25 Things You Should Know Before Studying Abroad In London

So many duck ponds. So many.

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I just returned from a semester abroad in London, England, and thought I might give out a few pointers for those heading in the same direction as I did. These aren't tips like "you shouldn't say 'my pants got wet' when it's raining," ALTHOUGH PLEASE DON'T SAY THAT, IT'S TROUSERS, ALWAYS TROUSERS-- these are tips on how to function when living in a different city, but London specifically, like how to use your phone, how to get around, how not to starve or go absolutely broke, and how to plan for your departure from London-- because leaving may just be the hardest thing you ever have to do.

1. It's expensive.

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No, really. Unroll your eyes and rescind the "yeah, I know, everyone tells me that, but I saved a lot this summer" thought that you just had. Please do not underestimate how expensive this place is. It's not just because it's a city, and it's not just because you'll be buying souvenirs and eating out. Everything is more expensive in London because they operate on the pound which means that for every 1 pound you spend, you are spending 1.477 American dollars, and this varies depending on the economy. I saved over $2,000 this past summer working, and I ran out of it at the end of my first month in London. I wasn't going out to clubs and I wasn't shopping on Regent street. It's just the exchange rate, it sneaks up on you and all you could be doing is buying groceries and taking the tube, but it adds up. During your first week there, keep track of how much you spend, so that you can make a budget. Remember the exchange rate.

2. But because it's so expensive, you quickly learn how to value intangible things.

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James Hamblin wrote an article for The Atlantic about why happiness ultimately results from buying experiences, not things. This isn't the same thing as "all the best things in life are free." There are some pretty amazing things in the world that to see and experience requires you to spend a bit of money. But the payoff is greater than what you put down. Even though London is expensive, you will learn that a lot of family and friends will be willing to help you out because they understand that this experience is worth it. And because it is so expensive, you won't be as willing to spend money on material goods like clothes, posters, snacks, and other stuff you think will make you happy.

3. Most places like museums and markets are free.

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With all that scary talk about how expensive London is, I should probably mention how many wonderful things you can do for free. There are so many different markets that sell food, clothing, antiques, jewelry, posters, toys, what have you, and it's free to browse (and sometimes free to sample food!!) The museums are also fantastic and most are free including the British Museum, Victoria and Albert, the Imperial War Museum, Natural History, and the National/National Portrait Galleries. The museums all have cool exhibits that you have to pay for but they're optional. Instead of paying over 10 euros to go see the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, you can see a bunch of his paintings at the National Gallery for free!

4. The weather really isn't that shitty.

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I pictured London as cold, rainy, and gray which I didn't mind so much because that's how my hometown is. But I was there September through December and there was a lot more sun than I expected and I didn't wear a winter jacket once. A jean jacket and scarf was as much as I ever needed. This may vary year to year of course. It does rain quite a lot so I would pack a rain jacket in your backpack or bag every day because you never know when the drizzle might strike.

5. If you're only going for a semester, Fall and Spring both have their perks.

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I decided to go to London in the Fall because I wanted to be there in December for all the Christmas lights and celebration. But I have friends who went to London in the Spring, and they enjoyed it as well because they got to experience London and the rest of Europe as it was progressing into warmer months. Do some research, decide what's most important to you, and choose a semester, but either way, you won't be disappointed. For example, Fashion Week happens in both September and February.

6. Get a UK telephone number.

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You need a UK telephone number. You could probably get by just using wi-fi but if you ever need to call a shop or restaurant in London, you won't be able to without that UK number. You can either buy a cheap temporary phone or you can suspend your normal service and get one of the short-term phone plans a lot of the cell service companies offer. A lot of people I studied with got the deal from Three that allows a certain amount of minutes and unlimited data, so you can FaceTime and text pretty much anywhere as long as the other person has an iPhone. It's a great deal, and you'll also be able to use google maps and city mapper to navigate wherever you are because you'll have data.

7. Apply for a student travel Oyster card.

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What really gets you in London is the travel fare. You could probably do a walking tour of the entire city and not be winded by the end of it (alright, maybe not the entire city) but it is not very time efficient. If you're in a rush to get to a show or you just don't feel like walking miles, you'll need to take the tube or the bus. Good news is, the tube is INCREDIBLY easy to navigate. Bad news is, prices add up. But more good news is that as a student, you are able to apply for a student discount Oyster travel card. There's an online application you fill out and all you need to do is send in a picture of yourself, and voila, in 1 week you'll have your travel card that cuts down on some of your spending.

8. Also get a chip for your debit card.

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If you're just paying a cashier, it's not really a big deal, but if you want to use a self-service kiosk to try and save time, you'll want a chip on your card. If the kiosk even takes swipe cards, without a chip you'll have to call someone over so that they can print out a receipt for you to sign. A lot of kiosks don't even accept swipe cards though, especially ones at train stations, so it's just a better bet to get the chip. Most banks offer that type of sevice for your card.

9. Speaking of chips...

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The flavors are weird as shit! I mean you've got some regular ones like salt and vinegar and cheddar and onion/chive, but right next to those you'll usually always see "Prawn Cocktail" and "Roasted Chicken." We had a taste test of all of them at my school, and I have to say that the Roasted Chicken was actually pretty good.

10. The food is not bland.

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Ok English food may be mild, but honestly, beef potatoes and gravy are pretty comforting dishes so I don't know where all this "don't go to England for the food" talk comes from. But even besides that, London is one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world, definitely more so than New York City, and that shows through the insane variety of food the city has to offer. Thai, Indian, Bangladeshi, Ethiopian, Polish, French, Spanish-- the list goes on and on. It actually is almost overwhelming. And the Kappacasein Dairy Grilled Cheese that you can find at Borough Market...prepare yourself. So the next time someone is like, "hah well no one goes to London for the food," tell them to piss off.

