#lsesu

It can take a while to adjust to the atmosphere and the funny workings of London life, but once you pick up the quirks, you’ll wonder why you ever tolerated waiting more than 3 minutes for a train, or whether you’ll ever pay less than £3.50 for a coffee again.

Here are a few reasons why living in London is one of the most exciting things you will ever do.

Foodie heaven

You can literally get any kind of food you fancy in London, from the weird to the wonderful. Whether you head to Borough Market for your lunch, posh it up in Chelsea for brunch, or simply want a packet of Monster Munch - London’s got you covered. (Sorry, I was on a rhyming spree there...)

Sound of the Underground London

Whether you’re a devoted vinyl collector, a hardcore rock fan, or simply love going to gigs with your mates, the London music scene has it all. You’re never far from live music in a range of venues, from pubs to Wembley Stadium - or, if you prefer being behind the microphone, London is full of hilarious karaoke bars where you can unleash your inner Beyonce.

Annual pillow fights in Trafalgar Square

Yep, you read that right. This year there was a massive pillow fight in Trafalgar Square on April Fools’ Day (April 1st). You can release all of that stress that summative essay deadlines are giving you, and it makes you feel like you are five years old again - it’s a win-win!

Nearly everything is Instagram-worthy

From getting a photographic shot of the beautiful Lights of Soho to taking a Boomerang of your friend getting a hole in one at Junkyard Golf, London has got your back in getting you over that crucial 11 like mark.

Getting arty

It’s not difficult to get #cultured when you’re surrounded by a host of incredible art galleries, cinemas and museums, and especially when the majority are free or very cheap!

There’s always something to do or see; The Natural History Museum has even persuaded an actual real-life* dinosaur to live there.

*Okay maybe not actual real-life, but it certainly feels like it when you’re standing in front of him…

Boris Bikes

Need we say more?

Green is the new Black

London might be a city, but it is full of beautiful green spaces too. You can have a picnic on Primrose Hill, go for a walk in Hyde Park, or pretend you’re on a different continent at the exotic Kew Gardens. Richmond park even has actual wild deer in it; you’ll completely forget that you’re in the middle of London!

Easy come, easy go

London has extremely good transport connections to thousands of different cities and landmarks around the UK. If you simply need a bit of a break from city life, you can be exploring the beautiful English countryside, walking down the famous Brighton Pier, or watching the sunset on the beach within just one train journey’s time.

If you really want to push the boat out, you can get the Eurostar to Paris, or book a flight from one of London’s 5 airports, and be anywhere you like within hours!

A city of opportunities

Lastly, London is a hugely creative and diverse city; if you want to be inspired, start something new, or find your dream job, this is the city for you.

Like many things, you get out of London what you put in. So get out, do that thing you’ve wanted to do for ages and have a blast!

Somehow, the second year of uni has managed to gain quite a bad reputation for itself. Freshers is over, graduation still seems like a long way away, and it can feel like a bit of an in-between year (although, logically speaking, this is true…)

But actually, second year really isn’t that bad. Yes, it’s a step up from first year, and yes, your grades count for a lot more, but this doesn’t mean you’re going to have the worst time ever. In fact, it might even be the best year yet…

1) You feel a lot less homesick – you’ve settled into your new surroundings and London is now your home.

2) You can feel more confident with getting involved with societies because you won’t feel like the newbie anymore.

3) You’ve probably mastered at least 3 reliable, fool-proof meals that even you can cook without burning the building down (and if you haven’t, you’ve hopefully found someone to live with who has…)

4) Speaking of which, you can actually choose who you live with! Gone are the days of constant frustration that some people are physically unable to wash up a plate…  AND you have your own washing machine, so you don’t have to spend £3 every time you’ve run out of clean socks (Can I get a hallelujah…)

5) You’ve gotten to know your strengths and weaknesses over the last year, and have probably developed interests in different areas too. This means you’ll be better equipped to choose modules you will enjoy/will be good at/will help you in life - depending on your priorities.

6) You know the LSE library etiquette now and could navigate your way round the spiral stairs with your eyes closed (although, this probably isn’t advised…) You also have no shame in sitting absolutely anywhere on the floor when there are no seats about – you’ve mastered the art of working absolutely anywhere now.

7) When people inevitably ask you what you’re doing with the rest of your life, you can tell them that although you have no idea, it doesn’t matter because you have a whole other year left to come up with something.

