My first 24 hours as a Tribe luxury student accommodation hostelier
Moving away from home can be rough, but not when you’re moving to the Tribe (Viman Nagar) Pune hostel.
“Passengers for flight UK997 to Pune please go to gate 26”
The uncannily flat tone of the announcer fades out in the background as passengers rush to make way. I had never felt this kind of uncertainty before, there was always somebody to travel with, somebody who could show me the way. And yet, here I was. Traveling alone for the very first time, relocating to a city that I had never even stepped foot into before. The PA system chimes its familiar tune yet again, and as soon as it does, the phone in my pocket rings.
“Ramith, you forgot to pack the pillow covers” Yet another essential I forgot.
“Nevermind maa, I’ll buy some there” Yet another task added to the list.
When I had gotten into MIT World Peace University two months prior in May 2019, there were celebrations galore. But one question remained propped on everybody’s mind- where was I going to stay? Hailing from North India, I had always had extremely low tolerance for heat. So when I saw the temperature charts of Pune on Google, I knew that I couldn’t do without air conditioning if I were to have a comfortable stay. But no matter how much I searched and how good the other hostels were, most of them, unfortunately, did not have ACs.. And that’s when a friend of mine, a previous resident of Tribe luxury student accommodation forwarded me its website link. Little did I know back then that this tiny domain name of www.tribestays.com would become my forever home.
Stepping into the campus
Although I had seen the campus numerous times through video tours, stepping into it for the first time was a complete game-changer. You see, the speciality of Tribe Viman Nagar is not just its cobbled pathways or sunlit rooms, it’s how one feels while in the company of fellow residents. The joyous smile of the security uncle, the reassuring handshake of the CRM, and the chef who reheated my food without me even having to ask, everything made me feel like I was right at home. My room was spacious yet cozy; a 32-inch LED TV, a pristine bathroom and motion-sensor lights greeted me. And to my pleasant surprise, unlike other Pune hostels that provide you with just the skeleton of a mattress and nothing else, Tribe welcomed me with a well-made bed, complete with linens, cushions, and even pillow covers!
Outside the room
After I unpacked and put my things away, I thought of exploring the campus. I was feeling a little hungry too and decided to get something to eat from our in-house Cafe Mamaliga. But I wasn’t exactly feeling like going on my own, and it would be way too awkward to knock on somebody’s door and ask them as they had also just arrived after long travels. Disappointed, I decided to head down. And that’s when it caught my eye- a bunch of newbies huddled together, chatting and exchanging numbers in the breakout area! To this day, I look back at this moment with great fondness, for the friends I made in that space dedicated for socializing, have grown to be my best mates in Pune.
Exploring the Tribe Vibe
Unaware of the technological advancements of Tribe, I went to the reception next to ask for my key. They handed me a turquoise band and told me I could use it to access both the campus and my room. I had known of hotel cards but had never come across something like this. The idea of incorporating the key card into a band for easy access seemed ingenious to me. But I wouldn’t know just how useful this RFID band would be till later that night.
