Living in London Guide

UCL Law Society presents STARTING POINT: LIVING IN LONDON GUIDE

2018/2019 1st Edition © UCL Law Society 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD John Adams 19 Max Rayne 20 Shawn Siah 03 Schafer 21 Boyan Vassilev 04 St. Pancras Way (Unite) 22 Bing Yi Lim 05 UCL Halls of Residence 1. BEFORE YOU Ifor Evans 23 ARRIVE Ramsay 24 Things To Bring 07 Intercollegiate Halls Visa Information For 09 France Trip College Hall & 25 Connaught Hall 2. WELCOME! The Garden Halls 26 International Hall 27 Essential Information 11 Lilian Penson Hall 28 Travelling From The 12 Airport To UCL 4. FIRST FEW DAYS

3. HALL GUIDE Arrival Checklist 30 UCL Student Houses 5. GENERAL ADVICE Arthur Tattersall / 15 John Tovell How To Survive 34 Living In London Frances Gardner / 16 Langton Close Some Law School Tips 37 Goldsmid & 17 James Lighthill John Dodgson 18

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FOREWORD

London can offer something to everyone – it can be a dream come true for football fans, a mecca for theatre maestros, and an ideal ground for legal eagles to take flight. Even in the absence of any particular passions, you will eventually develop a love just for being part of a cosmopolitan community in this global metropolis.

As you embark on this journey of discovery, the best advice that I can offer is to keep an open mind. Don’t lose touch with your friends back home, but do make the effort to meet new people from cultures beyond those that you are familiar with.

Incidentally, the greater the diversity of your network, the greater the extent of similarities than differences that you will come to Dear Freshers, appreciate amongst people of the world.

Having left home to further my studies in At the end of our time here, some of you may London like you, I completely understand the stay, while many others will return to develop mixed bag of emotions running through you their careers back home. Either way, the at this point - the uneasiness of leaving family shared experiences and networks formed and friends behind, the inertia of change, set throughout your time in London will be against the anticipation of something new. invaluable to you, and worth treasuring for No matter how you presently feel, you have the rest of your lives. my word on this - committing your best years to living in London is a decision that you will Best Wishes, come to thank yourself for having made, in Shawn Siah the years down the road. President 2018/2019

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FOREWORD

Nevertheless, there are times where you may feel you have it harder than most and that perhaps may be too much for you to handle. But fret not! It is okay to feel this way sometimes and here at UCL Law Society we are proud of the exceptional support network provided for students at all levels of their studies to guarantee that your time here is enjoyable and runs as smoothly as possible.

As your Vice-President I am proud to also share the de facto role of Welfare Officer. My job is to provide you with advice and support when you are faced with personal or work-related problems. I understand that many people are afraid to speak out when problems arise and suffer in silence. Indeed there were times where I felt the same. I want you all to feel comfortable approaching me with any issues you may have, ranging from Hello Freshers!! big to small, and my guarantee to you is that I will do my best to help point you to the I hope you all make the most out of Freshers appropriate people within UCL and respect Fortnight because it is the best way to have your privacy in doing so. crazy fun before your first year as a law student begins! Studying for your law degree For now, enjoy Freshers and whatever is definitely going to be a hard challenge. It is London has to offer. Most importantly, normal to feel hard-worked and sometimes remember to drink responsibly! overwhelmed by the rigour of the course, but know that we have all been there and I can Best Wishes, promise you it does get much easier once you Boyan Vassilev find your rhythm. Vice-President 2018/2019

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WELCOME TO LONDON !

That’s what this guide is for, to help all of you transition from your comfort zones to the vast sea of opportunities and challenges London has to offer. Without doubt, last year has been the best year of my life.

If I had one piece of advice, that would be to be open-minded. At UCL Laws, we are a diverse group of people hailing from no less than 45 different countries. These 3 or 4 years will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to broaden your horizons. Be willing to appreciate different opinions, and step out of your comfort zones if you can!

