{"id":345787,"date":"2026-04-05T10:08:05","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T10:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/?p=345787"},"modified":"2026-04-05T10:08:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T10:08:05","slug":"lessons-gained-residing-in-london-as-an-imperial-scholar-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/?p=345787","title":{"rendered":"Lessons Gained Residing in London as an Imperial Scholar"},"content":{"rendered":"

Authored by Emilio (Spain), MSc Applied Mathematics<\/em><\/p>\n

Choosing to relocate from the countryside of a rural island in Spain to the largest city in Europe was quite intimidating. Nevertheless, the last 18 months in London have turned out to be the most rewarding and enjoyable phase of my life.<\/p>\n

London is a dynamic, multicultural, historic, and exciting city with an extensive selection of restaurants, events, and attractions \u2013 exploring it is invariably an adventure! However, adapting to life in a foreign country can present challenges. Here are several insights I gained while moving to London as an international student, along with some tips and suggestions for when you settle in.<\/p>\n

Relocating to London as a postgraduate student<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The initial step in relocating to London is identifying the ideal place to call home. Utilizing Instagram, TikTok, and online forums, I researched different neighborhoods throughout London that could be enjoyable to reside in. I found that Camden Town features a lively nightlife, Hackney is an up-and-coming area in east London, and Putney is a serene, green residential neighborhood.<\/p>\n

I was lucky enough to visit London prior to commencing my Master\u2019s, enabling me to personally explore these areas before making a choice on where to live. After selecting Putney, my flatmates (whom I met during my undergraduate studies) and I utilized accommodation search platforms like SpareRoom and Rightmove to locate budget-friendly house shares, arranged online viewings with landlords, and ultimately discovered a lovely flat near Putney Heath.<\/p>\n

Activities in London<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Once you\u2019ve unpacked and styled your new space, a vast array of opportunities and events awaits \u2013 the real challenge in London is choosing which activities to engage in and finding time for everything!<\/p>\n

Imperial\u2019s South Kensington Campus is situated in the Albertopolis area, a district that celebrates art, industry, and science. Nearby are fabulous museums such as the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and the V&A Museum. These venues are exciting to explore, and some even have late hours on Fridays. On the last Friday of each month, the V&A puts on a V&A Late, transforming the museum into a mini rave complete with drinks and live music!<\/p>\n

Besides museum visits, I love discovering East London neighborhoods like Canary Wharf, Hackney, and Isle of Dogs. This region is brimming with historical and artistic projects, making it a delightful area to roam. My favorite place is Trinity Buoy Wharf \u2013 once an old canning warehouse, it now hosts a startup that creates temporary structures from shipping containers. The complex celebrates creative manufacturing and is home to various art studios, as well as the original lighthouse lab where Michael Faraday conducted his work!<\/p>\n

Dining out in London<\/strong><\/h3>\n

London offers great deals if you know where to search, with numerous options for affordable yet excellent food. During my time in London, I\u2019ve compiled a list of eateries with various discounts throughout the city, making dining out more budget-friendly.<\/p>\n

One such location is in South Kensington, where a seafood restaurant called Wright Brothers offers an Oyster Happy Hour, serving oysters for just \u00a31 each! This is an exceptional deal, particularly if you crave the flavor of home seafood and want to indulge in oysters to your heart\u2019s (and budget\u2019s) content!<\/p>\n

Tooting in South London is also renowned for its food culture. Tooting Market and Tooting Broadway Market are expansive indoor street food markets featuring a plethora of cuisines. If you\u2019re in search of food that brings back memories of home, I highly recommend checking out the food markets in Tooting!<\/p>\n

Taking a break from the city<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While the city\u2019s rhythm contributes to London\u2019s charm, sometimes the Tube becomes too noisy, or the streets are overly crowded with people. Luckily, London is at the center of an excellent network of trains and coaches, making escaping the city for a weekend easy.<\/p>\n

My favorite destinations include Surrey and Kent. Canterbury is a stunning medieval town in southern England rich in history and student-friendly spots. In Surrey, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) boasts a large botanical garden in Wisley, which makes for a delightful day trip, particularly during the summer.<\/p>\n

All in all, London is a vibrant city teeming with opportunities and places to discover, so take your time to explore everything the city has to offer while studying at Imperial!<\/p>\n

To learn more about my experiences, <\/em><\/strong>read my Imperial story<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Authored by Emilio (Spain), MSc Applied Mathematics Choosing to relocate from the countryside of a rural island in Spain to the largest city in Europe was quite intimidating. Nevertheless, the last 18 months in London have turned out to be the most rewarding and enjoyable phase of my life. London is a dynamic, multicultural, historic,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":345788,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-345787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/345787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=345787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/345787\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/345788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=345787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=345787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youjustlive.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=345787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}