert some much needed independence and also reassure you that you are going to be fine on your own.  Here is our crash course on cleaner laundry for freshman in college:

1.    Get your hands on those laundry supplies:

Things you should get: detergent, dryer sheets, a laundry bag or basket

Extra smart tip: now that you have waited months to get your laundry and you cannot carry a big box of detergent along with your mountainous heap of dirty clothes, then we recommend a smart strategy to pour some of the detergent into a water bottle. They are much lighter with greater portability for easy usage.

Also a good tip is to get a sturdy laundry basket which is divided into two sections for clothes and cleaning products in the two different chambers. You may also separate light and dark clothes in advance before you step into the laundry room which will become your panic room if you do not prepare in advance.

2.    Separating the laundry:

There are multiple ways one can do this, but basically the categories all come down to 4 basics. You need to separate – whites or light colored clothes, the dark ones, the delicate clothes that will require extra care (these are not based on your personal favorites) and the towels/bedding/jeans.

But things are not always this cut and dry and you may need to think smartly about separating laundry when in a hurry. For instance grey clothing can be easily washed with a white or a black one. You may also choose to throw in a bed sheet or a towel with dark clothing depending on the color of the material.

Note that you must never put in a newly bought red or purple laundry with a white one. In fact it may a good idea to wash it separately once or twice before you decide to wash it with other fellow clothing.

3.    Stay off the rush and choose the right time to spend with your dear laundry

Are you an early bird? Or a night owl? Then use this time to do your laundry when the rest of the college students are busy taking a snooze. That way you will be able to get it done as fast as possible, also some colleges and Laundromats only offer limited time access to college students, so timing your visit to the washers may be a necessity. 

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