First steps: Your University or program will probably recommend these same tips, so you better listen!
• Apply online for your student Oyster card ASAP!
If you have to commute to school, (or even if you don’t) it is essential for you to get a student Oyster card. An Oyster card is like a Metro pass for the London Underground train (more commonly known as “The Tube.) As soon as you get your university ID card and information, go online to order your Student Oyster card. This will save you SOOOO much money as the Tube/buses will be your main source of transportation to get around the city.
An unlimited month pass for students will cost around £80, which is a lot but if you are using the Tube at least twice a day, it is totally worth it. Trust me! Do it immediately! You will need your London University’s ID card to get it.
• Get a 16-25 railcard for discounted travel around the UK.
If you plan on traveling around the UK (which you definitely should,) make sure you get a student Railcard as well. It costs about £30 but will save you 30% on all rail travel and will quickly pay for itself (especially if you take the train to Scotland, Wales, or Northern English cities such as York.)
• Register with the US embassy in the Mayfair neighborhood of London.
Just in case of an international incident or terrorist attack, this is just to be on the safe side. If you decide to visit the embassy (but you cannot get in without an appointment) I recommend going to Allen’s or Mayfair café right down the street and getting the orange tea!
• Plan your daily route to University before classes start.
Trust me, you be glad you know where you are going and where your classes will be held if you do not live on campus.
• Take a walk around your neighborhood to scout out the best grocery stores, pubs, clothing stores, and closest Tube station and bus routes.
• Open a UK bank account or get a Bank of America debit card for free ATM withdrawals from Barclays.
• Get a top-up mobile phone during your first few days at Carphone Warehouse or likeminded stores. You will need it for your various forms and just meeting with friends.
• Bring your own towels and sheets (1 set of both) as you will not be able to get these for a couple of days once you arrive. Also, bring your own adaptor that you can use for the UK and Europe (it is harder to find once you get there.) And leave your Iphone at home.
• Get a wallet that blocks electronic machines that can steal your passport and credit card information without even touching your handbag! This happened to a friend of mine.
• If you can, bring you own pillow whether or not it is provided. That is a long time to be without a good pillow!
• Mind your voice and attitude in public places and transportation: if you look and act like a tourist, you will be targeted by pickpockets and you will be sorry! Always keep your most important items in your front pants pocket.
• For the girls: Split the cost of a decent UK blow dryer, straightener/curling iron with your flatmates. Hair is your biggest fashion statement in London, don’t cheap out! I recommend going along with 3-4 other girls and buying the equipment for around £30 each. You’ll be happy you did.
• Argo’s (close equivalent of Target) is a great cheap place for bedding and other necessary items, but you must order ahead of time before picking up!
Because this is a food blog….
Food & Drink: Food in London and most of Europe is very expensive and you will easily blow your budget by going out to dinner, to the pubs, or to the clubs if you are not careful.
• Make a budget for your weekly food allowance and for your “going out” spending. Clubs are often expensive so if that's your thing, make sure you have a budget.
• If you have access to a kitchen, plan on cooking most of your meals and get easy breakfast items to save money. Since classes are often long you will most likely be away from home over lunch. Plan on packing your lunches to save the most money. It is so easy to go to Prêt à Manger, Eat or any number or very delicious fast options on a regular basis.
• If you plan on a lot of traveling that is when you should eat out the most. But with all the amazing restaurants and tea shops in the city you must explore them! Try to limit going out to tea or dinner only 1-2 times a week.
• Plan out your meals: While the food quality is much better for the most part, food has little preservatives so it goes bad in two-three days. Buy in small quantities, and plan to go to the market every two-three days.
Food Musts in London:
• Make sure you go to afternoon tea at least a few times! It was one of my most favorite things to do and it is fun to dress up a little and go to the various famous and not-so famous spots
• Don’t forget about the countless food markets: From the Borough Market under the London Bridge (my favorite) to the Marlborough Market, to so many more big and small, you will want to go to the markets! We went about once a week for fresh vegetables and so many amazing local vendors and specialty items.
I had one outside of my University on Thursdays! It is just as much fun to go to the markets for a fun weekend day as to shop. A great place to bring visiting family and friends!