11. Food doesn't keep for as long as it does in the U.S.

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I guess that the good thing about their food not having so many preservatives is that it's healthy. But it's also a little tough to budget out your groceries when you have to buy every three or so days after your food goes bad. You'll learn quickly how to size your servings which cuts down on your own waste,and you'll find that it's not necessary to buy food in bulk-- just buy what you know you will eat.

12. You'll learn a lot about coffee.

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So the coffee we drink in the states is just watered down espresso. Who knew? In London, you won't see coffee or iced coffees on the menu, unless you're at a smaller, more specialized coffee shop that has drip and filter coffee.

13. But even after all that knowledge, you might find yourself picking up a tea drinking habit.

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It's SO MUCH CHEAPER to just start drinking tea. It has just as much if not more caffeine than most coffee and you can buy a box of like 80 teabags for 2 pounds, versus spending 2-3 pounds on getting a cup of coffee every day. It's also a lot more time efficient. They do have instant coffee that you shake a few pebbles of into hot water, but it's not very good and turns to this legitimately grey color so you'll probably stay away from those.

14. Primark is everything and more (for less).

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It's like Forever 21 but better. They sell clothes as well as bedding, towels, accessories, and home decor for amazingly low prices.

15. Follow your favorite stores on Twitter because they sometimes post special events.

Foyles Bookshop @Foyles

Celebrate #HarryPotterBookNight at Waterloo w/ activities for all ages – deets via https://t.co/xN9DrSSm1p

10:20 AM - 17 Jan 2016

Via Twitter: @Foyles

Just like your favorite stores that you follow at home, many places in London, especially venues for books or films, post about events they host. I started following Foyle's bookstore on Twitter and they were promoting a talk with Terry Gilliam at the Southbank Centre.

16. Give up Netflix for a bit and start following British television.

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The selection of programs on BBC One, Two, and Three as well as on Channel 4 is insane. They cover topics on everything from naked villages to making pottery to fat fetishes to weird skin conditions. They're not all abnormal, mind you, but they are all captivating and have great stories to let loose.

17. It's okay to be a tourist.

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This is one thing that I never really got about travelling, people trying to "be locals." You're not a local, you're visiting, and there's no problem with wanting to see the stuff like Big Ben and Tower Bridge that made you originally fall in love with London. Try and visit places that are more off the beaten path, but don't shy away from the awe-inspiring stuff. You deserve to feel that sense of wonder. (But also, it's not as easy as it looks to walk across Abbey Road for that photo op...)

18. But it's also more rewarding sometimes to not make lists and just start walking somewhere.

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Start with where you live. Just walk in one direction for as long as you feel like and see everything your area has to offer. And that's just where you live. When you're out exploring, get off at a tube stop earlier than the one you want to and start walking to where you're trying to get to so that you can see the places you may have missed if you just took the underground.

19. Use the guides your friends made you as simply that: guides.

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So many of my friends made me lists and guides of things to do, places to see, and general tips. They were thoughtful and very helpful on days where my mind was blank and I couldn't figure out what to do. But this is your experience. Don't feel like there's a pressure on you to live someone else's.

20. Design your own "crawl."

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It's a great way to explore different parts of the city that aren't just tourist destinations. Pick a thing: Indian restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, bookstores, antique shops, etc. and make a list of different ones all over the city. Choose a few to go to and enjoy.

21. You will most likely never fly out of Heathrow except for leaving and arriving back to the U.S.

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If you're a really big fan of that Love Actually scene in the airport, sorry to tell you this. As a student, you'll be buying most of your flights with Ryanair to save money, and they only fly out of certain airports depending on the destination like Gatwick, Luton, or Stansted. So look up the airport you're flying out of ahead of time so that you can plan your journey. All train stations offer express trains to the airports, but only certain stations send trains to certain aiports.

22. Harry Potter studios is a 40 minute drive outside of London.

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Most people who visit London are fans of Harry Potter, so sorry if this doesn't apply to you. But yes, the Harry Potter London Studio Tour is 40 minutes outside of London, so plan accordingly. But definitely do plan to see it. It's i n c r e d i b l e.

23. The culture shock is worse leaving London than getting there.

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Even after you've lived somewhere for 20 years, it can become strange and alien to you, especially when you throw yourself wholeheartedly into living a different life. London is always bustling, which can be hard to get used to, but before the end of the first month, you will get used to it. You'll get used to always having something to do and somewhere to go as well as being in such close quarters with the rest of the world. But then 4 months later you're back home, and though you may feel like thing will all just settle back into place, its not that simple. The jet lag is rough but you're also just switching back to another mode of life, and that's never easy.

24. And when you're back home, you're going to be sad...for a while.

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I missed my friends and family and I'm sure you will too. But just because cities are not human beings does not mean you cannot fall in love with them. You can, and you can fall in love hard. I did, and I don't see how anyone who lives in London wouldn't. Leaving then is like a forced break-up when you were doing fine together, when you were doing wonderfully together. And it hurts.

25. But even so, you'll look back and know that however much it hurts to miss London, you would never trade having gone there for anything.

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One of my friends listened as I vented and despaired and simply responded, "but wasn't it all worth it?" And it was. Having the opportunity to live in London is absolutely worth any pain you might take on when you have to leave. It's a city that is palpably alive and it opens your eyes to how incredibly wide and diverse our world is.

Bon Voyage!