Winding Down....

Tower of LondonSo it's that time of the semester, time to give advice to those who may consider studying abroad or those who are in fact doing so. First and foremost, just living abroad, regardless of where, is important and I think necessary for everyone. Once you've decided what to do, obviously you've got to deal with visas and packing. In terms of packing for London, layers are key. Be sure to have a rain coat, rain boots and umbrella. The idea that London is a rainy city is true (to some extent, though I wouldn't say it rains all the time). Also, keep in mind that not only is London expensive, the exchange rate sucks. Unless you have a Bank of America account (which has a agreement with Barclays), withdrawing money is going to cost you money (exchange rate + ATM fee). To counter this, I came with traveler's checks which can be cashed in Lloyds Bank on Oxford Street. Obviously you have to determine how much to bring with you but there is no commission on exchanging it. You just suffer the exchange rate but at least it's not as bad. You'll most likely be staying in Nido student living which is an international student dorm; this means that there will be many other students from other universities which can mean new friends if you play your cards right. It's a great space except that the rooms are small (very small). Keep that in mind when packing.That being said, you're going to get enough information about these sorts of things so I'll talk about what to do when in London.
It's best to come here with no expectations and completely open to new experiences and people. NYU in London offers excursions on the weekends (to Stonehenge, Bath, Greenwich, Hampton Court etc) and I'd recommend taking as many of those as you can! It's a great way to see parts of England you may not venture to on your own. Also take advantage of the programming events they have such as going to a rugby match (GO! It's amazing) and going on the London Eye. Also go to the tourist-y sites at least once. Visit Platform 9 ¾, go to Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London. It's a part of London that really deserves to be seen.
But what of the non-tourist-y things to see? Well, here's a list of places I'd recommend for you to go to or things to do.
1.Visit a pub (The Rocket, Miller's, Euston Flyer are all on the same road as the dorm). Enjoy the lowered drinking age and the different drinking culture that goes with it.
2.Go to Fortnum and Mason's. It's the “Queen's Grocery Store” and is kind of amazing. Not as famous as Harrod's but just as good. Also go to Harrod's. At least once.
3.Eat Indian food. Brick Lane is a good place. You've probably heard that it's really good in London and they are not lying. (This is coming from an Indian person so...)
4.Use ULU (University of London Union). Plently of places within it to hang out and there are always students there.
5.See a play! You have the Globe Theater at your disposal and the West End is full of shows that need to be seen. I recommend 39 Steps; it was absolutely fantastic.
6.Go to a festival that they may be having during the semester you're there. In the fall, they have the Thames River Festival and I'm sure they have many come spring.
7.Walk a lot. Anywhere. It'll help you spot things you want to see and will help you see things you may have otherwise missed.
8.Take the time to appreciate the architecture around London.
9.Go out on a weeknight. At least once. Enjoy a student club night (oftentimes these are Wednesdays).
10.Go to a museum. The British Museum is conventionally located right next to where NYU classes in London are held. The Victoria and Albert Museum is worth a trip as well. It has a whole section on fashion in addition to paintings and sculptures.
Also travel outside the country. There is a break in the semester that allows for that but many cities can be seen on a weekend. But don't forget to enjoy the place that you're living; don't neglect London at the expense of blowing through another city in a weekend. London has so much to see and many things to do and that last thing you want is to leave feeling like you didn't see enough.
Make the most you can of this fantastic experience!