You are in London! Being bored in London is simply not possible. The city is vibrant and full of opportunities. Obviously we are not the first ones to offer advice on this. The most helpful websites if you’re looking for something to do are: https://www.timeout.com/london, http://londonist.com/, https://www.designmynight.com/london, https://thenudge.com/london-things-to-do/, http://londontheinside.com/ and there is a an app called Dojo out there as well.
- At first, it can be quite challenging to make friends but there are countless ways of doing it. If you were a member of any group or NGO in your home country, chances are you will find the English equivalent here in London. You can find different groups of like-minded people on websites like reddit, https://www.meetup.com/ or facebook. You can also find groups for “Germans living in London” or “EVS volunteers” on there. At “au pair meetups” you can easily meet a young, international crowd.
- You don’t need a lot of money to have a great time in London. Most museums have free admission and there are many free lectures and concerts. Many museums organise Lates in the evenings, the Science museum Lates are really interesting. Especially in nice weather the parks are wonderful. If you like to read a book in the park, getting a membership card at your local library is useful as well. There are a number of different markets in London, food markets as well as vintage markets. To name only a few: Camden Lock Market, Borough Food Market, Columbia Road Flower Market, Brick Lane Market, Portobello Road Market and many more. You can easily find out about them on the internet.
- If going to the cinema is more your thing, it’s possible to go to the cinema for five pounds! Cineplex in Peckham always has tickets for £4,99 or Vue has the Super-Monday with a voucher from the website. Bring your student card and go to cinemas outside the city centre or, if you’re under 25, the RichMix cinema in Shoreditch might be something for you. During the summer there are open-air cinemas in many parks.
- London is a city of theatre and even if you are on a budget, you can still go! Look in your area for pub theatre, check the box offices and online for cheap tickets and get your tickets for Shakespeare’s globe! You can see one of the classics for as little as £5!
- Every single day there are hundreds of concerts happening all over London! Getting an app like Songkick will help you to find the right one for you! Aside from that, SofarSounds offer secret concerts with up-and-coming artists in private homes.
- Even if you’re already a volunteer, volunteering is a great way to meet knew people and practice your English. Ask your local charity shop if they need help, start at organisations like SofarSounds or museums.
- Keeping fit is important as well. You can do sports, book a class at a gym or install an app like freeletics to find other people in your area for a work out. There are many classes for students in London where you can meet other young people.
- If you’d like to go out clubbing, remember to bring your ID. Clubs are fairly expensive, especially in the centre. Therefore being on the guest list or going early can help you to save money. A night out starts ealier here in England than in other countries and pubs close often at around eleven o’clock, clubs at three o’clock. A fun way to meet new people and have a great night out is doing a club crawl. There are many different crawls in London, just have a look on the internet.
- Like most other cities, London is a great place for shopping. In addition to all branches of chains you can find in Oxford Street, a great place to go in London are charity shops and flea markets. Depending on the area,you might find different styles of clothing. It’s well worth a visit.
- If you need to go to the hairdresser’s and you can’t afford it, going to an academy might save some money. You only have to pay a couple of quid(£) for a haircut. Further information on this can be found in various lists on the internet.
Do us proud and have fun in London!
Survive as a volunteer 