This is about how I managed my time during first term (I didn’t).
So this is where I confess I may have missed about half – or more- of my lectures last term. So where did it all go wrong? I’ll be fine, I thought- I’ll just catch up over Christmas.And so on top of procrastinating plenty all term (it’s in my nature, sadly)- I dived head first into the wealth of extracurricular Imperial has to offer. From drama rehearsals, to paediatrics play team, giving campus tours, and attending German Horizons classes- I was all over the place.
Now this was the same mentality that I had all throughout secondary school- I would save up all the content to learn on my own over the holidays. I mean, at GCSE and A-Level- it was manageable, but I can’t quite say the same for my current degree. It all seemed fine in my head until I made a checklist and counted that I had about 64 lectures to get through. As you can imagine, my winter break was spent sat on my laptop going through lectures at the library most days. Not quite pleasant but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Now comes the silver lining-I would like to introduce you to our friend here at Imperial, Panopto. Our lectures are recorded (for all courses, as far as I know) and uploaded onto a platform called Panopto. Now with this holy grail of a tool, comes a bit of danger- picture this: You’ve stayed up late working on that last minute assignment (or more likely- you came back at 4AM from a wild night out), you could either push yourself to get to that 9AM or you could stay in bed and panopto it later. So it’s not great for general lecture attendance rates; but in all fairness, there’s not much of a point showing up then sleeping through most of it!
I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful Panopto actually is- it’s incredibly helpful to be able to work at your own pace as you can pause, rewind and skip forward whenever you need to. (You can even alter the speed- wahey!)
So obviously, I knew I wasn’t going to survive 6 years of medical school the way I did first term. With this revelation came changes for the new year. I’ve begun attending (most) lectures- but the main thing I’ve come to realise is that it’s okay to miss lectures if you genuinely feel like you’re going to get there and be zoned out or falling asleep- as long as you actually get around to panopto-ing them ASAP.
If you related to this in anyway, know that you are not alone and I sincerely hope this blog made you feel better!
Sending love and best wishes (as I Panopto today’s 9AM)!
Alex (:
Hola peeps. I know it’s been forever since I last wrote something (yeah, I know, I totally failed my resolution) and sorry about that, but I’m currently in one of my lazy moods:3 (and if that’s not a good enough excuse; which by the way, it should be; I have been pretty ~sorta~ busy with exams, a deadline coming up next week, a weekend trip to Budapest and beginning my journey into exploring the vast field of Geology and Earth History). I’ll blog more about Geology later on, but for now I’m just gonna tell you about clubs and societies at Imperial.
Now, if you’re one of those (including me) who looks up the list of societies Imperial has to offer, you’ll notice that we have literally hundreds of clubs to choose from. And if you don’t find one that suits you, you can always start a new one. In fact I’m pretty sure that almost every year someone will come up with something new (I think this year it was the Oenology Soc or something).
Anyway, the basic advice everyone always give you on Freshers’ Week is to sign up to the mailing lists of all the clubs which interests you (usually there will be dozens so be prepared to have an overflowing inbox over the next few weeks), then go to every taster you can (to shortlist them into just a couple) and finally commit to just one club.
~At least that’s what everyone says. Me? Well, I’m greedy in a sense, and when I’m feeling keen, I really am keen. By that I mean I have a ~somewhat~ tendency to go overboard/ overenthusiastic in my first year; being that I WANT to join EVERYTHING. Not to mention, I’m not the most decisive person ever, so I have a really hard time choosing only one club (in my defense, I do like to keep busy so that I won’t get bored/ keeps my mind off things). So, I ended up joining… seven clubs?
