LONDON CALLING!

1. LONDON CALLING! International Orientation 2012

2. Welcome to London! • Test your knowledge! • Roughly how many languages are spoken in London? • a.) 120 • b.) 200 • c.) 250

3. Welcome to London! • Answer: 250 – London is the most linguistically diverse city in the world! • 2. Where is the best underground station to spot mice? • a.) Waterloo • b.) Victoria • c.) King’s Cross

4. Welcome to London! • Answer: Waterloo…apparently! • And finally… • 3. How many bathrooms are there in Buckingham Palace? • a.) 15 • b.) 78 • c.) 126

5. Where to start?! • Get to know your surrounding area • Consult My Campus and My Local Area guides • Make the most of Students’ Union and College events in the first few weeks • Explore with new friends • Find out what’s free! • Try out different places – food, entertainment etc. • Make a list of all the things you really want to do, and start doing them! • *(The answer was 78, by the way!)

6. Transport • Expansive network through London of: • Underground • Bus • Train • Taxi • River Transport • Tram • Student Oyster cards – apply online. Gets you 30% off weekly/monthly passes. Upload these onto your card. • Young Person’s Railcard 30% discount on trains – useful if travelling out of London • (But never forget to pay your fare!)

7. Top Tips – Transport • Buy an A-Z so you don’t get lost! • Use your student discount – cheaper to get a weekly/monthly travel card if you are travelling on public transport most days • Buses: much cheaper than tubes! Buy a bus pass rather than a full travel pass if you only use buses • Always ensure you know an alternative route to College/home in case of problems on public transport • For travelling around the UK: Young Persons Railcard (trains) or try the Megabus! (£1 fares to UK cities!) • Never try and dodge your fare – you could get fined!

8. Things to do and see • Students’ Union – clubs, societies, volunteering and events • Museums and galleries – over 300 in London! • Concerts, plays, musicals, cinema • Football, the London Marathon and other sporting events • Festivals and other events • Public parks • Public Buildings and Monuments • Pubs, clubs and eating out • Trips and tours around the UK & Europe

9. What’s Free? • Most major museums and galleries including: • Tate Modern and Tate Britain • National Gallery • British Museum • Imperial War Museum • Victoria and Albert Museum • Natural History Museum and Science Museum • (You will usually need to pay for special exhibitions.)

10. What else? • BBC TV and radio tickets – watch a show being recorded. See www.bbc.co.uk for tickets • Free concerts: • Open air concerts in the summer, including Somerset House and the National Theatre (Both near King’s!) • Free lunchtime concerts at music venues such as the Barbican, Wigmore Hall and Royal Festival Hall – look in Time Out for information. • Free lunchtimes classical concerts in local churches, including St John’s Waterloo and St Martin in the Field

11. And what’s cheap? • Cinemas – much more expensive in Central London; cheaper on weekday afternoons. Student discounts!! • Theatres often run student offers/last minute offers • Even restaurants often offer student discounts, so always check just in case! • Lidos – outdoor pools which are cheap for swimming and wonderful in summer! • Students’ Union facilities – cheaper than public facilities • Lower-division football matches and league and twenty20 cricket matches

12. Top Tips – Going Out • Get your NUS card and always ask about student discounts. Are there other loyalty cards you could get? • Find out what’s free • Visit KCLSU’s Welcome Fair and sign up to mailing lists to find out about discounts and special events • Keep an eye on what’s going on in the Union • Get to know your local area and check out the area guides – is there a cheap cinema nearby? • London’s great for gigs and events – make the most of it!!

13. Top Tips – Going Out • Evening Standard and Metro (free!) and Time Out magazine and website • Half-price ticket booth at Leicester Square • Sign up to venue mailing lists/Facebook for notifications • Freebies and discounts – www.vouchercodes.co.uk • Ticket exchange - www.seatwave.com • Meal deals – www.toptable.co.uk • Returns at venues – best seats for lowest price! • BBC filming and recording – www.bbc.co.uk

14. Shopping • Big supermarkets often cheaper for essentials. Major supermarkets: Sainsbury’s, Tesco, ASDA (Walmart) and Morrisons. Waitrose is more expensive. • Argos is very cheap for essentials like kettles and crockery – large store on New Oxford Street • Lots of markets in London. Great for bargains! • Lots of second hand bookshops – check out Charing Cross Road and Marchmont Street (WC1 – near ULU) • Waterstone’s Gower Street – biggest academic bookstore in London • Sales – check out Oxford Street and Westfield!

15. Don’t forget… • If you have a television it is against the law not to have a television licence. For information and to get a licence go to www.tvlicensing.co.uk or pick up a form in our information room • Even if you are in College halls of residence MAKE SURE YOU GET INSURANCE!!! If you don’t and your belongings are stolen or damaged you will lose a lot of money – www.endsleigh.co.uk

16. Utilities and Services • Shop around for good deals (price comparison websites) • For those of you in private accommodation you may have to pay for utilities (e.g. gas and electricity) • Save money – call using Skype • Go to Carphone Warehouse or Phones4U for deals from different providers – more options! • Direct Debit discounts for your bills • Be careful of special deals – they are often only cheap for the first few months!

17. Top Tips – Shopping • Find your nearest large supermarket and check out own-brands • Check out some price comparison websites for the best deals for mobile phones, utilities etc. • Check out your local area for local shops/markets • Check for student discounts in shops – even some major store such as Top Shop and HMV have student discounts • Make sure you get insurance!

18. KCLSU • Student Centres at Guy’s, Strand or Waterloo: • Get information on joining Sports Clubs, Societies, Volunteering • Take part in activities • Buy tickets for (cheap!) events • Find part-time work in the Union • Get a drink or a coffee and relax • Get Academic Advice and support • Don’t forget to go to the Welcome Fair – 20th and 21st September at the Barbican! FREE ENTRY! www.kclsu.org

19. ULU • University of London Union in Malet Street (near Goodge Street tube and Senate House Library) • Free membership for King’s students! • Lots of facilities onsite, including a large swimming pool and a gym • Clubs, societies and activities in addition to those offered by King’s

20. International Students House • You are all members – FREE!! • Travel club – trips around the UK and Europe! • Regular events – talks, dinners, quizzes, karaoke nights, traditional Christmas party • Great facilities – gym, bar, restaurant, student accommodation

21. HOST programme • Great way to see other parts of the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland • Stay with a British family • Visits last Friday-Sunday. Christmas visits also available – apply well in advance • First visit FREE! You just pay your travel • Can go on a visit alone or with your family/friends • To find out more or apply, visit www.hostuk.org

22. Useful Links: Transport: • www.tfl.gov.uk • www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk • www.thetrainline.com and http://uk.megabus.com/ Discounts and deals: • NUS card - www.nusextra.co.uk • www.vouchercodes.co.uk • www.timeout.com • Price comparison – www.pricerunner.co.uk • Us! – www.facebook.com/kingsinternationalstudentsupport

23. Help! • If you are unhappy, looking for more information, or have a problem and need help or advice… • You’re probably not the only one! • Don’t ignore the issue • Don’t pay someone for advice • Do make use of the services at King’s: • Student Advisers, Counsellors, the Compass, Chaplains and the Students’ Union are here to help! – all free, confidential and impartial

24. My London You find no man, who is at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. When a man is tired of London he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford.” (Samuel Johnson)