I would like to thank all contributing writers for their time. Shout out to our very own Raphael Khoo and Linus Engelhardt for the beautiful pictures in this guide! Last but most Dear Freshers, definitely not least, I would like to thank our sponsors, Allen & Overy LLP, for their Congratulations! You are all now about to generous support towards this guide. read law in one of the best law schools in the world! You have every reason to be proud of I am confident that with a positive attitude, all what you have accomplished. of you will come to embrace and love life in one of the greatest cities on this planet. At exactly this time last year, I was like many of you, anxious about the prospect of Warm Wishes, venturing into the unknown – whether it was Bing Yi Lim living alone, making friends, the difficulty of Overseas Officer 2018/2019 the course etc. It was, undoubtedly, daunting.

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1 BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

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THINGS TO BRING

Many of you will be travelling from abroad, meaning that you will probably have limited luggage space (unless you opt for shipping services). Below is a recommended basic packing list. Do note that this is a general guide and feel free to bring any necessary items as you see fit! All of the items below can be purchased in London.

Clothes Important Documents

// T-Shirts / Jeans / Pants / Sweatpants // Passport Bring as many as possible for casual For those on Tier 4 Visas, make sure wear, sports, sleepwear etc. Saves you your Visas are approved before you from doing laundry multiple times a arrive. week! // UCL Letter of Acceptance / Hall // Windbreakers / Sweaters / Light Letter of Acceptance Jackets / Coats // Financial Statements // Berms / Shorts / Skirt This includes Sponsorship Letters, Bank For summer wear. Statements etc.

// Formal Wear // Original IB / A Level / High School You will need this for Career Events, Certificates interviews, and Boat / Easter / Christmas Balls! // Chest X Ray (A3 Size) As part of relevant Visa requirements. // Towels / Socks / Undergarments // Passport Photos // Shoes For Hall IDs etc.

// High School Uniform // List of Personal Details A secret :) Bank account details, Hall Address, Emergency Contact Details etc. for your reference.

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THINGS TO BRING

Miscellaneous

// Laptop / Chargers / Earphones / Adapters Essential for Law School!

// Toiletries / Personal Medication / Locks / Backpack / Hangers / Bed Sheets / Pillow Sheets / Stationery / Water Bottles All these can be bought after you arrive and do note the liquid limits on flights. It is recommended that you get your bed / pillow sheets after you arrive.

Tips and Advice

Don’t overpack, be sensible with your If you want to save on stationeries, law firms luggage space and bring only what is give out plenty of freebies! necessary. Looking for second hand law textbooks and As students, you get Amazon Prime for free as revision guides? well as 10% Student Discounts on online https://www.facebook.com/groups/1239543 sites such as ASOS. You can find discounts on 54373858/?fref=ts the app Unidays as well! So feel free to buy clothes after you arrive. For those travelling Join the Official Law Freshers group to get important updates and information! from temperate climates, you can buy your https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171156 winter coats after you arrive. 099566023/

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VISA INFORMATION FOR FRANCE TRIP

As most of you are already aware, one of the You will then need to arrange an highlights of the UCL Laws Freshers’ Fortnight appointment, and your documents will be is a trip to France. For this trip, international checked. In the past, visa processing has students from certain countries may need to taken around 3-10 working days but it may apply for a Schengen visa. stretch up to 15 working days.

To find out if you need this visa, check this Either option requires you to act soon in order list: http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/who- to ensure that you will have your visa on needs- schengen-visa/ time.

There are two key ways to obtain a Schengen N.B. If you wish to travel to Europe at any visa: point in your studies at UCL, it may be worth 1. Contacting the French Consulate in your applying for a Schengen visa in advance, as it respective country: representatives of the allows entry into almost all of Europe. French Consulate will advise you from there. Different countries have different procedures, waiting times and fees, so the French Consulate is your best bet. 2. Going through an independent visa company in the UK: TLScontact is one such company, and it is based in Kensington, London W14 8XP. Its services are available regardless of nationality and type of passport. Booking an appointment with TLScontact is free of charge, but you will be charged a fee for the actual visa and the visa application. If you decide to go through this company, you must register on their website: https://www.tlscontact.com/gbLON2fr/login. php?l=en

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2 WELCOME !