• Make sure to get Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Persian, or other various ethnic foods while you are there since due to large immigrant populations the food is authentic and amazing! Naan, hummus, etc. are top notch!
• Try ethnic neighborhoods such as Chinatown, and Golders Green for authentic flavors.
• Find your favorite neighborhood pubs as this is where you will spend a lot of relaxing nights with flatmates and new friends. Try to find ones that are not “managed” as these are like chains and not the real thing any longer. You will be able to spot these from similar signs and menus.
• You must try: Full English breakfast, authentic fish-n-chips, sticky toffee-pudding, coronation chicken sandwiches, tea, Yorkshire puds, roast dinners, chocolate digestive biscuits, Ribena Blackcurrant, Victoria Sponge Cake, scones and clotted cream, and so much more! Whoever thinks London has bad food, they have obviously not been there in the last ten years.
• Stay away from: most Italian restaurants or pizza places- these are rarely what you think, kebab places open until 3pm (these are favorites of drunken young people but will often get you seven more sick!)
• P.s. If you are a regular coffee fan, you will have a very hard time finding it. “Drip” coffee as we know is not found often and you will instead get an Americano (espresso and hot water) if you ask for a “black coffee.” FYI.
Travel: You will want to travel all over Europe while you are studying in London, but don’t forget to explore the city and the UK itself!
• Coordinate early on with flatmates and classmates on destinations you both would like to visit and plan it out early so you can get good cheap flights and private hostel rooms if possible.
My recommended destinations abroad:
Paris, anywhere in France-Bordeaux, Nice, Normandy, etc.; Barcelona, Berlin, Strasbourg, Amsterdam, Bruges, Vienna, Morocco (surprisingly cheap and tropical, just make sure you bring a guy friend if it is only females), Riga, PRAGUE!!!!!
Other popular destinations: Ireland, Madrid, Canary Islands, Greece, Budapest, Bucharest, Krakow….
Always make sure you know the location of the American embassy or consulate closest to you.
Make sure to get a good amount of local currency from the airport ATMs are you will not want to pay foreign fees over and over again.
Recommended UK destinations:
Winchester, Bath, Cornwall, Edinburgh, St. Andrews, the Scottish highlands, Snowdonia and Snowdon Mountain in Wales, Oxford, Horsham, Rye Royal, Tunbridge Wells, Cambridge, Greenwich (outside of London proper); Harry Potter Experience at Warner Brother Studios, so many others!
Recommended London stops: Give yourself the first two weeks to do the tourist stuff and get it out of your system!
Abbey Road, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, High Street Kensington, Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Borough Market, Greenwich, Mayfair, Marlborough, Portobello Road, Barnaby Street, the London Monument, Tower Hill (home of the famous Tower Bridge and Tower of London), Notting Hill, Chelsea, St. Pancreas and surrounding area, Harrods’s, Selfridges Department store, the theatre, the Royal Opera House and surrounding neighborhood, anywhere you would like and so many others!
Budget:
• Sign up for Livingsocial, Groupon, and other city deals. I found some of my favorite places through these services. Also good for the much needed three-month mark haircut, massages, manicures, theatre tickets, or trip deals
• Look for the many student deals around the city. Many places such as restaurants, clothing stores, and museums offer student discounts so do not be afraid to ask!
There is always something unique and awesome going on in London, you just have to look! Like the amazing Thursday night £5 Wine and food pairing tastings at Whole Foods Kensington (a.k.a. heaven)
• Make a budget and try to stick to it. Plan to spend $5,000-8,000 depending on the length of your trip and how many trips you plan on taking.
Most of all:
HAVE FUN! You are in one of the greatest cities in the world. Enjoy yourself!
There are so many places, tips, and ideas I could tell you. This is what I’ve thought of so far and I will probably recommend other things. I hope this helps some of you think about your experience and prepare.
If you have any tips of your own, please comment below!
Love,
The College Cuisiner
These are all great tips for college students living in London. Some Americans may be in sticker stock when staying in London for awhile as its one of the most expensive cities in the world and food/eating out generally costs significant more.
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