Freshers Guide 2010 . Welcome Welcome to London and Imperial College. This marks the start of an exciting 3 or 4 years where you’ll see, do and experience the whole London shebang. London may, at first, seem chaotic and hard to go about. Relax, you will soon get up to speed on how things work and you’ll see the beauty of it.

This short guide aims to provide essential information for helping you settle in as smoothly as possible. It was written by us and is influenced by our own experiences during our study years at Imperial.

. Settling In

UK Bank Account

One of the first things you have to consider is opening a UK Bank Account. Without one, you will not be able to do a monthly phone contract. Also, most UK shopping sites require a UK card.

There is a NatWest branch in Sherfield building, which is normally not very busy during lecture times. You need to bring proof of your identity (e.g. your passport or national ID card) and evidence of your UK address and your student status (ie. your acceptance letter from the College). More details can be found here.

Statement of Attendance

This is a letter confirming your registration and your course of study. It can be obtained from the Registry by completing a request for statement of attendance or by emailing [email protected]. This document takes two working days to produce (longer at busy times of year), and can either be collected from the Registry or posted to an address that you provide. If you require proof of your registration to open a bank account, you should request a Statement of Attendance as above, but providing the following additional details: the name and address of the bank, your current term-time (UK) address, and your address in Cyprus. Student Oyster Photocard

This is a discount travel card, which, as students, you are eligible to apply for. It is used to travel by tube, bus and other means of public transportation.

To apply, you must fill in an application form which you can find at the Registry (Shirfield building, Level 3). You will also need a small photo of you. The easiest way to apply is online at http://photocard.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/showLogon.do , where you can upload a photo of yours.

TFL Journey Planner

This is a very useful tool found in the website. (Direct link: http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2? language=en )

You can use it to find the easiest way to travel to a destination. More specifically, it shows you all the suitable buses, which tube station is closer to your place of interest and informs you of any works taking place at that time.

Term Dates

• Autumn term: Saturday 2 October to Friday 17 December 2010 • Spring term: Saturday 8 January to Friday 25 March 2011 • Summer term: Saturday 30 April to Friday 1 July 2011

Ayia Sophia Church

Situated near the tube station, it is the Greek Orthodox Church nearest to the college. In its website, http://www.stsophia.org.uk/ you can find the directions to go there (link at the bottom of the page) and also, a complete guide for Greek Students in London under the ‘Recommended’ section.

. Around South Kensington South Kensington is a really nice area and a very posh one actually. It is a prime London real estate (among the world's most expensive) and it is really safe, unless you get in the way of a crazy-going Lamborghini!

Royal Albert Hall

Behind our college, one can find the famous Royal Albert Hall, where many concerts and events take place every year. The Royal Albert Hall also hosts Imperial's graduation ceremonies.

The Museums

The area is also known about the Museums. A large part of every museum is free to the public. A price fee may apply for various exhibitions.

Victoria & Albert Museum

Tha V&A museum is the world's greatest museum of art and design, with collections unrivalled in their scope and diversity. Discover 3000 years' worth of amazing artefacts from many of the world's richest cultures including ceramics, furniture, fashion, glass, jewellery, metalwork, photographs, sculpture, textiles and paintings. Visit website

The Science Museum

The Science Museum was founded in 1857 with objects shown at the Great Exhibition held in the Crystal Palace. Today the Museum is world renowned for its historic collections, awe-inspiring galleries and inspirational exhibitions. Visit website

The Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 70 million items within five main collections, including the famous dinosaurs' exhibition. Visit website

Shopping

South Kensington is not famous for its shopping offerings, unless you are looking to buy an expensive car. Taking a shortcut behind Southside Halls you can reach in a 5-minute walk. There, you can find two of the most famous department stores: Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Visiting both is well-worth it but be prepared to spend loads of money if you plan to shop there. In Harrods, you can see the famous Dodi and Diana Memorials. You can also walk down Sloane Street where you can find all the famous brands: Giorgio Armani, D&G, Gucci, Prada, Versace etc.

Groceries

Unfortunately, the nearest groceries are about a 15-minute walk away. Here are some of them, with directions on how to reach them from Imperial College. • Waitrose (Gloucester Road) Directions • Tesco Express (Near South Kensington Tube Station) Directions • Sainsbury's (Cromwell Road) Directions • M&S Simply Food (Brompton road) Directions

Home Goods

• Argos (164-166 Kensington High Street) • Marks & Spencer (113 Kensington High Street)

Dining

There are a lot of restaurants and places to eat around the area. • Bella Italia (60 Old Brompton Road) • Gourmet Kitchen Burger (107 Old Brompton Road) • Nandos (117 Gloucester Road) • Beirut Express (65 Old Brompton Road) • The Sandwich Shop (Gloucester road) - The queue during the lunch breaks gets huge so go early (or skip the last 10 minute of your lecture :) ) • Jacobs (20 Gloucester Road) - Jacob's restaurant serves a variety of dishes on its menu, inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine. You can even find ''koupepia'' and ''gemista''! • Ciro's Pomodoro Pizza (51 Beauchamp Place) • Oddono's ice cream (14 Bute Street) - The best ice-cream in London! • Cafe Creperie (2 Exhibition Road) - Amazing crepes!!

Cyprus Cuisine (with directions from Imperial College)

• Aphrodite Taverna (15 Hereford Road, London, W2 4AB) Directions • Halepi Restaurant and Kebab House (18 Leinster Terrace, London, W2 3ET) Directions Clubs & Bars

• Boujis (opposite South Kensington station) • Opal Bar (36 Gloucester Road) • Kosmopol (138 Fulham Road) • Bartique (196-198 Fulham Road) • Eclipse (158 Old Brompton Road) . London Transport - Links

Getting around

Getting around London is pretty much easy, especially when you get used to the underground system and buses. There's a variety of choices to plan your journey and below you can find very useful tips and guidelines about using the transportation system.

Maps http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1106.aspx http://www.visitlondon.com/maps/travel_maps/ http://www.maps.google.com

Taxis http://www.britainexpress.com/London/ taxis.htm

Buses http://www.visitlondon.com/travel/ getting_around/bus

London Underground

Guides http://thetravelinsider.info/britain/londonundergroundtravelinfo.htm http://www.visitlondon.com/travel/getting_around/tube

Tickets and Prices http://thetravelinsider.info/britain/londonundergroundtickets.htm

Apply for a student photocard http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/1014.aspx

Journey Planner http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

London Bus Tours http://www.bigbustours.com/eng/london/default.aspx http://www.theoriginaltour.com Travelling out of London http://www.nationalrail.co.uk

Buy a young person's rail card and save 1/3 on the fares. http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk

Travelling to Europe using Eurostar. http://www.eurostar.com