To be honest, it’s not that bad… Like I said, I like being busy so this works for me but if you’re not like me, I’d suggest sticking to one or two. Most of meetings don’t clash and you’re free to not go if you don’t want to, so it’s not one of those high-commitment things. But hey, I get to do stuff I’m interested in and it helps with my social awkwardness so what’s there not to like? (yeah, I’m a shy kitty-cat… probably doesn’t seem like one from my blogs huh?) I’mma do some club promotion now, k? Here it goes:
Anime Society (ICAS)
You can probably guess what we do here, huh? But wait! We’re not just a bunch of otaku shut-ins who meet up twice a week to watch anime together (popular anime series according to genre theme on Mondays and movies on Fridays), we do socials and drawing classes on Wednesdays and we also have special event nights! (like Halloween night with a pumpkin carving competition and inter-uni karaoke)… If you buy membership, you’ll also get access to the Anime library with over 500 items (ie manga, anyone?) and discounts to MCM Comicons and other conventions if you’re into that stuff. Plus you get food on event nights, so that’s one less meal to worry about (snacks count as dinner too, right?)¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Membership: £ 4
Me questioning my life choicesUs and anime-themed Jack o lanterns
2. Astronomy Society (AstroSoc)
Did I ever tell you I used to want to be an astronomer? Even though that didn’t come true, that doesn’t mean I’m giving up on astronomy… Here at AstroSoc, we not only do star-gazing activities (with snacks, of course), we organise astronomical-related talks/ lectures as well as visits to observatories and museums. We went to Greenwich Royal Observatory November last year and even to Mill Hill Observatory which is managed by UCL about two weeks ago. Tickets for members are usually discounted but you can still come along if you’re a non-member. It’s true that London is probably not the most ideal place to do observations, but it’s kinda fun when there’s a lot of people to chat to while you’re waiting for the clouds to pass so you can catch a glimpse at Altair or something (I’m kidding… mostly?) Joint events are also popular, typically with one of my other clubs
Membership: £ 5
3. Baking Society (BakeSoc)
One of the resolutions I didn’t mess up. I actually did do a lot baking this month (sugar cookies and lemon pound cakes, anyone?) We don’t actually do much for this club to be honest but it’s fine since this club’s free… we’ve only had a few meetings last term but one’s coming up this Thursday. Typically, we bake something according to a theme and bring it to our potluck where we eat it together. A general rule is that it’s free if you bring something and £ 2.00 if you don’t… and you get to enjoy baked goods as much as you like (as long as it’s not finished). It’s a great opportunity to share/ compare recipes and stuff (debating whether chewy or crunchy cookies are better) while you’re munching on cake. Spontaneous baking is also encouraged so you can bring your failed experiments for us to eat too if you want If you’re still not convinced, we arrange cake-hunting outings to bakeries and occasional cooking classes too.
Membership: Free
Ice-cream Making (I wasn’t there but it seemed fun)
4. De La Beche (DLB) + Geophysics Society
These are actually two separate clubs. De La Beche is the Geology club and Geophysics, well it’s self-explanatory… I don’t actually count them as real clubs because for me they’re academic/ departmental clubs, but I thought I should mention them as well. Basically if you’re a geologist, you’re automatically a DLB member and if you’re a geophysicist, it goes the same with the Geophysics Society. If you’re a Geology and Geophysics kid like me though, they count you as a geologist so you’re in DLB. But if you’re undecided whether you want to venture more into geology or geophysics (like me), or you’re just somewhat of a busybody who wants to feel included (also like me), you can join both. They’re both free anyway *waves hand*, and the events are open to everyone (mostly people in ESE but we’re welcoming people so if you’re interested, do join in the fun… PS if anything happens, kindly refrain from mentioning my name:3 don’t worry, I’m kidding again~). DLB and Geophysics Soc both organise talks on a semi-regular basis with snacks and refreshments usually around lunchtime or after afternoon lectures so feel free to attend. They also arrange field trips to sites which are of geological interest typically in summer (and a few weekend trips as well) but tickets are limited and typically get sold out within minutes so do be quick! Oh, and being departmental clubs, they have a lot more other events like bowling, paintball, pub crawls, etc. Also a good chance to get to know the senior years and network if that’s your thing (I’m a bit too much of a scaredy-cat to do much of this, though)
Membership: Free
This is coming up tomorrow. ~Kindly sponsored by BP~This was a trip to Devon that I sadly missed tickets for :’)
5. Science Fiction and Fantasy Society (ICSF)
The reason I joined this club was because they have an amazing library full of sci-fi/ fantasy books which you can borrow books from if you’re a member. Since I like reading, and the price of membership would be cheaper than the overall amount I’d spend on books otherwise, I figured “why not?” The membership is a bit pricey but bear in mind that it includes regular lunchtime meetups, ~weekly viewings, occasional discounted cinema trips and rights to borrow books, DVDs and graphic novels from the ICSF West Basement library. There’s also special event nights for Halloween, Christmas, etc where we watch/ sing sing-a-longs and munch on festive (and not so festive) foods. We are also the proud organiser of Picocon, ICSF’s annual convention and biggest event. This year’s is on 17th February so grab your tickets here– panel discussion, fun convention games, a bucket of liquid nitrogen, and a massive hammer borrowed from a friendly fire engine; it’s going to be epic!
