An Independent Life

December 8, 2025

Growing up in Nagpur was more than just living in a city. It was living inside a comfort zone stitched together by familiar streets, favorite food joints, and people who felt like home. I always knew where to go when I wanted my favorite snack, which corner shop had the best chai, and whose door I could knock on without calling first. My best friend lived close by, and our lives were filled with small, effortless moments. laughing over silly things, sharing food, walking the same streets again and again.

Home was the safest place of all. Meals appeared like magic, the air carried the sound of familiar voices, and even silence at home never felt lonely. I never really had to think about how much this comfort shaped me until the day I decided to leave it behind.

When the chance to move to Pune for my studies came, my friends tried to change my mind. Why go? Everything is already here! they said. A part of me wanted to listen, to stay where everything was known and easy. But another part. the braver, quieter one told me this was my chance to grow.

The day I finally moved to Pune was a mix of excitement and nervousness. Packing my bags, saying goodbye, and stepping into a new city all felt strange but also fresh. The roads looked unfamiliar, my new room felt empty, and it took me a while to believe that this was where I would now live. I wasn’t sure how things would turn out, but I knew I had taken the first step.

The first few days were the hardest. I missed home food so much it almost changed how everything tasted. I missed my best friend’s random messages, our evening walks, and the comfort of having someone who understood me without words. Calls became my routine morning, evening, sometimes both just to feel connected.

But life has its way of surprising you. Slowly, little things started changing. I found a corner café where the chai felt close to home. I met people who turned into small pieces of comfort. I started creating tiny routines a walk to clear my mind, a late-night chat with my roommate, a quiet moment to remind myself why I came here. One day, my roommate looked at me and said, I didn’t even realize how fast you settled here! I laughed, because only I knew the storm inside me in those first few weeks.

Living independently isn’t just about staying away from home it’s about learning who you are when no one is watching, how strong you can be when fear whispers you can’t, and how to carry your old life in your heart while building a new one. I still miss Nagpur my best friend, the food, the warmth but now I miss it with gratitude, not fear. Because this journey has just begun, and I’m ready to live it one brave day at a time.

Zainab Khandwawala

Writing the chapters of my journey that only courage can finish.

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