Struggling as an NRI Student in VIT: Need Advice

Hi everyone, I’m a second-semester student at VIT, here under the NRI quota. I’d like to share a bit about my situation and get some advice because I’m really struggling to enjoy my time here.

To give some context, I studied overseas in a non-Indian school and never followed the Indian education system. I also didn’t prepare for JEE like most students here. As a result, I lack the in-depth knowledge that many of my peers seem to have in almost every subject. Even basic topics sometimes feel overwhelming. To keep up with the syllabus, I have to study all day, which is exhausting. The only subject where I feel comfortable is coding—especially Python.

On top of that, I’ve never really stayed in India before, so I don’t know how to socialize or connect with people here. I do try, but I often end up feeling alone. My hostel roommates make fun of me a lot, and I don’t know how to respond, which just makes me want to cry sometimes. The homesickness is unbearable—it was bad in the first semester, and it hasn’t gone away at all.

To make things worse, I see others putting in half the effort I do but getting much better marks. They socialize easily, form groups, and seem to be thriving. This has left me with a growing inferiority complex. A lot of people have also told me that coming to VIT was a mistake and that I’ll regret it, which only makes me feel more demotivated.

I’m really lost. How do I deal with this? How can I manage my studies, socialize better, and stop feeling so homesick and out of place? Any advice would mean a lot to me.

Thank you for reading.