Membership: £ 8
Halloween event
6. Islamic Society (ISoc)
Me joining this club was a bit of a coincidence, I guess… I wasn’t planning to go but I just came back from somewhere that Saturday and decided I didn’t want to go back to my accom yet so I went to their taster session instead… and decided that I liked it. Everyone was so friendly and it was nice to have others who were in the same boat as I am. You know, being a hijabi Muslim in London and all, it’s good to have someone I can depend on when I’m looking for new halal restaurants or just wanted to talk headscarf fashion styles/ designs/ tips (because a girl will always be a girl, after all) Besides, we have these fortnightly social events called Shake Breaks where we listen to some advice, play games and yes, drink milkshakes! Not to forget, sisters’ circle where we ladies get to catch up and discuss issues/ problems (plus hot choc sometimes if you’re lucky). We also do charity/ volunteering events where we raise money for various causes like the homeless, refugees, and many more.While we’re on the topic, Discover Islam Week is coming up soon this 5th-16th February so follow us at @DIWIMPERIAL #DIW2018
Membership: £ 2
So yeah, that’s most (if not all) of the clubs/ societies that I joined. The moral of the story is, Imperial is an open community where you’re free, and are encouraged to, pursue whatever you’re interested in (as long as it doesn’t get in the way of your studies, of course). So those rumours about Imperial students being nerds who don’t have a life; well, we ARE nerds (and proud of it) but we still manage to have a ~pretty~sorta~ normal social life. Because your life is up to you to live it… and you decide the amount of stuff you can handle going around. But don’t worry, in case you’re struggling (hey, everyone does at some point… it’s totally normal), there’re always people here who can (and are happy to) lend you a helping hand; whether it be fellow students or staff. So yeah, go forth. And since I’m done being inspirational and promoting Imperial/ my clubs/ myself lol?, I’m gonna sign off now.
If you love nature, animals and science, you cannot miss the Natural History Museum. You’ll be impressed viewing their dinosaurs or experiencing an earthquake simulation in a Japanese store.
Last Friday after class, I visited the NHM as it was hosting a special evening event about the Blue Planet II TV show. I’m a huge fan of this BBC series that manages to capture the wildlife in the planet’s oceans with the latest technologies and innovative filming methods.
The Natural History Museum invited the producers to show exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and share more about the making of the TV series. You could also meet scientists that explained more about the wildlife seen in the show using the museum’s collections of corals, whales, fishes and more.
V&A Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum is the most elegant and fashionable museum I’ve ever visited. You can see from the finest jewellery collection to special exhibitions that in the past have even included Kate Moss’ wedding dress.
If you ever need a moment for inspiration too see great art or take a break, just go down the road, and enjoy some of the displays at the V&A.
Science Museum
The Science Museum is literally next door to Imperial. You can learn a lot from mathematics to biology, but you can also interact with latest technologies such as Virtual Reality. If you need even more than this, you can also watch Star Wars at their independent cinema. It has one of the largest screens in the UK and every ticket helps support the Science Museum’s work to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and Jedi Knights.
