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A Really Fun Guide to London
I’ve absolutely loved exploring London during my studies. This city has so much to offer! From events and live music to pubs, nightlife, food, and even just relaxing in the parks, there’s something for everyone. Here are some of my top picks:
Pubs
Two of my favourite pubs are along the River Thames, and the views are absolutely gorgeous!
- Oyster Shed (City of London): Perfect view of the Shard! It’s a bit on the pricier side, but the riverside ambiance makes up for it.
- The Ship (Wandsworth): Watching the sunset here is simply stunning.
Other nightlife
- Cafe Sol (Clapham): Always a fun night out with good music and a great vibe.
- The Blues Kitchen (Camden): A chill, low-key bar with live music.
- SOMA (Soho): Minimalist underground speakeasy cocktail bar. I’ve been to the Soho branch, but I’ve heard that the Canary Wharf one is also good.
- Pear Tree Cafe (Battersea Park): Great vibes day or night, perfect for grabbing an iced coffee or a drink.
Restaurants
- Flat Iron (Multiple locations): Amazing steak! I recommend the flat iron steak with truffle mac and cheese.
- The Flygerians (Peckham): Really good Nigerian cuisine. Their jollof rice, efo riro, and plantain is delicious.
- El Metro Tapas Bar (Fulham): Great tapas selection and vibey interior.
- Masigo (Angel): Lovely service and fantastic Korean food.
- Willows (Clapham): Perfect for brunch! You can build your own brunch board with lots of options.
Scandinavian Food
As a Norwegian, I had to dedicate a section to Scandinavian food. It’s always nice to get a little taste of home!
- ScandiKitchen (Fitzrovia): Cafe and shop with the best of Scandinavian food and products.
- TotallySwedish (Barnes): Swedish food with that familiar Nordic comfort.
- Black Sheep Coffee (Multiple locations): This chain actually serves Norwegian waffles with brown cheese and jam and they’re so good!
Parks
I love chilling in these parks with a book or having a picnic and playing games with friends:
- Battersea Park
- Kensington Gardens
- Richmond Park
Other Fun Stuff
- Gravity (Wandsworth): Arcade, bowling, minigolf, darts, bar, and gokarting. All in one place!
- BookBar (Islington): Bookshop meets coffee and wine bar. Sit down with a book, coffee, or glass of wine and enjoy.
I hope you get the chance to check out some of these places and enjoy my top picks in London!
- Erica
4 Reasons to Study at Roehampton
I completed my whole undergrad degree at the University of Roehampton. If you’re considering where to study, here are four reasons why Roehampton could be the perfect choice for you:
1. A Beautiful Campus
One of the things I loved most about Roehampton was the campus itself. It has a traditional university feel, set in stunning parkland that makes it hard to believe you’re still in London. There are so many spots to relax or hang out after lectures. My favourite was The Hive Café, which serves food and drinks made with local and sustainable produce, some of it even grown on campus! There’s also a student bar that hosts events, a gym and sports facilities, and a modern library filled with study spaces, books, and online resources.
2. Societies and Sport
Whether you’re into sports, gaming, or just want to meet people who share your interests, Roehampton has plenty of clubs and societies to choose from. There’s a Disney Society, Scandinavian Society, E-sports Society, and the list goes on. And you can always create your own society or adopt an old one! Joining a team or a society is such a lovely way to make friends, and many of them organise events, trips and socials throughout the year.
3. Support When You Need It
University can be a big adjustment, but Roehampton has a lot of support in place. There are wellbeing officers available during the day and college wardens out of hours, so there’s always someone you can turn to if you need help. The careers team runs workshops, helps with CVs, and connects students with employers through Handshake, their online platform. On top of that, every student is assigned an Academic Guidance Tutor to provide advice and guidance throughout their time at Roehampton.
4. A Wide Range of Courses
Roehampton offers a great mix of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. You’ll find subjects like psychology, dance, and criminology, as well as business-focused degrees such as business management, marketing, and human resource management. Whatever your interests, there’s likely a course that fits.
Final Thoughts
Studying at Roehampton gave me so much more than just a degree, it gave me a community. Between the campus life, the variety of clubs and societies, the strong support systems, and the course options, Roehampton is a place where you can truly feel at home while working towards your future.
- Erica
Renting Privately During Your Studies
After living on campus for two years, I decided to try something new and live off campus. It was time to step out of my comfort zone at Roehampton and experience London in a different way. Another uni friend and I started looking for two-bedroom flats, and that turned out to be an interesting experience, to say the least. Finding private housing is a long process with many factors to consider.
The London rental market moves quickly and is extremely competitive. If you find a place you like, you have to act fast! We started searching months before we planned to move, but many flats only get listed a few weeks before availability, which is quite stressful when your current lease is about to end.
We used sites like Zoopla, Rightmove, and OpenRent to browse listings and contact estate agents or landlords. I reached out to many agents but often didn’t hear back. Sometimes they would only respond when I used my UK number instead of my Norwegian one.
Being an international student definitely made the process harder. Some places don’t accept students, only working professionals. Others only allow families, not multiple sharers. You also need a UK guarantor (a UK resident with a good credit history and sufficient income to cover the rent) if your yearly salary isn’t high enough. If you don’t have a guarantor, you may have to pay up to six months’ rent upfront.
On top of that, you have to find the best deals for gas, electricity, and Wi-Fi, set up your bills, and manage maintenance issues yourself or with your landlord.
Despite all this, the outcome was worth it. I loved living off campus. We were closer to central London and able to explore different neighbourhoods, something I wouldn’t have done on campus. Public transport options were good, with multiple nearby train stations, and we were close to shops, gyms, and amenities.