8) You’re completely prepared for how poor you will be living in London; you and your overdraft have become really good friends, and you know you can always rely on them if you need a hand (that’s what friends are for, right?)

9) You won’t waste time panicking about the small things, such as the fact your library book is overdue, or that you’ve missed a lecture – you now know these are very minor things and pointless to worry about.

10) You won’t have an emotional breakdown if you’re struggling with an essay or topic; you know from last year that you’ll get through it somehow.

11)  You know that failing one assignment isn’t the end of the world, and there’s still plenty of time to learn from your mistakes.

12)  Lastly, if you’re not doing as well as you’d like to be doing, there’s still plenty of time to power ahead and make up for it. Anything is possible with a bit of determination.

Course buddies

Soon enough you will meet people on the same course as you in classes, lectures and seminars. This is a great place to start talking, as you already share a common interest. Get chatting about why you like the subject, how you’re finding the workload, or ask the dreaded question, ‘did you do the reading?’…

Join the club

I know you’ll get told this over and over, but joining societies is an excellent way to meet likeminded people. You’ll be surrounded by people who share similar interests to you, so you are very likely to meet a people you get on well with.

Whether it’s talking about something you’re passionate about, or bonding over trying a new sport, with over 200 clubs and societies at LSE, you’re guaranteed to find something that suits you. And if not, you can start your own!

Put those Facebook stalking skills to the test

If you tend to be a bit shy in person, or want to arrive at LSE with a few contacts, getting in touch with people online can be much easier than face to face. Many courses have their own Facebook groups – get chatting to your future course mates, or even suggest meeting for a coffee in the first week.

You can find the LSE undergrads Facebook group here and postgrads Facebook group here.

Say the magic word

Don’t be afraid to say hi first, you have to put yourself out there sometimes to start a conversation. In my experience, people are welcoming after you break the ice – everyone is in the same boat. If you do come across someone who isn’t particularly welcoming, remember, there’s always someone who will be.

Stay open minded

You might already have an idea of what ‘type’ of friend you look for, but don’t let that limit who you have a conversation with. LSE is a highly international university, with over 160 nationalities represented within its student body (that’s more than in the UN!)

Get ready to meet all kinds of different people; it’s amazing how much you can find in common with someone who’s lived on the other side of the world to you!

However, you do have one thing in common with every single LSE student – you are all LSE students! If you use this common ground as a starting point, you’ll soon learn lots of other interesting things about your peers too, once the conversation gets going. Often getting started is the hardest part.

So here are a few conversation starters you can keep in mind if you ever feel like the conversation is running dry…

1)    What course are you doing?

2)    Are you excited about it/do you enjoy your course?

3)    Why did you choose your course/subject - what do you like about it?

4)    Did you go to the Freshers fair?

5)    Have you joined any societies yet/are you planning to?

6)    What did you do (over Summer) before coming to LSE?

7)    Do you have many 9am lectures this term?

8)    How are you finding the workload far?

9)    Where are living whilst at LSE?

10) Have you settled in where you are living?

11) What’s your favourite thing about London so far?

12) Have you had a chance to explore other parts of London yet?

Obviously these can be tweaked and adapted to the social situation you are in, but if you can have a few of these in the back of your mind at any time, awkward silences will be a thing of the past.

Some clothing for warm and cold weather.

If you’re anything like me, and come from the tropics, the first few days in London are going to be cold. Bring a few pieces of clothing that you can layer – but don’t pack more than a few days’ worth of cold weather clothing (unless you already have some good quality stuff – the point is not to buy and bring what you need) because you can buy the stuff you need here for reasonable prices: winter coats, scarves, boots – more choice, cheaper prices - at places like Primark.

Versatile shoes

Precious luggage space means that you shouldn’t lug over heavy boots and every pair of trainers you own. Limit yourself to, say, one set of flats, a pair of trainers and get all the boots you need when you get here (I promise there is so. Much. Choice.) – these are all things I wish I’d known before I got here.

Flip flops, one towel, small set of toiletries, bathrobe

Again, the same logic applies: you have limited luggage space and shampoo (plus towels) are easily available here – don’t make my mistake and waste 6 kilos on a big bottle of shampoo (no matter how attached you are to the smell) and three towels! You will need some toiletries and one towel so you can immediately take a shower when you get off the plane and arrive at your accommodation – nothing makes you feel better after long-haul flight than a warm hot shower! Flip-flops and a bathrobe are optional, but worthwhile ideas, if you are in a hall with a shared bathroom… and want to shower ASAP once you land. As mentioned above, check if your hall will be giving you a welcome pack which might have a towel (and soap) in it!

