If you are an international student with an offer for a degree at LSE, you were probably as aflutter as I was when I received the hallowed email stating that my application was successful. Once you’re in London, following months of salivating at the prospect of moving to the city and meeting new people, you will be overwhelmed by what the LSE has to offer. In particular, you will be gobsmacked by the international nature and composition of the university.

To some, it might induce a feeling of being out of place, as though being a square peg in a round hole, or trigger an inclination to stick together with others of similar background. In what follows, I draw from my own experience to suggest some tips that might help you to feel #PartofLSE and make the most of your time here.

Know your flatmates well

If you’re living in an LSE student hall, you may be sharing your flat with a bunch of other students who will likely come from different countries. Since your flat will be your new abode, it is necessary that you get to know and make friends with the people you will share it with. Having friendly flatmates would help you feel snug and at home in a place away from home. I am incredibly lucky to live in a flat with a bunch of convivial dudes where no two people are from the same country. Me, my effulgent roommate from New Zealand, Hamish, and other flatmates from England, Mexico, Belgium, Brazil and China, regularly have dinner together in the kitchen. By helping to learn about one another’s culture, it encourages you to appreciate the underlying commonalities of all humanity.

Go out and attend events

You bond with others by doing things together. If you want to go out but don’t know what to do, you’re spoiled for choice. London is replete with a range of fascinating events, with something interesting going on for everyone.

I attended the campus history tour of LSE with a group of pals in addition to the series of social events my department organised, providing a lot of opportunities for me to socialise and make friends.

Get involved in the community

Try and make an effort to make sense of your new surroundings. London will be very different from where you come from in terms of size, people, culture and cuisine. Pay attention to those unique characteristics and appreciate them. Speak to locals, visit a museum (of which there are many), go for a football match or hit a pub. Understanding your new place will make you feel more comfortable.

Do (a little bit of) homework

If you are one of those people that likes always to be prepared for everything, you could find some ways to ready yourself by doing some simple things. I personally favour reading books. Dale Carnegie’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People is a go-to option if you need some advice on socialising. I’m currently reading Watching the English by Kate Fox and marvelling at the unspoken social rules that govern much of the social and personal lives of the English.

Deploy a trick that works best for you and you will blend in at the LSE in no time.