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ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Tower Bridge

How to read // e.g. 1 John Street, West Town, London London Addresses WC1P 0QP, United Kingdom.

N : North S : South E : East W : West WC : Western Central EC : Eastern Central NW : North Western SW : South Western SE : South Eastern

Block / House Number : 1 Street Name : John Street Town : West Town City : London Postal Code : WC1P 0QP

How to read // e.g. +44 (0) 1111 1111 telephone numbers When dialing from overseas, dial: +44 0 1111 1111 When dialing from within the UK, dial: 0 1111 1111

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TRAVELLING FROM THE AIRPORT TO UCL

Tube

Your first introduction to the famous London transport. Download the Tube Map before you arrive!

Heathrow: Take the Piccadilly Line to either Russell Square or Kings Cross St. Pancras. For those needing to travel to your respective halls, you can change and take another ride from Kings Cross St. Pancras.

Luton / Stansted / Gatwick / Southend: There is no direct Tube service to London.

Costs: Below £6 Duration: 1 hour

Heathrow Express

The fastest way to get to Central London.

Heathrow: Take the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station. After which, take the Tube to your desired destination.

Costs: Approximately £30 Duration: 15-20 minutes

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TRAVELLING FROM THE AIRPORT TO UCL

National Express

Bus service from Heathrow.

Heathrow / Stansted / Gatwick / Southend / Luton: Take the National Express Coach to Victoria Station. After which, take the Tube / Bus to your desired destination.

Costs: Below £10 Duration: 45 - 90 minutes

Stansted / Gatwick Express

The fastest way to get to Central London.

Stansted / Gatwick: Take the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street Tube Station. After which, take the Tube to your desired destination.

Costs: Approximately £30 Duration: 15-20 minutes

Taxi / Uber / Private Hire

The most convenient (and expensive) way to get to Central London.

Costs: Varies Duration: Usually 45 minutes

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3 HALL GUIDE

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HALL GUIDE

For many of you, this will be your first time living in halls – the quintessential university experience. It is indeed exciting and a lot of fun, as you get to meet people from all walks of life. Below is a compilation of tips and advice given by the current penultimate year law students, and will hopefully help you transition into hall life! Do note that several halls are not included as information could not be obtained from those halls.

UCL Student Houses

Arthur Tattersall / John Tovell

Nearest Tube Stations Euston Square (3 min walk), Warren Street (5 min walk), Goodge Street (6 min walk)

Distance from 7 min walk Bentham House Nearest Grocery Sainsbury’s (5 min walk)

Food Places Nearby It’s right next to Tottenham Court Road which has a lot of food places. If you’re willing to walk a little bit further down you’ll get to Goodge Street which has a lot of eateries.

Best Things It’s situated at a great location, which is right opposite the Main Quad. It’s also a stone’s throw away from Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street!

Worst Things The building is rather old, and may take the office some time to fix items.

Living Tips i) There are also only 3 washers and 2 dryers for the entire accommodation so be prepared to have to wait in the room to get your washing done if it’s a busy day. ii) Be independent. It’s a student house and not a hall so it feels a lot more like you’re living on your own in a rented room rather than collectively with a bunch of other students compared to a student hall. iii) Be prepared to take care of your meals everyday as it is not a catered hall!

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Student Houses

Frances Gardner / Langton Close

Nearest Tube Stations Russell Square (10 min walk), King’s Cross St. Pancras (15 min walk), Chancery Lane (13 min walk)

Distance from 20 min walk Bentham House Nearest Grocery Essential Express Food & Wine (2 min walk), Co-op Food (7 min walk), Waitrose/Sainsbury at The Brunswick (10 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Rather limited. Head to The Brunswick for more options.

Best Things It’s a nice and clean accommodation at a very fair price! There’s also a 3G Football Pitch at Coram’s Field nearby. Big kitchen and lots of storage compared to other halls.

Worst Things There’s plenty of maintenance work and room surveys which can be a nuisance. If you live in Frances Gardner, it can be annoying sometimes as many facilities are in Langton Close.

