Tips for students on how to prepare for and own London weather. Advice from MSc Human Resources and Organisations Student Ambassador, Namrata Eyunni, on what to wear, a packing checklist, products to buy and nutrition. Read on for what to expect before you move.

Brace yourselves  – London weather is coming!

Picture this…A regular day in London, I check the weather app and dress to head out. 10 minutes into being out, I learned my first London lesson – the app is only as accurate as London weather is!

Having said that, I have found beauty in the weather. The gloom, the chill, the occasional sun.

And oh well, the rain… still looking for beauty there.

But one has to be prepared for it and I wish I knew better what to expect before I moved.

…one has to be prepared for it and I wish I knew better what to expect before I moved.

1. Clothing

You could experience 3 different weather conditions in one day (rain, wind, sun). While the below are just some tips, based on your weather tolerance, you can personalise your tool kit 🙂

Rain:

• It rarely rains heavily! It’s mostly continuous drizzle throughout the day with wind. 
• A heavy duty umbrella or a raincoat does the trick. I prefer a rain coat with a hood and down because it helps with rain, cold and wind – an all in one solution.
• Rain boots or waterproof sneakers are key. 
• TIP: Make sure your boots are good quality because you might wear them more than you expect. Walking long hours in uncomfortable boots is a nightmare.

Wind:

• The wind can get quite bad on days, particularly if you’re enjoying the outdoors.

• A down or puffer jacket works wonders. 
• TIP: It’s easier if your raincoat is a down jacket too so you avoid packing too much.

Cold:

• Gloves, scarves, beanie, a thick coat/jacket. TIP: Touch screen gloves were a saviour on winter nights when I was outside and needed my phone to navigate maps, etc. 
• If you’re not used to the cold, stock up on thermals (Uniqlo Heattech saved my life).
• Heattech or thick socks. You can also layer 2-3 thin socks based on the weather.
• TIP: Layering! Carry thin to medium layers instead of a few extremely thick layers. London weather changes quickly, so it’s better if you can put on or take off layers, especially in the tube, which can get very hot even in winters.

Sun:

• Summer weather can touch up to 23°C or 30°C in case of a heat wave. Hence, cotton shirts, summer tops, shorts, dresses, caps, etc will come to your rescue. 
• Sun glasses or shades because the sun can be quite piercing.

Overall TIP: Good shoes are key because you’re going to walk a lot. So either training shoes or extremely comfortable sneakers/boots will come in handy.

2. Products

Cold:

• The right kind of creams or oils based on your skin type.
• TIP: Some of the local products are best suited for this weather (I bought my products here and they work like a charm).

Sun:

• Sun screen (based on your skin type, you can choose between a greasy and matt sunscreen but you may prefer a matt one in the summer).

3. Nutrition 

• The sun doesn’t grace us much. Vitamin D and B12 are a must. They’re available at Boots, online, etc.
• Make sure you’re getting your micros and macros through the food you eat. Apart from restaurants, supermarkets like M&S, Waitrose, Tesco, etc have some good budget food options in case you cannot cook. 
• Winter will call for more food, so it’s nice to stock up on your favourite snacks.
• Hydration is key! It’s easy to skip on water in this weather – a phone reminder helps me.

4. Find the beauty in it 

The weather is here to stay so try to find beauty in it.

• If you don’t like the rain, brighten up your day with warm hot chocolate or tea… And friends 🙂
• If it’s gloomy, take a walk by the Thames river or anywhere in London.

5. Allow your body to get acclimatised

• I learned it late but the only way to get used to the weather is by putting yourself out there! Staying in only delays the process of acclimatisation.
• I did this by going out on runs early in the morning.

6. Support system

• Build for yourself a great support system! If the weather is causing a low day, call a friend or family member :).
• LSE offers mental wellbeing services.

7. If the sun is out, run!

I asked 3 friends from different countries what their London weather takeaways are:

• “Uniqlo Heattech! I cannot do without it”
• “I generally bring an extra sweater or hat in case it gets cold or the weather turns to rain”
• “Layers are best instead of bulky clothes. But the humidity on the other hand, my curls were not prepared”

Important! Check for student discounts. There are several applications like Student Beans, Unidays that list discounts on clothes, food, products, etc. 

There is no one size fits all approach – but being ready with the basic stuff really helps you settle in and enjoy the beauty of London and its weather 🙂

Learn more about our MSc Human Resources and Organisations programme