1. The Tube is Your New Best Friend
The tube, London's subway system, is the biggest blessing in the city. With an Oyster Card (buy one at any tube station) you can go anywhere and everywhere in London. Find a tube map, study it, and carry it with you at all times. At first, you will be utterly confused and block traffic while staring at your map. Don’t worry, after a few weeks, the tube will become second nature and you will wonder how you ever lived without it.
2. Night Buses are Your Other Best Friend
The tube closes at midnight, but don’t call a cab. It will empty your wallet and probably take longer to get you home. Instead, go and experience the night bus. Yes, those double decker buses you see in movies are a real thing, and they run all night. There are several stations throughout the city, and the drivers are typically very nice. If you are not sure of the exact route to take, they will know how to help you find it (even if you are too intoxicated to remember).
3. Escalator Courtesy
If you are not in a rush, stand on the right side of the escalator, and if you are desperately late, the left side is for you. It is not a free-for-all on the escalators in London. The right side is for standing and the left side is for walking. You look silly if you are standing on the left side of an escalator, and then someone will come running at you and you will have no choice but to squeeze in between two strangers or sprint as fast as you can up the steps. Be courteous and escalate with purpose.
4. The Most Important American to British Translations
Fries --> Chips
Chips --> Crisps
Cookies --> Biscuits
There is a huge space between the train and the platform --> Mind the Gap
5. Coffee is now Espresso
Not just in London,but all over Europe, you can't expect your typical drip coffee. It is all espresso, which means a much stronger boost of caffeine than you are used to. Starbucks is still a thing if you want your familiar latte, but a cappuccino at a local coffee shop is so much better.
6. The Pound is Not Just a Sign on Your Keyboard
The conversion rate is important to keep in mind while you are living in London. If you order a burger for 13 pounds, that is a 20 dollar burger (and it better be the best burger EVER). The conversion rate changes every day, so check up on it, and remember to keep an eye on your bank account!
7. Swap the Leggings for a Skirt and the Jeans for a Suit
The first piece of advice my friend told me before I went to London was that people dress a more nicely. It is definitely true. You do not have to exchange your whole wardrobe, and if you want to wear your leggings and loose v-neck around, you totally can! However, people really put themselves together before they go out, and I found myself wearing my wedges and blazer more than my Nikes and workout shorts.
8. Clubs
Since the legal age to drink is 19 in England, this may be your first clubbing experience, and even if it is not, London is not like everywhere else. Almost every place in London has a dress code, so break out that formal dress you wore once to your cousin's wedding and grab those high heels. Also, it is quite difficult to get in anywhere without paying a cover charge, unless you know somebody. So make some friends and dress to impress!
9. Pubs
Personally, pubs were my favorite place to be on a week night. They are completely the opposite of clubs, because you can wear whatever you please and walk in whenever you like. Pubs are very casual, and are a great place to talk with friends, grab a beer or cider on tap, and eat some fish and chips. At around 5 p.m. on week nights, the pubs will be overflowing with people who just got off work, and it is a great time to socialize with the locals!
10. What is a Sunday Roast?
On Sundays, a lot of places will have a Sunday Roast. My definition of a Sunday Roast is a meal consisting of one or more meats and served with an abundance of sides. It as if you are at Grandma's house and she has cooked a huge hearty meal for you to enjoy. I went to a pub for Sunday roast and had beef, peas, potatoes, bread pudding, and vegetables. Be prepared to eat a lot, but for a good price!
11. Look Both Ways when Crossing a Street and then Do it Again
London would be a perfect place to film a Fast and Furious movie. People drive very fast in London, and they will not stop for anything or anyone. They also drive on the left instead of the right, so it gets tricky to know which way to look when you cross the street. Always look both ways twice before you make a mad dash to safety.
12. London may be the Most Amazing City on the Earth
