Indore (Madhya Pradesh): By the time the last bus is due, Indore's busy roads begin to empty out. The food stalls start shutting down, shopkeepers pull down their shutters and the crowd that felt reassuring just an hour ago slowly disappears.
For many girl students, waiting for the last bus home isn't a quirky college memory. It's an exercise in vigilance.
1. Memorising "Safe" Spots at the Bus Stop
Memorising "Safe" Spots at the Bus Stop | AI Generated
"I never stand at the edge of the bus stop or near the rear section of the bus," says Ananya, 20, a college student from Atal Bihari Vajpayee. she usually takes the ibus to go back home. "I stand close to girls or older women. You automatically calculate where you'll be safest if something feels wrong. though it gets crowded but still it feels much safer instead of being alone in a bus with men."
What appears to be an ordinary wait often involves constant risk assessment.
2. Pretending to Be on a Call
"Half the time, I'm not even talking to anyone," admits Priya, 19. "I'll put my phone to my ear and say loudly, 'Haan, I'm almost there.' It's become a habit because I don't want anyone to think I'm alone."
It's a strategy many girls say they learned from one another, not from any formal safety lesson.
3. The Fear That Starts When the Crowd Thins
"You can actually feel the anxiety rise," says Mansi, 21. "At 7 pm, there are students everywhere. By 9 pm, there are just a few people left and every passing stare feels heavier."
The same bus stop can feel entirely different after dark.
4. Sharing Live Locations Without Thinking Twice
"My mother tracks my journey from college to home," says Ritika, 18. "I share my live location before I even leave campus. If I forget, she calls immediately."
For families, technology has become reassurance. For students, it has become routine.
5. Carrying Courage Alongside Books
"People say, 'Why stay out so late?'" says Sana, 22, who attends evening coaching after college. "But education doesn't end before sunset. We have classes, internships and dreams too. We shouldn't have to choose between opportunity and safety."
The conversation around public transport often focuses on routes and timings. But for many girl students in Indore, safety determines everything—what classes they attend, whether they take internships far from home, and how freely they move through their own city.
The last bus home is not just a ride back. It is the moment when young women negotiate fear, independence and ambition all at once—hoping that one day, getting an education won't require carrying an exit plan in their heads.
