Thrills and spills of studying in London

[stoneysongs]

A thread for supporters of DC heading to London unis - was originally going to be UCL which seems very popular this year, but expanded at @Needmoresleep's excellent suggestion.

For chats about moving in, what to take, living in London, whether an Oyster card is worth bothering with, how to do a big shop, where to park at drop off, the dreaded search for 2nd year accommodation etc etc etc

Tagging people I've spotted from the ex Oxbridge thread but all welcome including those with DC currently in London who can share their wisdom and anyone thinking of it for 2025 or beyond

@catmomof3
@lifeturnsonadime
@PotentialUCLmum
@CoffeeMugShot
@space99
@FebruarySmith
@mynameisnotmichaelcaine
@Summertimer

By way of intro I have a DD going to UCL to study BASc Arts and Sciences.

@londonis DC is in the North Acton halls for his first year at Imperial. Any advise about transport? is the season ticket the best?

Thanks ☺️

Unfortunately ds hasn't been able to apply for an 18+ Oyster due to the recent cyber attack on TFL. The Oyster will entitle them to a 30% discounted travel card for which they'll need zones 1-3 )although North Acton seems to be zone 2/3). If they have a young persons railcard they can link this to their Oyster for further discounts I think.

So for the time being we will be buying ds a 'normal' adult travel card zones 1-3 as he'll probably want to travel to Shepherds Bush etc. I think it's £50 a week! He'll keep checking the TFL site to see when it's all resolved.

It seems a bit unfair as TFL are letting those with zip cards and over 60's Oysters continue to use them, even if expired, until the situation is resolved but not those with 16-18 Oysters. Ds current one runs out at the end of September.

If anyone has any other ideas or knowledge, we'd be grateful.

North Acton is on the boundary of zone 2 and 3, and so as far as I know you should only need a zones 1&2 travelcard.

DD is in the same situation waiting for the 18+ Oyster. When we eventually buy it she will need zones 1 and 2. How does it work though if she occasionally needed to travel farther out? Would she not use it at all for that journey, and just pay with a card?

You can load some pay-as-you-go credit onto the photocard, which can be used if your DC travels further than z1-2. We will probably stick £20 or so on to start with and then leave it up to DS1 to keep an eye on it and top-up as necessary.

So just touch in and out as normal and the extra extension fare is deducted from the PAYG balance.

Right spoken to DS and he and his new friends are still cycling home from clubs drunk because it’s ‘easier’ than the night bus. I’ve tried to talk to him about the fact that it’s dangerous and not worth the risk AND that if caught it’s a criminal offence with a fine of £1000 or £2500 if someone gets injured AND the possibility of a car driving ban. My difficulty is that DS is ND & susceptible to peer pressure. I’ve sent him loads of texts with links but apparently this is a thing because of ease so may be worth speaking to your YP about it just in case 😢. I hope my DS will now be sensible.

Haven’t dared ask my DS how he’s got home the last few nights. I just assumed they’d all be walking. How far away are these nightclubs?

I don’t know how far all of the night clubs are but it would take 1 hr 16 mins to walk from MOS to my sons hall near King’s Cross so I can see the attraction of the bikes. I think he regrets telling me .

On our way to Imperial with DS's stuff now. He had a good day yesterday on his induction day for students with ASD. He can see the Maths department from his window in halls, so no excuses for being late! I'm really looking forward to seeing him, even though it's only been two days!

DH is taking DS to Imperial today (DS2 is in hospital and I am with him).

Their aim was to leave at 10am. DS1 is a faffer, and is still packing his last-minute stuff. DH sounds as though he is getting stressed. But he doesn't help things, because (a) he should have told DS1 to get laptop cables etc packed last night and (b) for some reason he's not even started loading up the car yet while DS1 is faffing

I'm glad I'm not at home tbh(!)

Ds also packing last minute bits to move to IC today. He's got an afternoon slot thank goodness.

In hindsight I think an afternoon slot would have been the wise option for us...

@space99 Going out venues are all over! Depends what they choose. I’d be very careful about bikes. Public transport is much better. Or share an Uber. They sound very irresponsible cycling when drunk.

North Acton means quite a lot of travel. DD was there. Central Line into London is good but not sure why Shepherds Bush is an attraction!

We got the train and tube with a lot of stuff! Worked out ok if anyone hates the idea of driving.

@lifeturnsonadime would it help to say it’s a choice:

1. drink and get the night bus
2. don’t drink and cycle

We planned to do this but life and transportation got in the way. The weekend when our DC started the easiest route had no trains because of engineering work and the other train route had a replacement bus service for part of the journey. Additionally, DH was returning from a work trip that day as we’d not factored in Freshers week making the start date a week earlier.

We don’t drive so DC and I got a taxi into London. DH met us there an hour after our arrival and straight from Heathrow.

I don’t think driving in was a smooth experience for other parents. There was no on-site parking at the uni accommodation. I suspect the parking was very expensive. The taxi was the same cost as the send off dinner for 2 at a nice restaurant that we had for DC. My own single underground and train fare home were the only other transport costs.

DC did various nightclubbing freshers events in his first week at Kings, two weeks ago. He met up with other freshers from his course and they walked or took nightbuses together. Some people cycle or use those awful electric scooters. DC not keen on the latter and not much of a cyclist. Prefers to walk. He had hip problems as a youngster and plays a large instrument you couldn’t cycle with, so it was never his travel to school mode.

I was impressed how they all go together to things and help other

I think the cycling will/ has stopped they’re now going out in a much larger group and I hope I’ve got the message through to him that it’s utterly stupid.

I think everything will calm down a bit when lectures start next week.

It’s all a bit odd to be honest. I didn’t expect DS to embrace clubbing. He barely went out when he was here!

Good luck to those doing the move today.

I think often it’s the quiet ones who discover new entertainment. Why not try it now parents aren’t around? Yes, it calms down for most but lots of new students want to be included and make friends. They also know they have to get home without mum and dad picking them up. Staying safe is important and not being on your own is important too.

Cycling in London is horrible full stop.

I think I had a question about whether worth getting a travel pass from Acton. I'm not sure to be honest as DS was at another halls. I would start with pay as you go before you commit and also once they know their timetable. But do get the young persons railcard applied as that does give them discount on off peak travel even without a travel card. DS tended to cycle a lot.

The clubbing is great fun and they all do look out for each other. Would not advise cycling after drinking. Nightbuses are the usual norm and possible Ubers further away. Impossible to get any outside of MoS on a club night. The clubbing does calm down after Freshers - the ICL events are generally very good. Best of luck to all the new students who have already moved in or are moving in.

Also DS's tutor told them that he wants them
to enjoy themselves and if you are going to do it any year this is the year to do it. Not sure I completely believed DS at the time.

The oyster student card is probably best. Lots of full on science courses will mean high attendance in labs for example. Plus North Acton is a desert! Devoid of anything much.

You can't create an Oyster account at the moment, or order an Oyster student card, because there's been a cyber attack. Not really an issue for DS, who I don't think will venture more than about 15 mins walk outside Imperial this year!