Student Life in London

London is home to some of the world’s most prestigious universities, such as King’s, LSE, UCL  and Imperial. To just what extent does London resemble a student city? Prices and academic standards are both high. Universities are ever more seeking to appeal to international applicants for higher fees and London is the usual favourite. This results in a diverse yet also divided student community, as inflated fees put more pressure on the student. The student life is meant to be of crap food, plentiful booze and shenanigans creating memories to last a lifetime, but this true in London?

Libraries and galleries

We are all aware we haven’t managed to get around all the collections we would like to. Additionally, there are a vast array of exhibitions showing simultaneously that complement the intense exchange of information in London.

Many of these offer student memberships which break-even after visiting about three exhibitions in the same institution for free.

The Oxford Ashmoleon can hardly compare to the National Gallery. While all the grandeur of the Bodleian may cause Oxbridge rejects to shed a tear, the fact we have a copy of the Magna Carta in the British Library shows the better collection.

Travel links

London has three airports and the Eurostar. International travel is easy for London students. Additionally, this brings a greater exchange of academics and their research. Academia is not the limit, with festivals and country escapes often easily accessible by rail or coach.

Pubs

This is more controversial. With London’s historic pubs hovering just over four pounds per pint, it is little surprise the ‘student pub’ ethos does not seem present in this city. Places like Oxford and Durham host very key student pubs in addition to their own union bars. However, much of this could be blamed on the fact that there’s nothing else to do in these places.

Here, twelve pounds spent on drink could easily be a ticket to an exhibition, play or performance. Add to this the workaholic nature of these students, who are not only on world-leading courses but are also pursuing promising internships and careers, London pubs rarely fill with textbooks and course notes.

Student Societies

In a similar vein, societies in London are lacking compared to campus universities. There is simply too much happening for a Dungeons and Dragons group to make regular meetings. For anyone who has explored the opportunities of London in the evening with talks, bars, shows and more, committing weekly evenings can be difficult.

Rent

As with everything in London, the ultimate flaw is rent. With the average student now insisting on en suite accommodation it is no surprise the frivolities of the stereotype ‘student life’ don’t quite materialise. In addition to this, people become more spread out when not in halls. Therefore, the sense of an instant community can easily falter.

Food

What cannot be denied is London’s plentiful supply of fast food. While fees and rent seem the chief complaint of most students, few seem to mind regular samplings of street food and late night fried chicken. For the more thrifty, half-price sushi at closing time is a popular ‘hack’.

Student Prospects

The idea of actually having to think about a career is something the London student doesn’t have to worry about. With so many promising internships in London everyone has good prospects.

The only problem is students won’t wait. With anxieties over the job market and high tuition fees, most are keen to get ahead of the game as soon as possible. This is beneficial as a graduate can already have a wide portfolio of work before their loan runs out.

The bad news is the infectious London air of wealth, work and startup ideas can get to you, making hours trawling through academic texts seem tangential to your real hopes and aspirations.

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