Life at LSE can get overwhelming but Hiranya Malik shares what she wishes someone would have told her when starting LSE. Read these practical ways you can stay afloat and be the truest version of yourself.

Congratulations!

You’ve made it to one of the top institutions in the world.

But wait, there’s so much happening –  you need to select your courses, prepare for your classes (and learn the shortest route to get to them), mingle with new people (and try to remember all their names), impress your professors, write essays with correct referencing and the list goes on.

Life at LSE can get overwhelming but here’s a few simple things you can do to stay afloat and be the truest version of yourself.

Finding Your Tribe

As common lore goes; LSE is a diverse place. Within a few months of being here, I can honestly attest that you can foster strong bonds with people from around the globe in a short time at LSE. With the widespread diversity, there’ll be people who even share your most obscure interests. All you need to do is take the first step and introduce yourself!

An easy way to express yourself is to join a society out of the hundreds that LSE has to offer. If you can’t find a society that fits your needs, you also have the opportunity to create one!

There’s a society for almost every cultural identity that lets you have a place to go when you’re missing home and need to be comforted in your native language.

If you identify as LGBTQ+ or you’re simply questioning, the Pride Alliance will welcome you with warm hugs. If you want to be surrounded by curious souls, you can go join the Quiz Club or if you want to have debates and make collage with your fellow feminists, there’s Intersectional Feminism Society. If you want to learn how to make cocktails, there’s a club for that too!

There’s something for everyone, all you need to do is be brave and find your tribe.

Slowing Down & Making Space for Yourself

London is a fast-paced city and there’s something to do everyday. Sometimes, there’s too much to do everyday.

It’s almost impossible to attend every academic talk, social gathering and cultural event without exhausting yourself. While the fear of missing out might be magnified with social media, remember to pause and revel in where you are instead of where you want to be.

• Let yourself have the space to sit on a park bench in the afternoon and read a book that’s not mandatory to your course.
• Carve out time to partake in your hobbies.
• Listen to your favourite music and dance alone in your room.
• Pet dogs at Hyde Park.
• Watch a movie with student discounts.
• Journal your feelings.

Don’t forget to be honest with your peers when you need a break from boring talks or tiring nights of socialising to simply do nothing and eat a bowl of ice cream by yourself!

The Dangers of Comparison

At LSE, you will have peers who are more proactive than you; who have meetings with professors and LSE careers lined up every week. There will be peers who are more socially active, who have Instagram stories at the Three Tuns every Thursday and go to a concert every month.

If you feel like you’re not doing enough or are feeling symptoms of imposter syndrome, you’re not alone.

Everyone has someone they’re aspiring to be like or to catch up to, but that’s a slippery slope leading us to feel inferior to our peers.

But if we’re all feeling unworthy, then there must be something flawed with how we’re seeing ourselves. It might sound vague to simply ‘be yourself’ but it is of utmost importance to remember that you are your own unique person and it’s okay to find the best path for yourself at your own pace and even to take detours to get to your destination or alter your destination altogether.

Everyone has their unique stories that have led them to be where they are today.

If you want to be more proactive or more social like your friends, ask them to let you know which workshop or comedy show they’re attending next. If you take the time to get to know your peers that look like overachieving extroverts from the outside, you’ll find out that they feel the same way too!

As the popular dialogue from the Disney film Wreck-It Ralph goes, “There’s no one I’d rather be than me.”

As the popular dialogue from the Disney film Wreck-It Ralph goes, “There’s no one I’d rather be than me.”

Who Am I?

In the end, I’d like you to remember that your grades or the job you get don’t define you.

Academic achievements don’t form who you are, they only make up a fraction of your life at LSE. The rest of your time will be spent expanding your horizons and immersing yourself into a culturally diverse world that will help you grow exponentially.

You don’t need to hide your anxieties – if you feel like you’re falling behind, ask for help. If you feel that the pressure is getting to you or you’re going through a rough patch in your personal life, reach out and contact the Student Wellbeing Service where you can get counselling, peer support and other forms of care based on your needs.

Contrary to popular belief, being vulnerable is not weakness, especially not at LSE.

As J.K. Rowling writes in the last instalment of Harry Potter, “Help will always be given at Hogwarts (LSE!) to those who ask for it.”

Help will always be given at Hogwarts (LSE!) to those who ask for it.

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