Living in London

[Moony]

I'm hoping to apply to Imperial this coming October for 2008 entry but am a little unsure whether I should apply to London at all. I can see all the advantages - the city life, so many things to do, so many people, huge opportunities, big hospitals, etc etc.

The one thing that is concerning me is the proximity to my home. I currently live in North-west London, and it takes me about 1 hour to get to South Kensington by the tube. If I get an offer from Imperial (fingers crossed!) I would love to live in accommodation for the first year, but my parents think I should live at home and commute from 2nd year onwards. I'm fine with that - I get on really well with my family and it's a lot cheaper & more convenient, especially when I start doing rotations etc in my clinical years.

But how detrimental would this be to my so-called 'university experience'? I'm naturally more of an introvert and not one to be out partying all night - would living at home from 2nd year+ exacerbate this? Lots of people tell me that going to university is becoming independent, be able to fend for yourself and try out new things - would I miss out on all of this if I live at home? I guess it is possible to rent out a flat with friends, but due to the sheer expensive-ness of London (another negative point!), I'm not sure how feasible that will be. And how unpleasant would it be to travel ~1 hour on the tube every day?

That's the one thing putting me off to applying to Imperial (and indeed to any London uni) at the moment. If you were in a similar situation, what do you think about this?

Also, any other thoughts on living at London would be welcome - for example, do the crime rates/pollution/ridiculous expensiveness of everything put you off at all? Or do you think the advantages of London outweigh the disadvantages?

Thanks.

(I've posted the same question in the UCL forum too)

[dmbh]

Living in london as a student is great. There are always loads of events, and if your into clubbing you won't be dissapointed at the student nights. I have a few friends who lived at home in their first year, and it doesn't really change your uni experience, they still went to all the uni events, and perhaps sometimes they had to leave a bit early to catch the tube, but night busses are always an option if you dont mind the longer trip. If you are living in halls the first year, you might like your taste of freedom and not want to live at home again in your second year. However, this depends on you, but renting does cost a lot of money, and you will save heaps. Though one word of warning, some people who live at home skip lectures because they can't be bothered to commute, this you would find especially for those damned 9am lectures. Living at home saves money, but living with friends is a whole new experience, it really depends on whether you find people you would be comfortable living with, and whether you can justify the cost.

[Gizmo says -]

'aving studies in both london and outside in a big city twice, i wuld ave to say that the other cities had all the advantages of london wiffout its worst disadvantages.

[Gizmo says -]

if you got free digs though thats wat you shuld go wif, macca, after all, rRent is the biggest killer in the social ealth of student life.

[pkonline]

A lot of pple are like you and decided to live in halls for the 1st year and then move back home for the rest of the course. It doesnt really effect their social life, and just imagine all the savings you can make! Plus 1hr commute isnt that uncommon, and I know pple who commute from far east London, so its do-able - again its personal choice though. And remember when you start clinicals you'll be all over west London anyway so commuting will be part of every medics routine .

[dmbh]

Yes, I agree with Gizmo, I have been going over my budget, and because my rent is now for a full year, I have a lot less money for social stuff.

[bonkors]

Personal finances does dictate your actions. As a previous poster has mentioned, 1hr is not that far to travel which means that you may be tempted to pop home more often than you intended to so maybe you might wanna stay at home after all as the rent is a killer in London.

[nadine_102]

Money is a big factor Especially if you are going to be studying in south kensington.

[Gizmo says -]

though if you are smart enuff to get in elsewhere then you dont need to bother wif that extra burden.

[dmbh]

Also the fact that the campus in in south ken doesn't mean you will have more expenses than a student going to any other london uni.