Travel adapter

Bringing an adapter with you, if your plugs are different, will allow you to immediately charge up all your devices when you get here so you can stay in touch with your family and let them know you’ve arrived safely

Electronics

To go with your travel adapter – you’ll need these for staying in touch, listening to music to jolt you out of any homesickness, and of course for taking notes during lectures!

Documents (visa, passport, plane ticket, health records, CAS number, etc)

You’ll most definitely need these when you land at the airport and you are usually asked to produce them. Again – don’t make my mistake and not print out the email with your CAS number, because that is ten minutes you will spend trying to connect to wifi so you can search for the email on your phone…. And will result in one very annoyed Border Officer. Not the best introduction to the UK!

Medical supplies There are pharmacies in the UK where you can refill any prescriptions, but make sure to bring a sizeable supply of any medication you might need in case of emergencies

A smaller backpack (this could be your carry-on instead of a smaller suitcase)

You are coming to London – a major hub and a great way to get to so many places in Europe! For short trips, this smaller backpack will come in very handy when you decide to make any quick getaways – much more convenient than rolling around a suitcase, particularly if you go to really crowded cities like Venice. (I speak from experience)

Cash, debit card and credit card (if you have one)

You’ll need cash for a variety of emergencies, like flight delays, and it’s just useful to have. Don’t carry too much for safety purposes (particularly if you’re taking the tube to your accommodation – the UKBA also imposes a limit on how much you can carry) and bring a debit and credit card for other emergencies. Most taxis in the UK – whether ordered via Uber or you flag a black cab – accept cards.

Things to keep in your carry-on

Separate from say your purse which would have your passport, if you have a carry-on suitcase, keep a photocopy of your visa and your passport photo page in case anything goes wrong or you lose your purse. Have a list of numbers you should call for help if you lose your phone (your parents – and yes, in this age of smartphones, many people don’t have their parents’ numbers memorized – the school’s international office, and a few taxi companies). Also have a change of clothes in here (including the all-important underwear) and some pocket-sized emergency toiletries in case you get stuck in transit or if there is a severe delay or if your luggage simply gets lost. Also bring a warm shawl, scarf or jacket that you might put on if you get cold in the plane (planes do run out of extra blankets), and any medical supplies you will need to take.

Now… if you have extra luggage space after packing everything you need (the key is to always remember you can buy a great deal of the things you need here)… you can bring…

Some local snacks / stuff – but limit yourself!

For me, this ended up being vacuum-packed bags of Chinese jerky and another bag of herbal Chinese medicine that my mom ended up sneakily packing into my bag. The Chinese medicine came in very useful when fresher’s flu hit, and when winter came around because it was primarily for sore throats and coughs. Think about the space you have, and pack your snacks accordingly. See below on bulky foodstuff – you can probably get most of what you want here.

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Things (I promise) you can buy here

• Sheets, blankets, pillows (no, really – you can buy them here and note that UK bed sizes might be different to your country’s bed sizes so any sheets you bring might not even work here! Also…I speak from experience, so please listen to me, sigh.)

• Clothing and boots (see above)

• Everyday items (like big bottles of shampoo or larger-sized tubes of toothpaste)

• BULKY FOOD PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN THE UK! I cannot emphasize how many students do this (peanut butter for my American friend, humongous herbal tea for my Chinese friend and Mama Instant noodles for my Thai friend)…. You pack food you think you can’t get here, only to find it is available here. Chinatown in London has three supermarkets which stock a great variety of Asian foodstuff, so I promise you can probably find what you want here. Do bring non-bulky items that might not be available here.

• Hangers

• Kitchenware (no, you probably won’t use that Airfryer; yes, you and your new friends can probably share a set and yes there are reasonably priced and nicer frying-pan sets available here so don’t bring them in your luggage)

• Electrical items like a kettle, an alarm clock and a hairdryer (Argos is best – they usually have welcome back to school sales too!)

• Extra towels, floor rugs and a duvet

• Cleaning supplies

• Umbrella or raincoat

• Meat, fruit, vegetables (really. REALLY. You can get these here!)

• School supplies like stationary and textbooks (and for those of you scoffing, I do know someone who packed textbooks that they never used but thought they might need into their luggage!)