London, known to many as “The Big Smoke” has historically, and still today, been synonymous with air pollution, traffic jams and intense urban hustle and bustle. BUT, there is another side to the city – its “greener” side. London, despite the nicknames and assumptions, actually boasts 8 Royal Parks and countless smaller green spaces. So, if you need an escape from city life – the parks are a perfect saviour!
Hyde Park
Hyde Park Italian Gardens. Photo credit: Panos Asproulis from London, United Kingdom / Wikimedia.
In my opinion, probably one of the best known parks in London for multiple reasons. Found in the Paddington area, this park is HUGE – 142 hectares to be exact. Hyde Park is home to many events including an annual music concert and the popular winter attraction; Winter Wonderland. Speaker’s Corner is an especially famous spot in the park – filled with soapbox speakers talking (often at the top of their lungs) about a huge variety of things from religion all the way to free hugs – if you want controversial/unique views then this is the place for you. Hyde Park is wonderful in the summer; pull up a deckchair with a good book and an ice-cream, enjoying the sun and heat in central London – what could be better! Plus, if you fancy it, you can hire a pedalo on the water amongst the swans and other birds.
Kensington Gardens
Sunset over Kensington Palace – taken by yours truly
Adjacent to Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens is the definition of a Royal Park – home to Kensington Palace which has been/is home to some of the Royals. Imperial students are also well acquainted with the park, often walking through it to get to campus from Paddington. In the early morning, it is often filled with dogs and their owners frolicking around (the dogs that is, owners not so much) which certainly makes the bleary eyed walk to university a little better – bringing smiles to many. The colours of the trees in summer and autumn are truly stunning, as are the parakeets that fly around, often perching on individuals that hold their hands out. Interestingly though, no-one I’ve met knows where they came from, there are many different theories…
Holland Park
And breathe…Holland Park’s Kyoto Garden, where I go to escape when the city gets a bit too much!
HANDS DOWN MY FAVOURITE PARK IN LONDON. Found around High Street Kensington, this park is another favourite with dog owners (no surprise really – it’s a park in a city…) Home Opera in Holland Park in the summer, this park is full of little surprises. My personal favourite is the Kyoto Garden, complete with a small waterfall, pristine colourful trees and koi carp, this little slice of Japan is my favourite place to take time out when it all gets too much. Also, the park has peacocks! Beautiful, especially in summertime when the males are in full plumage often displaying at passers-by. Honestly, they act like celebrities in front of the paparazzi – unbelievable!
Regent’s Park
Regent’s Park bandstand. Photo credits: Wikimedia user Ed g2s
Found in the Camden area, this park is home to an open air theatre and ZSL London Zoo. I haven’t properly visited, but it is on my to do list! It is also home to Primrose Hill – a huge hill at one side of the park with legendary views of London – perfect for a romantic summer evening picnic 😉
Richmond Park
Richmond Park deer…before Fenton arrived. Photo credits: Wikimedia user Amertner
The largest of the Royal Parks (edging out Hyde Park for the top spot) at 955 hectares – HUGER. It is also home to a large amount of wildlife, therefore rightly designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserve and Special Area of Conservation. Richmond Park is famous for its fallow deer (and a pug called Fenton, but that’s another story…) and many rare beetles. On another interesting note, for those who aren’t nature nerds – it is also home to the Royal School of Ballet.
So that’s a round up of the many green spaces in London, of course there are many more parks – all steeped in history and cultural significance, but since I’m not a historian I won’t discuss that here…
It’s holiday season, Christmas lights everywhere, happy wishes in every corner, warmth and love in every single person around and for most students time to go home.
