Hi Jasmine,

Congratulations for choosing to study in Pune! I have been working in Pune since 3 years, and here are few points for you to consider which come to mind:

• Find a place to stay near to your place of study, ideally which is at a walkable distance.
• Consider getting a bike or a care. Bike is the best way to commute in Pune. A decent used scooter (like Activa, Dio, Pleasure, etc) should cost you around Rs.25,000, AFAIK. Public transport is available, but I wouldn't recommend it to you. It's very crowded at peak hours.
• There are lots of interesting destinations around Pune like Sinhagad Fort, Khadakwasla Dam, Lonavla (hill station), Tamhini Ghat (drive/ride through remote hills), and a few more. These are all good destinations for a one day trip with friends.

Hi Jasmine, Pune is a city near Mumbai, there are lots of students from many parts of the world is already here for studies.

It's a friendly city, so you don't have to worry about anything.

Get associated with the conservative parts of Pune city as much as you can. The western part of the city is mostly conservative. If you stay in this area, I think, it is much better from the point of cost, safety, cultural richness and convenience. 

The reason why I suggest conservative locations in Pune is that Pune has a lot of floating population which stays in the outskirts. I have nothing against the migrant population, but, staying in the outskirts is almost not staying in Pune (I am sorry if I sound too proud here). Pune city is extremely rich in culture and history. You will miss out on these things if you stay in the outskirts.

Feel free to connect with me on facebook at www.facebook.com/shrijoshi.prof. I would be happy to help you.

Hello! Is your accommodation finalized? If not, there are some good hostels around. Also, you can rent an apartment pretty cheap. Make sure your accommodation is close to your college as the traffic can get really crazy. 

Is there any specific thing you would like to know?

Pune has a big student population from different parts of the world and you will love this city! Areas like Koregaon Park, Kalyani Nagar are especially popular with foreigners and are centrally located.

Make sure you invest in a car or bike because the public transport is not reliable at all. There are plenty of second hand cars and bikes so don't worry about shelling out too much. 

start loving spicy food