London is one of the world’s biggest cities, a global financial center and a vibrant metropolis. Moving to London from abroad or even just elsewhere in the UK can be a big culture shock, as the fast paced and expensive lifestyle there becomes your own reality. There are a few key things that will make you feel part of the London crowd very quickly, and these will provide you with a baseline to settle into your new daily life in the city. In no time at all, you will feel as if you have lived there for years.
Find a room
Living in London is very pricey and the city is very condensed with people, so the most common accommodation choice for residents, is to live in shared accommodation with roommates. The rooms to rent in London are never on the market long, and so when you see a good place, you need to act fast. You should also consider which part of London you want or need to be living in. Different boroughs have different housing types, aesthetics, food, and affordability. For example, Bexley is thought to be a very affordable borough but Richmond is better for families.
Get ready to use the underground
London has a huge transport network, buses, trains, taxis, cycling, and above all, the London underground. The underground has 11 lines crossing one another like a spider’s web, and a total of 270 stations spanning across this giant city. Navigating the underground network can be tricky at first for new residents, but there are quite a few resources to help you. As well as network maps at all the stations, you can also use TFL (transport for London)’s website or app, and citymapper is also a popular app for navigating the city. The way you pay should also be considered, as you can opt for an Oyster card which will allow you to view and top up your credit online, or you can now use a contactless card.
Join a meetup group
If you are making the move to London, there is a good chance that you want to be a part of the buzzing social scene. If you are looking to make friends from a wider circle than simply your roommates, then joining a local club or group could be a great way to hit the ground running! There are plenty of social and sports clubs across all the boroughs, as well as Facebook groups that you can use to meet new people. Particularly, useful for new people to the area and those looking to expand their friendship reach is ‘Meetup’. Mixer events are often planned to help everyone meet up with some new people.
Leaving your old life behind to start fresh in a new place is always challenging, but to move to London is a particularly scary step for many people. Start with the above three items on your checklist and the more you settle, the newer experiences that you can add to your list to do.
