It is only natural to feel as if you were still a tourist in London during the first weeks after you move to the city. The red buses, the busy tube stations, the packed streets and all the famous landmarks will keep stealing your gaze every time you pass them by. But that feeling wears off once you realise that you’re not a tourist anymore, this is where you live now! Soon, you start to see past the famous tourist attractions and the London you only contemplate on the big screen. After the feeling of being a (temporary) resident kicks in, the city starts to reveal its secrets.

Now, if you go from looking at London from a tourist perspective to seeing it from a student’s point of view, you will notice a few things. One of them is that sooner or later, you will catch yourself looking for cute little cafés, mainly for two reasons. First, a cup of coffee is always welcome to keep you on top of your readings and assignments. And second, some cafés are quiet enough for you to sit down, open your laptop and finish that hard essay you’ve been struggling with while grabbing a bite. After visiting a few different places, it’s inevitable you’ll find that one coffee shop you’ll like best, which will become your go-to regular place. For me, that place is Acropolis Bakery, a nice little greek café that sells the most delicious pastries.

Another thing you might find yourself doing is choosing your favourite place to go grocery shopping. London is filled with different chains of supermarkets scattered around the city, and every student is bound to have a favourite. Be that because of the student discounts some of them offer, or the types of product that you can only find there, or even because it might be the one that is closest to where you live. The point is, everyone will prefer different shops for all sorts of different reasons. And it is important to visit them all before making up your mind, otherwise you might be missing out on a lot of savings (which can sum up to a considerable amount in the long run, especially if you’re living on a budget).

As for a favorite neighbourhood – especially for a good nighttime out –, London offers several options. The most famous ones are Soho, Shoreditch and Camden. That’s where most of the big pubs and cool clubs are. I really like the chaotic energy of Camden and the overall urban vibe of the area. The colourful street art adorning the buildings and the interesting people you meet there are constant reminders of Camden’s importance to Northern London’s cultural scene. Soho is another fascinating place, but most likely for different reasons than Camden. I particularly like Soho because no matter how many times I go there, I can never find the way to the closest tube station. With all its intricate alleyways, Soho looks like an inner-city labyrinth trying to pull you in, show you just one more street that you still haven’t walked on.

London, of course, it’s also famous for its daytime cultural venues. And if you’re a student, you will be glad to hear that most of the biggest museums in the city are free. A visit to Tate Modern is definitely a must and it’s one of my absolute all-time favourite places in London. One day is certainly not enough to visit all the exhibitions there – they are all so inspiring, captivating, and intriguing! The Royal Academy of Arts, near Piccadilly, is another fascinating gallery that’s definitely worth a visit. So depending on your historical interests or art preferences, London will definitely have a place that will seem to have been curated just for you.

There’s definitely more to living in London than what a tourist can see. The city will show you all of its secrets if you’re willing to look for them. It might not happen soon, and you might not even have the time to unveil them all. But that means that there will always be something new to do, someplace interesting to visit. London truly makes sure that its inhabitants never get bored.