New to London? Here's Some Helpful Advice
Posted on 02/10/2015
Tips for Moving to London
When you are moving house, you are bound to experience a variety of changes, and the biggest changes come if you are moving from a smaller town to a capital city. London can be very accommodating, but it can also be very scary for newcomers. The sheer vastness of the city and the number of its areas is intimidating and you might get anxious that you could get lost at any moment, and that is only your smallest fear. The fright of the unknown does tend to rule the human mind until we adapt to our new surroundings, so the best way to battle yours is to get acquainted with the city. So, your removal van is driving you off to London. What should you expect once the relocation is complete?
• A huge transportation system
The first thing you should get used to once you get here is the transportation network. London uses a variety of public transport: busses, trams, and the famous London Underground. If you wish to explore the city and unless you are the adventurous type who will go roaming with no idea of where you will be going next, then you need to get acquainted with the links and where a vehicle may take you. Get a travel map and learn about the transport, and use your first days there to get to as many locations as you can to start adapting.
• A variety of people
There are over 8.5 million people living in London today, so the number of people you could meet is immense. And that is not counting the tourists. Within these eight million people you can find all sorts of personalities and ethnicities – London has immigrants from all around the world creating their own communities within the city, adding to the already colourful crowd. So even if you are sick of the typical British attitude, you can always seek out to meet people from other cultures and learn about them. And you should learn about them as you have to eventually make friends and make your life easier. A local friend will get you places, as they say.
• A busy nightlife
Once you meet enough people to start groups for night outings, or just want to go out at night to meet new people, then you can make use of the variety of nightclubs which London offers. If you want a wild musical atmosphere, you will have your choice of genres as most of the popular clubs there are specified to a certain type of music. Rock, metal, R&B, pop, or retro, or indie rock, London has it all – all you have to do is ask around and find out what and where, and then enjoy the wild nightlife.
• Opportunities
If you want to prosper, then there are few other places you could have picked for your relocation. London offers a huge number of galleries, art studios, theatres, workshops, literature clubs, discussion centres, and whatever else you can think of for a professional evolution. Most of the areas here are littered with young professionals who either came from other countries or graduated from one of the prestige universities and colleges that London has and are seeking opportunities to thrive in their sphere of work. There is a place for every job in London, and opportunities await around every corner. If you are seeking to succeed professionally, you simply have to research the areas around you and see which one can accommodate your needs.
Living in London only seems scary. Once you actually get here and see off the moving company, and your life as a Londoner finally begins, you will see that only the scale and scenery is different, and very little else. Sure, you have more options for just about everything, and you would have to get used to public transportation, but the people are the same and the lifestyle can be the same. And once you settle in after moving house, and find friends and a proper job, you will very soon start feeling right at home.