Living Tips i) You will need coins to do laundry so do collect coins! ii) The washing machines are a lot smaller than the dryer so I recommend doing a dark and a light wash at the same time in separate washing machines (if there’s enough available) and drying them together which in the long run will save you some money. iii) Don’t leave your mess/dirty dishes lying around in the kitchen for more than a day or your flatmates will start to get annoyed. It’s best to keep on top of it and do it as you go along. iv) It’s quite a good idea to have a bike and Frances provides a very secure area for you to chain up your bike so you don’t have to worry about it getting stolen. v) Unless you are from a very warm climate, you will find Frances sufficiently warm even without turning on the radiator. vi) It’s quite a quiet hall and therefore any noise (such as parties and afters) after 11.30 pm will probably receive complaints and you are likely to be fined if it happens more than once.

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Student Houses

Goldsmid

Nearest Tube Stations Victoria (7 min walk)

Distance from Walk to Victoria + Victoria Line to Euston + Walk (20 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Sainsbury’s (1 min walk), Tesco (5 min walk), Waitrose (5 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Plenty of options in Victoria Station and a few coffee shops nearby. There’s Nando’s right across the street as well as a few restaurants. There is also a street food market every Thursday.

Best Things It’s a prime location with plenty of amenities nearby such as a gym, swimming pool and plenty of tourist spots. The rooms are modern and clean, and it’s a relatively quiet place to live in.

Worst Things A long distance away from UCL. Lack of common space which makes the hall quite antisocial.

Living Tips i) Pimlico is an amazing place to live in. Don’t stay locked up in your room and go out to explore! ii) As there is no silent room, ask for a room facing the courtyard if you can.

James Lighthill

Nearest Tube Stations King’s Cross St. Pancras (5 min walk), Angel (5 min walk)

Distance from 25 min walk, Bus 30 / 73 / 205 (20 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Tesco (1 min walk), Sainsbury’s (2 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Honest Burgers, Pizza Union, Five Guys, Pret etc.

Best Things It’s very safe as it is a gated premise with a 24-hour security guard. There’s convenient public transport around and it’s not noisy!

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Student Houses

Worst Things A longer walk to campus. Not the most social hall.

Living Tips i) Get to know as many people as you can during freshers’ week (and at the accommodation party on the first Sunday before freshers’ week), as afterwards it can be quite hard to mingle with other students because there aren’t other socials being held in the common room. ii) Always make sure that you have someone to walk home with at night (e.g. after a night out, if you aren’t taking an Uber).

John Dodgson

Nearest Tube Stations King’s Cross St. Pancras (3 min walk), Russell Square (3 min walk), Euston (5 min walk)

Distance from 5 min walk Bentham House Nearest Grocery Waitrose / Sainsbury’s (5 min walk)

Food Places Nearby There’s plenty of food at The Brunswick, Marchmont Street and Euston Road!

Best Things It is super social! A lot of people are down to have a good time and it was relatively easy to make friends, since pre-drinks happen in the common room quite often. The rooms are very well-sized (and if you get lucky you might get the big corner room). The facilities are good: the halls have a laundry room, printer and scanner, and even a vending machine.

Worst Things The bathrooms: the tap water is either extremely hot or extremely cold and there isn’t anything you can do about it. The shower heating system has failed a few times last year and has been a nuisance.

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Student Houses

Living Tips i) For international students: move in a week earlier! Accommodation is available from a week earlier because there are a lot of activities going on during that week. I made some of my best friends in the first week because it was just us in the dorm, and I suggest the international students actually do this! ii) Pick your laundry time wisely – there are only 3 washing machines, and it is a pain to keep checking whether there is free space for you to do your laundry.

John Adams

Nearest Tube Stations Euston (2 min walk), Euston Square (5 min walk), King’s Cross St. Pancras (10 min walk)

Distance from It’s right opposite! Bentham House Nearest Grocery Sainsbury’s at Euston Station (2 min walk); Larger Sainsbury and Tesco at Tottenham Court Road (10 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Nando’s etc. at Euston Station.

