Can you believe it? You are about to become a fresher in one of the most iconic cities in the world! With its history, multicultural communities and vibrant nightlife, there is something for everyone. If you are living in London for the first time it can be quite daunting, especially as a fresher, so we’ve made a quick guide to being a fresher in London. 

Venture out of zone 1 

This may not be immediately obvious, but things can be very expensive in central London! As well as exploring around campus, it’s a great idea to visit parts of London that are further out. I remember in my first year thinking of Hackney as a million miles away, and now so many of my friends live there and travel to uni after living in halls in their first year. Hey, it could even be a good idea to get out and visit the faraway lands of Canary Wharf, or Camden with your new flatmates and make an afternoon out of it! 

Nightlife 

So obviously by now you should know about Guy’s Bar and The Vault, which offer incredibly affordable and fun club nights with your fellow students. If you want to try out different spaces, or maybe you have friends in London who aren’t students, there are a huge number of clubs and bars that offer student discounts and freshers events for you to check out. A quick google search will reveal all of the up-to-date information for you. 

Check out the green spaces! 

You may be wondering if living in a city means you will ever see a green space again, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In addition to the Royal Parks which can get super busy, especially at weekends, there are a number of green spaces very close to campus, and we have listed them all here for you to take a look at. 

Be a tourist 

London isn’t just for you to eat, sleep and study, it’s for you to explore! Whether that is with new friends, family who come to visit you, or even by yourself, there is always something for you to do. Throughout the year we will be posting things for you to do around London, so keep an eye out here. You can also check out Secret London, a website solely dedicated to things to do around the city. My top tip though: go check out the cable cart in North Greenwich, or the Sky Garden. The cable cart is only £12 for a return trip, and the London Sky Garden is free, with new slots opening each Monday for you to book in advance. Both offer a beautiful view of London and are great alternatives to the £25 trip up the Shard! 

Don’t feel like you have to do everything at once 

Even if you are only studying at King’s for a semester, you have plenty of time to explore London at your own pace. There are so many things to do here, and if you try to pack everything in during the first few weeks whilst you are still adjusting to a new living situation, friends, the city and studying, you may get burnt out! A good idea is to write yourself a list of things you want to do each week or month, and then you can either plan out, or whenever you are feeling spontaneous and have some free time, you can look back and pick something fun to do! 

We hope this albeit brief guide has been useful for you as a fresher in London. Keep an eye out on our website for further information to guide you through this exciting and scary time, and don’t forget to register for our Welcome Fair on the 21st and 22nd September, to find out more about student life at King’s!