Could Hostel Life BE Any More Like Friends?
Times of Bennett | Updated: Sep 19, 2025 18:25
Correspondent: Megha Lahiri
If you’ve ever lived in a hostel, you
already know it’s less of a residence and more of a sitcom waiting to happen.
The chaos, the quirks, and the characters are all there. All it takes is a pop
culture perspective, and really, what better one thanFriends ? The iconic show
that gave usChandler ’s sarcasm, Joey’s charm, and Central Perk ’s orange couch
has uncanny similarities to hostel life. Here’s your guide to understanding the
hostel universe: One Friends character at a time.
1. The Joey
of the Hostel “Joey Doesn’t Share Food!"
Every hostel
has that one person who raids your snacks at 2 AM. You’ll find them sneaking
into your room, mysteriously appearing when you open a packet of chips, or
casually asking, “Bas ek bite?” Spoiler: it’s never just one bite. Much like
Joey, their charm somehow makes you forgive them every single time.
2. TheMonica
“The One Who Keeps Everything Clean”
Hostel life
thrives on mess, but not if a Monica is around. This is the neat freak who
freaks out if someone leaves chai cups unwashed or piles laundry in the corner.
They’ll reorganize your cupboard if you let them, and they’re the reason your
hostel room doesn’t end up on an episode of Crime Patrol.
3. The
Chandler “Sarcasm is a Coping Mechanism”
Deadlines?
Group assignments? Surprise vivas? Enter the Chandler of the hostel, the master
of sarcasm. They roast everyone in the group chat and make you laugh even as
you spiral into existential dread. For them, every tragedy is material for a
punchline.
4. The Rachel
“The Glam One”
The campus
may not be Paris Fashion Week, but the Rachel of the group walks in like it is.
Perfect eyeliner at 9 AM, coordinated outfits for lectures, and a curated
Instagram feed. This person is proof that glamour can survive even with laundry
drying on the balcony.
5. TheRoss
“The Perpetual Nerd”
Every hostel
has a Ross who obsesses over grades, CGPA, and classroom projectors. They’re
the ones you call at midnight to “quickly explain one chapter” but end up with
a three-hour lecture. While you complain about deadlines, Ross already has the
assignment printed, spiral bound, and color-coded.
6. The Phoebe
“The Quirky One”
No hostel
experience is complete without a Phoebe. This is the free-spirited one who
strums a guitar in the common room at midnight, writes cryptic poetry on the
notice board, or randomly adopts a stray cat. They may seem eccentric, but
they’re the heart of the hostel’s chaos.
7. Central
Perk "The Mess"
Finally, the
soul of the hostel is the mess. Much like Central Perk, it’s the place where
everyone gathers, no matter how questionable the food is. It’s where
friendships form, gossip spreads, and life feels just a little easier with your
friends.
In the end,
hostel life is nothing short of a Friends episode. It's just hilarious and
memorable. You may complain about bad food, noisy corridors, or missing snacks,
but years later, these very moments become the stories you’ll laugh about the
most. After all, hostel life feels like a Friends episode where you find
family.
This column
is written by Megha a second year BAMC student, who has the uncanny talent of
finding a ‘Friends’ episode for every hostel drama.
If you’ve ever lived in a hostel, you
already know it’s less of a residence and more of a sitcom waiting to happen.
The chaos, the quirks, and the characters are all there. All it takes is a pop
culture perspective, and really, what better one than
that gave us
has uncanny similarities to hostel life. Here’s your guide to understanding the
hostel universe: One Friends character at a time.
1. The Joey
of the Hostel “Joey Doesn’t Share Food!"
Every hostel
has that one person who raids your snacks at 2 AM. You’ll find them sneaking
into your room, mysteriously appearing when you open a packet of chips, or
casually asking, “Bas ek bite?” Spoiler: it’s never just one bite. Much like
Joey, their charm somehow makes you forgive them every single time.
2. The
“The One Who Keeps Everything Clean”
Hostel life
thrives on mess, but not if a Monica is around. This is the neat freak who
freaks out if someone leaves chai cups unwashed or piles laundry in the corner.
They’ll reorganize your cupboard if you let them, and they’re the reason your
hostel room doesn’t end up on an episode of Crime Patrol.
3. The
Chandler “Sarcasm is a Coping Mechanism”
Deadlines?
Group assignments? Surprise vivas? Enter the Chandler of the hostel, the master
of sarcasm. They roast everyone in the group chat and make you laugh even as
you spiral into existential dread. For them, every tragedy is material for a
punchline.
4. The Rachel
“The Glam One”
The campus
may not be Paris Fashion Week, but the Rachel of the group walks in like it is.
Perfect eyeliner at 9 AM, coordinated outfits for lectures, and a curated
Instagram feed. This person is proof that glamour can survive even with laundry
drying on the balcony.
5. The
“The Perpetual Nerd”
Every hostel
has a Ross who obsesses over grades, CGPA, and classroom projectors. They’re
the ones you call at midnight to “quickly explain one chapter” but end up with
a three-hour lecture. While you complain about deadlines, Ross already has the
assignment printed, spiral bound, and color-coded.
6. The Phoebe
“The Quirky One”
No hostel
experience is complete without a Phoebe. This is the free-spirited one who
strums a guitar in the common room at midnight, writes cryptic poetry on the
notice board, or randomly adopts a stray cat. They may seem eccentric, but
they’re the heart of the hostel’s chaos.
7. Central
Perk "The Mess"
Finally, the
soul of the hostel is the mess. Much like Central Perk, it’s the place where
everyone gathers, no matter how questionable the food is. It’s where
friendships form, gossip spreads, and life feels just a little easier with your
friends.
In the end,
hostel life is nothing short of a Friends episode. It's just hilarious and
memorable. You may complain about bad food, noisy corridors, or missing snacks,
but years later, these very moments become the stories you’ll laugh about the
most. After all, hostel life feels like a Friends episode where you find
family.
This column
is written by Megha a second year BAMC student, who has the uncanny talent of
finding a ‘Friends’ episode for every hostel drama.
