Experience in London, United Kingdom by Mireille

What is it like to live in London? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Having lived in Greater London all my life, I would recommend it as one of the best cities in the world. Not only is it multicultural and vibrant, it is also beautiful. It is full of culture, from museums, galleries, cultural centres and wondrous sights, to bars, nightclubs, cafés and restaurants galore.

Each area in London boasts something new and different, and every place has its own character. It's easy to get around and about, and the people are friendly and helpful.

London is one of those places which you keep in your heart forever, and it would be an absolute waste not to visit the capital of England.

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What is the student lifestyle like in London?

Student life is great in London. London is home to thousands upon thousands of students studying at Greenwich, LSE, Brunel, UCL and other universities.

The nightlife is unbeatable, with clubs and bars stretching out everywhere, from South and North to West and East. You can head to Hip Hop nights, House clubs, DnB raves, warehouse parties, concerts, cocktail bars, rooftop parties, and more.

London is also easy to travel around, so you can meet up with people easily, and get around and about with ease. Students will also find it easy to get a job in London, there are always vacancies at bars, clubs, restaurants, cafés, stores, and there are plenty of employment agencies, who are more than happy to take on students. From London, it's also easy to get around the rest of the country - trains, coaches and carsharing all are cheap, if you book in advance.

London also has lots of airports if you're into travelling - London Stansted, London Gatwick, London Heathrow and London Southend are all quite easy to reach, and flights start from around £5 for destinations such as Oslo and Paris!

How much does it cost to live in London?

One of the only downsides of London is the cost of living. However, if you live further out of Central London, and manage your finances, you'll find it easy to manage. I would strongly recommend getting a job if you're a student in London (you can find anything and everything from retail roles and catering roles to babysitting or even admin roles) which are part-time and can fit around lectures/seminars.

Travel can be pricey (for all zones 1-6 which will set you back £55 a week) however, if you find accommodation around zones 3-6, you can find cheaper rent, which means more money for travel. Travel, whilst it is expensive, includes DLR, Trains, Tubes, Overground and Buses, so does work out at good value.

If you want to save a bit, try shopping at Iceland, Aldi and Lidl, rather than Locals, as these can be pricey. Look out for student nights or offers (for restaurants, bars and cafés) as these will save you in terms of price. Book Ubers instead of Black Cabs too, as these are far cheaper.

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Is it difficult to find accommodation in London? Is there any advice you can give?

Finding accommodation isn't particularly hard in London, it's more the cost of accommodation. For Zones 1-3, you'll be looking at around £700+ at least, however, if you look at Greater London, or further zones, such as North London (Wood Green, Turnpike Lane etc), South London (Richmond or other areas in South-West, or Bromley and other South-East areas), you can find rent for under £500. I would advise going through reputable companies to avoid being scammed. Avoid Gumtree, as there can be some fake adverts posted online.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

There's all the food you would want in London! We have everything - Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, American Diner, Burger Restaurants, Fast-Food, Healthy Fast-Food, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, English, Pub Grub, Caribbean, African and lots more. There are also always offers for food and drink, such as 2-for-1 cocktails or one buys one meal, the other gets their meal free, and other offers. Try and look online for areas which are renowned for their cuisine. If you're more into fine dining, London has a number of restaurants dotted around, and there are also even restaurants dedicated to clean eating/organic food.

What places would you recommend visiting in London?

As a student/tourist, I would recommend visiting all the sights. Head to Oxford Street, Covent Garden, Camden, Big Ben, London Bridge, Hyde Park, The Shard, The London Eye, Southbank and Shoreditch/Brick Lane. Make sure to visit the markets (Spitalfields etc) when you can, and look out for hidden places - they're always popping up. Across the capital, you can also find Madame Tussauds, London Dungeons, Escape Rooms and more. Make sure to try out independent-run cafés, such as Cereal Killer! Read the Metro, Time Out Magazine and the ES Magazine to check out any new restaurants, pop-ups, bars and cafés opening.

Is it good to eat out in London? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Eating out in London is great, and can be affordable. If you fancy breakfast out of the house, you can head to the normal chain cafés such as Caffè Nero, Costa and Starbucks, or head to cool places such as Cereal Killer Café, on Brick Lane or The Breakfast Club Café in Camden which serves all-day breakfast.

For lunch, there are lots of independent restaurants and pubs and delis for you to eat in or on-the-go. I would recommend Bodyism in Notting Hill for light lunches/clean eating, Granger & Co. which is also based in Notting Hill, and Ping Pong which is close to Carnaby St.

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For dinner, you can head to Chinatown if you fancy a Chinese, Oxford St for all the popular restaurants, or head to Harvey Nichols, Selfridges or Harrods, where there are in-store restaurants, so you can stop and eating right after a day out and about. If you want to splash the cash, head to The Shard (you'll need to book) and eat at Oblix.

Is the nightlife good in London? Where is good to go?

Nightlife in London is always buzzing. Most people head to bars or pubs straight after work and start drinking, before hitting up the clubs (which are always popular). Around Oxford St and Leicester Square, you'll find thousands of clubgoers heading to the popular pop clubs such as Piccadilly Institute.

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If you fancy some cooler clubs with house vibes, head to XOYO, The Nest, Faces or Visions. Check out LWE online for all the gigs and going-ons around the capital. There are literally thousands of clubs boasting DnB, House, Funky House, Afrobeats, Dancehall, Hip Hop and Rap, RnB, Pop, Rock, Metal, Club, Electronic and EDM, Trance and Techno, and more, so you should be spoilt for choice.

What advice would you give future students heading to London?

Live it up! London is the city of the live and living, and it's the sort of place you'll regret not experiencing to the full if you live there. Make sure to eat out as much as possible, make friends from all over the world (London is incredibly multicultural), try and get a job, visit every sight you can, and attempt to travel outside the capital at every given opportunity.