There are a number of things one needs to carry to their hostels as a fresher irrespective of whichever IIT they belong to. Some of the most important things are

• All official documents along with the admission letter. Bring extra photographs.
• Every type of clothing like pants, shirts, undergarments, socks, towels, shorts, handkerchiefs, and a cap
• Other basic necessities like mirror, comb, oil, cream, deo, etc.
• Footwear like shoes and slippers
• Electrical extension board 
• Laptop
• Sports equipment 
• Water boiler if allowed and basic utensils like plates and spoons 
• Blanket 
• Medicines and snacks like dry fruits.

Make sure to pack all the necessary things as you will be at a new place all alone so the least you can do is come prepared.

There is no fixed ‘best option’ and it ultimately depends on your inclinations and career goals. 

You can consider 2 things here

1. If you want a happening college life and are ready to sacrifice on the branch, go for the top 3 IITs, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, or IIT Madras. 
2. If you are certain of a career in the IT sector and also want a decent college life, go for newer IITs like IIT BHU, IIT Indore, IIT Mandi, etc.

Among the newer IITs, your first preference should be IIT BHU CSE followed by IIT Indore and other tier-2 IITs. IIT BHU has a very extensive alumni pool and is well-established in comparison to other IITs.

My friend was taken aback when she had no other option than IIT Indore CSE. She realized that her career had ended even before starting and then she decided to give it a chance. The first night at the hostel itself convinced her otherwise. The intelligence and talents of her roommates amazed her and her doubts regarding the quality of students here washed away. She was happy that she hadn’t gone for a less preferred branch at an older IIT instead. She was proud of making contributions among a smaller batch rather than remaining unidentified among a flock of geniuses. 

Today she is proud of her decision and her love for IIT Indore has grown ten folds. Her batchmates are successful and have proved the institute's credibility. Some of them have topped GATE, while some have offers from CMU, Georgia Tech, and UIUC. Some of them even managed to get an entry in IIMs while some are working at blue-chip software companies. 

My friend concluded that studying at IIT Indore was nothing short of a miracle considering the excellent opportunities and exposure she got.

Well, IIT Indore might be worth it for some and not for others as this is a very subjective matter. However, Let’s break down the answer to important points and then you yourself can conclude if it's worth it or not.

• Location: Give up on the idea of living in Indore city because IIT Indore is located on the outskirts of a village called Simrol.
• Strictness: IIT Indore has illogical rules and regulations that affect the freedom of their college life. You will be fined for every big or small thing. 
• Food: The mess charges are high almost INR 150/- per day. The cafeteria also serves good quality food. 
• Placement: The placements of only the CSE and EE branches are decent and other branches still have to go a long way and attract better packages and companies.
• Hostels: The hostel facilities are no doubt excellent here with single occupancy rooms and all modern facilities.

Overall, I don't think IIT Indore is worth the hype it has been receiving and most students flock there because of its great hostel facilities which is quite an illogical reason. 

Being established recently, IIT Indore has modern infrastructure and facilities in comparison to older IITs. The hostel facilities are indeed one of the best in the country, almost a 5-star luxury.

• The hostel building comprises 5 floors with 20 5-bedroom flats on each floor. Every flat is equally spacious and has 5 students, one in each room.
• Every room has a window and every flat has a balcony and a common living room.
• There are 2 bathrooms and 2 washrooms per flat, along with a small kitchen with a 47-liter refrigerator.
• Every room has a single bed, a full-sized almirah, and a study table. 
• The hostel has both LAN and Wifi facilities. 
• The mess hall is on the ground floor providing a decent dining facility.
• The hostel has 2 medical rooms and 1 recreational room which has facilities like gym equipment, a TT table, and a foosball table.
• The hostel has excellent connectivity to the main campus as there is an electric car service after every 20 minutes.

IIT Indore has one of the best hostel facilities you can find in the country and the hostel building is like a budding family.