So, since I am just like most students, I partied to celebrate the end of term, and then partied again because it’s Christmas. Which led to a few very productive days of hangover doing absolutely nothing but Netflix – like you should. With all the partying and it’s consequences checked off my to do list, it’s time to catch a flight (right after doing laundry, miracles may happen but that’s just in Easter, right now your cloths won’t wash themselves). 45 minutes in the tube, an hour and a quarter in the train, 3 miles queuing and an hour and a half due to a delay later and I’m on the plane on my way home. It’s late and as I look through the window and see all those lights, shaping the city I’m in love with,
“I wonder if I’m going home, this feels a lot like leaving to me”
The St Mary’s pool has been a fixture of the campus for 80 years and now, for very vague reasons, it’s shutting down. The last day for the pool (and the staff who run it), is on 16 July 2018.
If you’re a regular at St Mary’s you’ll know how much this pool means to the people who work and study here. There are few other ways to clear your head after long hospital rounds or a session of disease modelling. What’s more, the facilities at South Ken are too far for us to access easily.
As soon as I found out that I’d be studying here, I was immediately filled with petty worries. Worries about whether I would miss home, not be able to make friends or struggle on my course! However since coming to Imperial I can say for certain that these concerns, and the many more I had, have all disappeared. Here’s a few of the worries I had and how I realised they actually weren’t actually such a big deal and how I wasted so much energy being worried about them!
It still is a big deal when there’s more girls than boys!
Imperial ratios: Coming from a small, all-girls school, I was sceptical about dealing with the famous “Imperial ratio”. However, I could never have quite prepared myself to be the only girl in my floor of our flat, although there were two girls on the floor below me! Needless to say that this meant a great deal of helping with general living skills, but also a lot of fun laughing at people’s (lack of) pasta boiling skills. But pretty quickly I met so many more girls, so even though there may be more boys around, it really doesn’t mean you won’t have friends who are girls. And anyway, who says the ratio is always a bad thing!
Missing home: Although I only moved a couple of miles from home, it still did leave me feeling slightly homesick. Not just about not being able to see my parents everyday, but about leaving my most familiar environment. See the thing is, life at Imperial is so busy that I hardly have time to think about home. It’s already a struggle just to find time to go home for dinner, but I do just about manage it a few times a month and when I do it’s lovely to be able share everything that’s been going on. Not having to live with my parents, and have them telling me what to do all the time, has definitely made the time that we spend together so much more enjoyable than before I moved out.
Independence: I was of course looking forward to moving out; not being told when to come home at night and making decisions for myself, is something I’d been craving for years. However, the thought of having to look after myself, cooking and doing laundry and so on, was daunting. Over the past few months I have actually really come to enjoy cooking food, being able to choose when and what to eat has meant that I have surprisingly almost been as healthy as I am at home. I would definitely recommend making large amounts of things like pasta sauce and other food that can easily be cooked in large quantities, and then save half in the fridge while dividing up into portion sizes, and freezing the other half, so that whenever you come back from a long day of lectures and can’t be bothered to cook, there’s always a hot meal ready in minutes.
Making friends: Having been to the same school for over 10 years, I was definitely most anxious about whether I’d be able to make friends easily or not. In hindsight this seems like the most stupid thing to have worried about as everyone is in the same situation, most people don’t know anyone else at the university and everyone is trying to make friends. Before coming to university, I was frequently told that the friends that I’d make in my first few weeks, would be the people that I’d stay in touch with for the rest of my life. Now that’s a lot of pressure!! I can happily say that (at least to this day), I am still great friends with the people I met in freshers week. It became so easy to bond with people when you were all trying to figure out where the nearest grocery store was and enjoying some great nights out.
Drowning in the 1000s: Imperial is a fantastic university, however amongst the 17,000 students it is easy to get lost amidst the commotion on campus. Most people studying here are from smaller schools where it was much easier to stand out, where as at Imperial everyone has similar strengths and interests. My biggest tip to overcoming this would definitely be to get involved in more than just your course around college. Sign up to societies, try out for a sports team or have a dab at a new sport, apply to be a student caller (apply soon!!) or a student blogger, or enter the numerous competitions hosted by faculties each term. Getting involved in a smaller part of the college definitely gives you a sense ofpurpose and feels like you’re an important part of something as big as the Imperial community.
