For 23 years of my life, I lived in a city where everyone knows everyone, traffic lights are fully avoidable, and Blinkit doesn’t exist. So, for the longest time, I thought of shifting to a big city like we all do. And when I finally did, life changed as it was supposed to but was it as romantic as I imagined it to be? Hell no! But I have learnt so many simple life lessons, some hilarious, some downright existential but all of them eye-opening.

No one has the time to chit-chat

If you live in a small town, you know what I mean. Even a short grocery trip guarantees at least a 5-minute conversation with some neighbour. And while I hated that back home, I kinda miss it here. Nobody here really cares where you’re going, if you look sad or if you’re just killing it in your career. No one stops to ask you how’s everybody at home. And that stings when, at the end of the day, you come home to not only empty walls but also to silent lifts and parking lots.

Public transport is the real Khatron Ke Khiladi

No gym exercise will make you as flexible as squeezing into a metro during peak hours. If you want to build resilience, I suggest you ditch the cab and board a metro. I thought metros were fun and cute until I started taking one every day to work. City me has accepted that personal space is a myth and that if you don’t fight for your seat, someone else will.

Google Maps is your superpower

Back home, directions were simple. Take a left at that big hotel and then ask anybody where this person lives, and voila, you’ve arrived. But in this city, there are too many big hotels and nobody knows me. Here, there are an overwhelming number of lefts and rights, and flyovers that look exactly the same. Without Google Maps, I’d probably still be trying to find my way back home from my first day at work.

Pigeons own this place

In my city, pigeons were side characters who appeared only occasionally. But the big city? This place is owned by pigeons. Cooing aggressively and strutting into my room through the balcony as if they pay the rent. I think it’s safe to say – this is the city of pigeons and I’m just renting space in it.

Convenience and bank balance don’t go together

Coming from a city that doesn’t know what Blinkit is, getting snacks delivered at midnight was a source of happiness. But then I realised this convenience meant my bank balance was constantly on life support. Though it has made my life easy, it has also made my lazy ass lazier and my always-hungry-for-snacks taste buds hungrier.

Quick visits are a myth

A quick visit to my friend’s house on my way back from tuition? Yes, that was a reality that seems like a distant dream in this city. Nothing like a quick visit exists here because everything is at least 15 km away. Want to visit two people on the same day? Forget about it because they live two hours away from each other. I can take a trip across my hometown in less than two hours (crying silently).

Opportunities are everywhere

In a big city, possibilities are endless – better jobs, bigger dreams, new friendships. But the competition is real. No one’s going to hand you an opportunity; you have to hustle for it. The city can be exhausting, but it also pushes you to be your best.

You can wear anything

Back home, stepping out in ripped jeans could spark a family discussion. Here, people walk around in pyjamas, neon suits, or even a mix of both, and no one bats an eye. There’s freedom in knowing that you’re not the centre of attention because everyone’s too busy living their own life.

There are people everywhere

No matter where you go, it’s crowded. There’s no place where you can just sit and be. If you ever need company, just step outside. But if you need solitude? Well, good luck with that.

The chaos, the crowd – I have accepted it now but I miss the slow life small towns offer. The slow mornings, the comfort and the privilege of staying oblivious to bougie things.

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