Best Things Nothing beats being 10 seconds way from Bentham House! On top of that, the hall was renovated in Summer 2017 so everything is pretty much brand new and modern. Modern common room in the basement with a TV, ping pong table, couches, a piano, and an old school games console. Small study room on the ground floor with four computers and a printer that are connected to the UCL system.

Worst Things The water seems to shut off completely or only be cold about once a month, but is usually fixed within a day. The windows are quite old so rooms on the outside of the building get a lot of street noise.

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Student Houses

Living Tips i) Be friends with people in your kitchen! It will become a great place for you to hang out and de-stress. ii) There are only 4 laundry machines and 3 dryers for the whole building so try to either do your laundry at unusual times or set a timer for when the previous person’s wash finishes and put your laundry in right after.

Max Rayne

Nearest Tube Stations Camden Town (7 min walk)

Distance from 40 min walk, Bus 253 + walk (15 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Small Tesco (2 min walk), Large Sainsbury’s (7 min walk), Lidl (8 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Camden High Street and Camden Market.

Best Things Camden is a bustling location to live in, with plenty of amenities. Max Rayne offers big rooms at an affordable price!

Worst Things Rooms are rather dull and need some decorating. The walk to university can be a pain as it is rather far.

Living Tips i) Make use of the table tennis facilities on the ground floor and the tennis courts which are always empty. ii) Bring flip flops for the walk between your room and the shower. iii) Shop at Lidl in Kentish Town to save lots of money on shopping. iv) Sign up the student discount at Belushi Bar for cheap drinks in Camden.

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Student Houses

Schafer

Nearest Tube Stations Warren Street (3 min walk), Euston Square (5 min walk)

Distance from 10 min walk Bentham House Nearest Grocery Sainsbury’s Local (2 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Main food options are at Tottenham Court Road and Euston Station.

Best Things Extremely close to UCL. Helpful and kind staff, I was promptly provided with my own mini-fridge after mentioning my gluten intolerance! One of the most social halls with a cozy social area, including a piano and large TV screen.

Worst Things There is always a congestion at the launderette. The walls are also rather thin.

Living Tips i) Do your laundry in the morning when everyone is at university to avoid congestion! ii) Make use of the Facebook group chat if you need to borrow anything – people have been very accommodating. iii) Heed the signs saying that you should close the kitchen windows at night – birds have been known to fly in, eating food and leaving behind what they failed to digest…

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Student Houses

St. Pancras Way (Unite)

Nearest Tube Stations Mornington Crescent (9 min walk), King’s Cross St. Pancras (11 min walk)

Distance from 20 min walk Bentham House Nearest Grocery Sainsbury’s (8 min walk); Co-op (6 min walk)

Food Places Nearby There’s a lot of food options at King’s Cross.

Best Things Excellent facilities. Quiet study room, two large common rooms and TV room. Modern room. Pretty much 24 hour security but thankfully no draconian sign-in policy, making it ideal to have guests over. Functional app to help you if you lose your key or require maintenance assistance.

Worst Things Quite a distance from campus, and price increases every year.

Living Tips i) Go to the events put on by the halls to meet others, can be a bit quiet as it is a mixture of universities and years.

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Halls of Residence

Ifor Evans

Nearest Tube Stations Camden Town (11 min walk), Camden Road (5 min walk)

Distance from Walk (25 min), Bus (15 min), Cycle (10 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Large Sainsbury’s outlet (5 min walk)

Food Places Nearby McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Kebab Stores, Wasabi, Itsu, Camden Markets.

Best Things Catered food is pretty decent, rooms are decently sized. The area is quiet as it is away from Camden High Street. Relatively affordable as compared to other halls.

Worst Things Design of the Hall is old, and some of the furniture (windows, tap) is faulty.

Living Tips (i) The Hall’s a good 25-30 mins walk to school and taking a bus there isn’t always ideal (it’s very crowded in the mornings). Highly suggested to cycle to school. Double lock your bikes though. (ii) You don’t have to sign your guests in when they come. There’s no restrictions on the number of guests either. But the security guard patrols the area after midnight so if you want to let your guest out, try to avoid them. (iii) Try to have breakfast before 9am (it gets crowded after 9am) and you will get to have the full range of food options. Just bring a small sandwich box and keep your “lunch” in there. (iv) Take note of the closing hours of Wasabi and Itsu along Camden High Street as they close slightly earlier than the ones near campus. You can then arrive at least 10 mins before the 50% deal starts.