Struggling on the course: I was of course worried about not doing well on the course however thanks to peer tutors, problem based learning classes and office hours, I have always felt like there’s somewhere to go and someone to speak to when I’m struggling. Your personal tutor also provides a lot of support with weekly academic meetings and individual catch up sessions to make sure you’re doing well, both academically and in terms of wellbeing.
Queen’s Tower on a strangely beautiful day
So whatever you’re worried about, remember that there’s always someone to talk to who’s probably worried about something similar to you. Your friends and family, course mates and even the staff in your department are always willing to sit down and have a chat. If things get really bad, don’t hesitate in contacting student counselling, nightline or your GP.
Here are some useful links if any of these other things are worrying you:
The MSc in Business analytics is an intense year of rigorous technical and quantitative training. It prepares students to solve business problems using a variety of statistical, operations research and machine learning techniques.
What you learn in class is usually just a small part of what you end up doing in group projects and homework. There is a huge amount of good resources you can use to learn new material or enhance your knowledge in a topic.
In this blog, I wanted to share the most useful sources I found in case you’re planning to pursue this program at Imperial.
Before you start the program: the basics
Statistics and probability
Start by revising your math skills in statistics and probability. Khan Academy provides a great and interactive program to refresh what you need to know before starting statistics, econometrics and machine learning.
Code, code, code
Before you start this master’s program, it is immensely useful if you can already code at least the basics in python and/or R. Try at least doing a python and R basic course.
This is probably my favourite platform. It provides loads of short modules to learn from the basics to advanced topics in data science. They have interactive courses to start learning R and Python.
Well prepared videos to learn to code. You can learn Python there.
Once you start the program: expand your knowledge
Statistics and Econometrics
To understand the theory of different the topics covered in Statistics and Econometrics, I would highly recommend you to watch the videos of Ben Lambert on Youtube. He’s great at explaining the different topics you’ll be covering with examples and visualisations.
Have a look again at DataCamp. They provide good insights into the algorithms you’ll learn using R and also Python.
For everything else, make sure to have a look at the books recommended in each course and don’t forget to google everything! Also search in youtube. There are a lot of people as Ben Lambert that make great videos to explain different topics.
If you have any other resources that you would recommend, feel free to write them down in the comments below.
Eating healthier, becoming more athletic and so on can be found every year again among the Top 5 New Year’s resolutions. However, several studies show sobering results. Already after 2 weeks (roughly now) the first ones will start dieing off again, in March 75 % of the resolutions are supposed to be forgotten.
Every one of us knows this: sometimes you are sporty, sometimes you are not. The causes are as diverse as the cultural diversity of the Imperial College. Exam phase stress, social projects or permanent events such as weddings, birthday etc. We live in a busy world.
Nonetheless, it is essential to constantly re-evaluate oneself and at least return to basic forms of exercise. Because even a bit of sport is better than none! Our body is designed for movement! It really doesn’t matter what you do. It’s just important that you do something!
After an acclimatisation period of no longer than 30 days, the internal resistances usually decrease. If not, the form of sport may not be right for you. But there are 12580 others you can try out! 🙂 I got stuck in boxing ages ago and now I train several times a week in the gym, too. However, I also went through phases in which I only did yoga, for example, because I had too much to do. In fact, yoga is more strenuous than I thought it would be. And with continuity it also achieves the desired effects! Too expensive? Go for YoutubeYoga! Super explained and easy to imitate.
Fortunately, the Imperial College has recognized the importance of sport and provides its students with free access to fitness studios throughout the city. There is also an incredibly wide range of sporty activities on offer: from badminton and boxing to sailing boat trips, there is something to suit everyone’s taste.
With this in mind – stay active & don’t give up on your goals for 2018! 🙂
When I first found out I’d be based at the St Mary’s campus instead of the main Imperial College stamping ground of South Kensington, I was apprehensive.
“I’m going to miss out on college life.” was my first thought.
“Does this mean they only serve hospital food?” was the other.