Living independently also helped me develop real-life skills like budgeting and household management. We had complete autonomy, set our own schedule, and made all the decisions for our home. Sharing a flat with only one other person was much calmer than living with seven, offering more privacy and fewer distractions.
Another bonus? You can decorate your flat however you like and truly make it feel like home.
Overall, I loved living off campus! It gave me independence, personal space, and a home I could make my own. I enjoyed it so much that I’ve decided to rent privately again for my master’s degree in London
- Erica
Living in Student Accommodation at Roehampton University
If you’re planning to study at Roehampton and considering living on campus, you might be wondering what that’s really like. During my first two years, I lived in Roehampton student accommodation. First in Shaw House on the main campus, and later in Whitelands College.
Both experiences were very different, and I learned a lot about the pros and cons of living in student accommodation. Here’s my honest take.
My Experience: Shaw House vs. Whitelands
When I first moved to London, I was assigned to Shaw House in a quite quiet all-girls flat. While the location was convenient (close to lectures and main campus facilities), the flat didn’t suit what I was looking for.
Most of the people I’d met at uni events lived in Whitelands College (about a 15-minute walk from main campus). Whitelands felt like its own little community, and the flats were much more social in my opinion. I moved there soon after, stayed for my second year, and even over the summer before my third.
That move completely changed my uni experience! I met so many more people and had a much more social life on campus.
Pros of Living on Campus
- Choice of flats: Quiet flats, social flats, mature student flats, all-girls flats, or moving in with friends, there’s flexibility to suit your personality
- Different room options: En-suites vs. shared bathrooms, single vs. double beds, some even with balconies.
- Close to lectures: No commuting costs or stress. At most, you’re a 15-minute walk away.
- All bills included: Rent covers gas, electricity, and water, so there are no hidden costs or extra fees. When I lived on campus, we had to pay for laundry services (but I saw on Roehampton’s website that that is now included within your accommodation fees).
- Support: Each flat has a student rep (second- or third-year student) to help you settle in, plus easy (though sometimes slow) maintenance requests. Additionally, there are College Wardens that work as out-of-hours wellbeing support.
- Security: On-campus security and student ID access in the evenings make it feel safe.
Cons of Living on Campus
- Room standards: They’re not luxury flats and rooms can feel a bit basic.
- Fire alarms: They go off easily (steam from showers, cooking, even hairspray!), which often meant being outside at 2am.
- Living in a bubble: Everything is on campus: classes, library, gym, events. It’s convenient but can feel like you’re not experiencing much of London.
- Travel into central London: Roehampton is further out, with only one nearby train station about 15 mins away (even further from Whitelands) and a few bus routes. Journeys into central can feel long, and getting back from central after late events often means checking the last trains or relying on the night bus.
When I first moved to London, I thought student accommodation would be the easiest way to settle in, and it was. It made the transition to uni life smoother. Yes, there are a few downsides (like basic rooms and travel times), but overall, living on campus was such a big part of my Roehampton experience. I met friends I might not have otherwise.
- Erica
Why You Should Get Involved in Sports at University: My Roehampton Basketball Experience
Starting university can feel overwhelming, especially if you're moving to a new place or don’t know anyone. One of the best ways to meet people, stay active, and build community is by joining a sports team. Most universities offer a wide variety of sports and there’s truly something for everyone, whether you’re an experienced athlete or just looking to try something new.
My First Year: Trying Basketball and Volleyball
At the University of Roehampton, where I studied for three years, I knew I wanted to be part of the sports community. I’ve been playing basketball for over 10 years, and I was thrilled to learn that Roehampton had a women’s basketball team. I’d also played volleyball before, so during Freshers Week in my first year, I went to both tryouts. I had such a great time, but I ended up sticking with basketball all three years because it’s my main sport and true passion.
Why Joining a Team Was the Best Decision
Joining the basketball team was genuinely the best decision I made during my time at university. It became my favourite part of being a Roehampton student. It was social and fun, and that’s where I met some of my best friends during my time at university! Beyond training and games, we had lots of team socials and events, often with other sports teams allowing you to connect with people across the entire sports community. The university also hosts several big sports events throughout the year, such as varsity and student vs staff games. Varsity is an exciting yearly sports competition against another university. At the end of the year they also organise an RSU (Roehampton Student Union) and Sports Awards evening to celebrate both team and individual achievements.
Getting Involved Beyond Playing
After my first year, I decided to get more involved and joined the basketball committee as the Social Secretary. One of my main tasks was running our Instagram page (@roehamptonbasketball), and we had so much fun as a team creating content and promoting our team. I also organised events like cultural nights (where everyone brought food and drinks from their culture), Secret Santa, and post-game meals.
In my third year, I was honoured to be chosen as Captain of the team, and I was also elected Varsity Captain by my peers. I helped build excitement around the big event by posting on social media and organising events such as sip and paint where we created posters and banners together ahead of the big competition.
There are even more leadership opportunities available such as Sports President. As Sports President you’ll work directly with the sports department to bring your ideas to life, from fundraising initiatives to new events.
Not Just Basketball - Something for Everyone
Even though I only really played basketball, Roehampton offers so many other sports to choose from, such as netball, cheerleading, boxing, hockey and more. Most sports have both competitive and social options, so if you’d rather not compete against other universities, you can still join a team and play just for fun. The sports community is very inclusive and open to all skill levels!
Final Thoughts: Why You Should Join
If you're moving to the UK or starting uni without knowing anyone, getting involved in sports is one of the best ways to build friendships and feel part of something. And if you want to take it further, leadership roles within your team or the wider sports community can be incredibly rewarding and prepare you for your future career. Whether you’ve played for years or have never picked up a ball, give uni sports a go. You might be surprised by how much it shapes your university experience, just like it did for me.
- Erica