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HALL GUIDE

UCL Halls of Residence

Ramsay

Nearest Tube Stations Warren Street (3 min walk), Euston Square (5 min walk)

Distance from Walk (10 mins) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Sainsbury’s (2 min walk), Tesco (2 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Plenty, especially on Tottenham Court Road.

Best Things The notorious Ramsay Hall – once home to Coldplay – prides in its reputation in being arguably the most social UCL hall. Apart from being in a prime location, Ramsay also has good and useful facilities.

Worst Things As a “party hall”, it can get rowdy and noisy at times. The toilet cleanliness isn’t the best, as well as having dated rooms and features.

Living Tips i) Buy your own water bottles as the tap water isn’t the best! ii) Keep your cutlery and crockery in your room as the kitchen is shared between 20 people. iii) Try to make friends quickly! (Don’t worry it’s easy as everyone is in the same position as you are) iv) Keep your room locked at all times. v) Keep the toilets cleaned as it’s better for everyone!

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HALL GUIDE

Intercollegiate Halls

College Hall

Nearest Tube Stations Goodge Street (6 min walk), Russell Square (8 min walk)

Distance from Walk (8 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Co-Op (5 min walk), Tesco Metro (7 min walk), Tesco Express (8 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Restaurants on Goodge Street and Tottenham Court Road.

Best Things College Hall is situated right next to UCL. The rooms and en-suite bathrooms are cleaned every fortnight. The Student Central (with a gym and swimming pool) is right across the hall!

Worst Things There is a lack of cooking facilities. Food stored at the pantry may get stolen.

Living Tips i) There’s a hidden storage space under the beds to keep your empty bags and suitcases; just lift the mattress up to reveal the hidden compartment ii) To save money, pack leftover food served during dinner (food counter will be opened for seconds) for lunch the next day iii) Sign your guests out or get a knock on your door at 11.45pm! iv) Be sure to take advantage of the music room found on the lower ground floor, as well as the two TV rooms.

Connaught Hall

Nearest Tube Stations Goodge Street (10 min walk), Russell Square (6 min walk)

Distance from Walk (2 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Co-Op (5 min walk), Tesco Metro (7 min walk), Tesco Express (8 min walk)

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HALL GUIDE

Intercollegiate Halls

Food Places Nearby Restaurants on Goodge Street and Tottenham Court Road.

Best Things Connaught is situated at a prime location, with quick access to both Bentham House and the main UCL campus. It is also very communal, and has a lively atmosphere. It also has many useful facilities.

Worst Things As it is one of the older halls, it is slightly more run-down than its intercollegiate counterparts. Lift does not go to 4th Floor. Walls are rather thin and may get quite noisy.

Living Tips i) The mailing system isn’t the best so do check your first, middle and last name. ii) Make friends from all the other University of London schools!

The Garden Halls

Nearest Tube Stations Russell Square (5 min walk), Kings Cross St. Pancras (9 min walk)

Distance from Walk (5 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Costcutters (2 min walk), Waitrose / Sainsbury’s at The Brunswick (3 min walk), Tesco Express (5 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Marchmont Street, The Brunswick, Euston Road, Kings Cross.

Best Things Dare I say, the best hall in London? Arguably the most modern accommodation with many facilities (TV room, Games Room, Meeting Rooms, Tennis Courts etc.). Situated in a prime location with convenient access to numerous tube stations. The electronic mailing system is also extremely convenient.

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HALL GUIDE

Intercollegiate Halls

Worst Things Pantries do get extremely dirty. Those living on ground floor have to be prepared to hear loud noises from the main street. Not the most social hall, and the staff can be rude sometimes. Lifts were also frequently faulty. Rooms aren’t the biggest.

Living Tips i) If you need a quiet space to study, book the meeting rooms. ii) Pack breakfast/dinner for lunch to save money! iii) Try to attend the social events!

