Ross, Monica, Rachel, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey had Central Perk; Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robin and Barney have Mac Laren's but youngsters in Hyderabad are not so lucky when it comes to finding an ideal hangout which is also pocket-friendly. While cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata boast of places where students can hang out and discuss their hobbies with likeminded people, students here would have to shell out at least Rs. 100 to spend time at a decent hangout.
“Sometimes we just order a single dish and share it among five of us because, even for a cup of cappuccino you need at least Rs. 60 and we don't have that much of money all the time,” says P. Rebecca, a biotechnology student. Also there have been times when the proprietors of some of the busy cafes have asked them to move out when they were seen sitting for a long time without ordering anything.
The area around Hussain Sagar offers a great place to relax and chat, but it has its own hitches. “If you are hanging out with a bunch of girls, we always get irritated with the wrong kind of attention,” says Pooja Soni, a commerce student. “Once a man followed us in his car all the way from People's Plaza to Somajiguda trying to strike up a conversation. We had to go inside a restaurant and wait for him to leave,” she elaborates.
Though places like Lamakaan have thrown their doors open for youngsters to explore their creative side without worrying about money, for some people it has also become a dating ground. “I don't mind meeting new people but I like my privacy. If you are seen sitting alone and minding your business, someone is bound to come up and ask whether I am interested in a cup of coffee or if I would like to go out for a drink later,” says Shruti Agarwal, a management student. She says girls have a hard time sitting alone in any café or restaurant without attracting unnecessary attention.
But if there is an adventurer in you, then venturing to the outskirts of the city is a wonderful idea, feels engineering student Hari Haran. “All you need is a bike to ride to the city limits and there are numerous dhabas and trekking opportunities to have a good time,” he says.