International Hall

Nearest Tube Stations Russell Square (5 min walk)

Distance from Walk (10 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery Waitrose / Sainsbury’s at The Brunswick (3 min walk), Tesco Express (5 min walk)

Food Places Nearby Marchmont Street, The Brunswick, Lamb Conduit Street.

Best Things We have a squash court, a TV room, two music rooms, a pole table, a foosball table and a table tennis set. There are various regular activities throughout the week. Join us for yoga, football or go running with the running club.

Worst Things

Living Tips i) IH is an intercollegiate hall. You will meet people from different colleges with incredibly diverse backgrounds. Take advantage of that. Come to socials and get to know people who do not study law. It will help you to take a break from studies. ii) Do check the posters now and then. The CVC and the Senior Members try to plan fun events. Most of them are free because our Warden generously subsidizes social events. iii) If you have any questions, always go to the Senior Members.

HALL GUIDE

Intercollegiate Halls

Lilian Penson Hall

Nearest Tube Stations Paddington (5 min walk), Lancaster Gate (6 min walk)

Distance from Walk (45 min), Tube + Walk (25 min) Bentham House Nearest Grocery M&S / Sainsbury’s (5 min walk), Tesco (8 min walk)

Food Places Nearby KFC, McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Leon, Costa, Caffe Nero, Upper Crust, Starbucks.

Best Things Lillian Penson is a very communal hall! We have a Bar and Common Room and there are events held throughout the year from students. Very sociable and easy to make friends (especially if you are catered). It’s a really good location – Hyde Park is 5 mins walk away, Oxford street is 10 mins on the tube and there are 5 tube lines that are easily accessible. The cleaners empty your bin every day, your room is cleaned every fortnight and the halls provide toilet paper.

Worst Things Compared to most halls, it is quite far out. Most halls are within walking distance but Lilian Penson is around 30 mins away on the tube. Some rooms are better than other so it can be hit and miss.

Living Tips i) If you cannot make a meal time (often Law events clash with dinner), you can order a packed dinner instead ii) Often, at the start of the year, they do tours of the local area – join one because you can familiarise yourself with the Paddington area. iii) Find people on your course / at UCL that you can travel with in the first few weeks!

4 FIRST FEW DAYS

ARRIVAL CHECKLIST

Main Quad, University College London

Enrol and get a Statement of Student Status

You must collect your Biometric Residence After obtaining your Statement of Student Permit (BRP) before you enrol. Complete your Status, you will then need to use that to pre-enrolment email and attend your obtain your UCL ID. enrolment appointment. You will need to bring along several documents, namely, your Your UCL ID is crucial as you will need it to valid passport / UK Photo Driving License / open your UK Bank Account. Try to complete European National Identity Card and your everything as early as possible to avoid any BRP. For students on a Tier 4 Visa, your unnecessary hassle so you can enjoy passport is mandatory. Make sure that your Freshers’ Fortnight in peace! personal details (home, contact, term-time addresses) are updated and reflected correctly on Portico before your enrolment.

ARRIVAL CHECKLIST

Registering with the police

This is only required for Tier 4 Visa Students whose entry clearance vignette / BRP / Home Office letter explicitly indicates so.

Bank matters

For those of you who need to set up a UK bank account, you can do so after you have enrolled. The most popular banks include HSBC, Barclays, NatWest, Lloyds, Santander etc.

To set up your bank account, you will need the following documents:

i) Passport and BRP (Tier 4 Visa) ii) Passport or national ID (EU) iii) Statement of Student Status / Hall of Residences Letter / Home Bank Account Letter (depending on the bank you are opening your account with).

It is important that you ensure that your term-time address has been updated to your UK address and your home address remains as your permanent overseas address on your Portico account. This is important as banks will not accept your application if your Statement of Student Status do not reflect so.

Set up your mobile phone

The most popular phone providers in the UK include 3, O2, EE, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone, Giffgaff etc. Check out each of the service providers and determine which mobile data plan is most suitable for you.

ARRIVAL CHECKLIST

Get an Oyster card

Your key to travelling around London. As walking remains the predominant way to travel around London, it is recommended you get the pay-as-you-go Oyster card. Alternatively, if you have a contactless payment bank card, it functions as an Oyster card as well.

Your Oyster card can be used on buses and the Tube. Do note that London is divided into different zones, and travelling to another zone will be more expensive than travelling within the same zone.

Full-time students can apply online for an 18+ Student Oyster Photocard, which entitles you to a discount of up to 30% on Travelcards and season tickets. You must have fully enrolled before applying.

If you plan on travelling out of Greater London, getting the 16-25 Railcard gives you 1/3 off ticket prices. You can register your Railcard with your adult Oyster card which gives you 1/3 off all single off-peak rail fares.

Registering with a General Practitioner

After you enrol, register with a NHS General Practitioner (GP) near you. Some halls organise registration sessions so do look out for them.

5 GENERAL ADVICE

HOW TO SURVIVE LIVING IN LONDON

Some handy apps

Citymapper | Google Maps | Uber

Both Citymapper and Google Maps will help you navigate around the labyrinth that is London. Many people prefer Citymapper as it shows the price of the journey as well. At the end of the day, it’s down to personal preference.

Uber will be useful after a night out and especially if you are too far away from home. There has been a lot of talk about Uber losing its license, but for the time being, it still serves a useful function.

UNIDAYS | StudentBeans | Too Good to Go

Download UNIDAYS and StudentBeans for the latest clothing / apparel discounts, while Too Good to Go allows you to buy food at discounts at certain times of the day!

UCL

To help you get around UCL and the myriad of different buildings. You’ll still need to go to campus for lectures!

HOW TO SURVIVE LIVING IN LONDON

The Natural History Museum

Experiencing London

There is more to London than just the Big Ben and Buckingham Palace!

Museums

London is home to world-class museums, and it’d be a shame not to visit them whilst you’re in London!

A few museums that you should visit include the The British Museum, Natural History Museum, National Gallery and more! The National Gallery

Markets

Borough Market, Camden Market, Brick Lane Market, Old Spitalfields Market … London markets are a foodie’s dream.

Try to visit them during non-peak hours (Lunch / After work hours) so you don’t have to endure long queues.

HOW TO SURVIVE LIVING IN LONDON

Parks

When you need a break from the rigours of law school, sometimes a change in scenery is what you need to relax.

Some of the most breathtaking parks near UCL include Hyde Park, Regent’s Park and St. James Park. Primrose Hill is a quiet hill near Regent’s Park that offers a nice view of the City of London!

Regent’s Park Theatres

Watching a West End play in London is an amazing cultural experience. However, theatre tickets are rather expensive, especially for university students. A tip to get tickets on a discount is to buy your tickets from “The Half-Price Ticket Booth” run by TKTS in Leicester Square. Queue in the morning for the best chance to get tickets!

Enjoy London’s Skyline

View this breathtaking city from the top!

The Shard and The Monument The Gherkin For £3 and 311 steps, you can have a view of London from one of the oldest man-made viewing platforms in London.

The Walkie Talkie, Sky Garden One of the best places. Free of charge if you book a seat in advance.

Emirates Air Line A cable car link across the River Thames for £3.50.

SOME LAW SCHOOL TIPS

The Committee outside Bentham House

Keeping Up

As the adage goes, “go to lectures”. The New Year Resolution of thousands of law students, this method ensures one understands the material sufficiently, so you can make full use of tutorials to strengthen your understanding of the topic.

If you do this, you will not regret it.

It’s Your Degree

Sometimes you may feel inadequate: everyone seems to understand the course material faster, getting first year schemes etc. Main Library, UCL Trust yourself and stop comparing yourself with others, you’ll be just fine.

Photos and Illustrations Credit: Raphael Khoo, Linus Engelhardt, Unsplash Guide Arranged by: Bing Yi Lim

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All opinions expressed in this Guide are of the UCL Law Society, which is a distinct entity from the UCL Faculty of Laws

38 | Sponsored by Allen & Overy LLP www.ucllawsociety.co.uk