After a term here, I can happily say that I have not had any cause for FOMO, nor had to eat from any hospital canteens. I am also a bit better qualified to give you an insider’s look at life at St Mary’s. If you’re going to be starting a term here soon, this is your jam.
About St Mary’s Campus & Hospital
St Mary’s Hospital was built in 1845 and, by London’s standards, is actually pretty young. These red bricks have seen a lot of history and it can feel like things haven’t changed in a hundred years. At least until you see the mobile MRI machine in the courtyard and start connecting to high speed WiFi.
The main entrance to St Mary’s campus (Daily Mail)
This is the place where Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, and that knowledge still gives me the chills. In fact, the great man’s original laboratory has been reconstructed and turned into a museum on campus. Less well known is the fact that this is also where heroin was invented, and that gives a slightly different kind of chill. Clearly, there is more to this place than meets the eye.
The Imperial College building at St Mary’s. Both penicillin and heroin were discovered here. (Images: 1, 2)
Get In
By Rail: St Mary’s campus is located right next to Paddington Station, which means getting here is super easy. Almost every Tube line goes through Paddington, as well as intercity trains from National Rail and Great Western Rail.
The Tube exit for the Circle and Hammersmith lines. St Mary’s campus is just a five minute walk from here and more than one Paddington bear will greet you along the way.
By Bus: No shortage of options but be warned, Praed Street is constantly busy so give yourself some buffer time if you’re taking the bus.
From GradPad Wood Lane, take 7
From east London, hop on 205
From Camden, the 27
From a spot of shopping on Oxford Street, take the 36
Sadly, there isn’t a shuttle bus to St Mary’s and that’s something we hope they’ll fix sooner rather than later.
By Bike: Bicycles are arguably the best form of transport in London. There’s loads of bike parking at St Mary’s and several Santander Bike stations located at Paddington as well.
Bike parking at St Mary’s. It’s usually more crowded than this but I’ve never had a problem finding some space.
If you’re looking for a sweet ride that won’t cost the earth, I highly recommend paying a visit to Recycling in Elephant & Castle. They rescue bikes from police auctions, fix them up and get you moving with a 30-day money back warranty.
My sweet single speed for £150 from Recycling
On Foot: The upside of not having a shuttle bus is that St Mary’s is only a 30 min walk away, and through Hyde Park at that. You’ll go right past the Albert Memorial and, if you’re lucky, catch a sunrise (or sunset) across the Serpentine. That said, do watch where you step as you walk. Horses are a common sight, and smell, along the route.
Hyde Park sunrise
Get Around
There are two entrances to St Mary’s campus, one for each wing. The main one is the one without the revolving door.
Here’s a whistle-stop tour of the places you’ll likely be visiting the most during your time here.
Go in through the main entrance and the main med school library is to your right. This is where you’ll find everything medicine and healthcare related. Lots of computers, study rooms and a second floor gallery full of large study desks. There’s also a little coffee machine hidden in the copy room where a hot cuppa is just £1.
G64, the MSc Room & the Committee Room
G64 on the left, Committee Room on the right
These are in the section directly facing the Library entrance. Turn left at the reception and they’re clustered around a water dispenser and some cosy couches that are sometimes used for small receptions.
Rothschild LT
This is where most of my lectures have been but getting here is like being a lab rat running a maze. Thankfully, past generations have put up laminated A4 signs for lost padawans. Just be prepared for some stair climbing. On the bright side, there’s your daily cardio quota sorted.
Gym
St Mary’s has its own, well equipped gym and after you get a look at the crowds in the South Ken one, you’ll see why this is awesome. There are treadmills, bikes, steppers and rowing machines, along with a couple of squat racks and one of those cable machines. There’s also a TRX hanging from the ceiling daring you to take it on.
Membership is just £45 for the whole year. The only problem is that it’s £45 no matter what point of the year you join, so plan accordingly. Note that membership here is separate from Ethos, the outfit that runs the rest of Sport Imperial. This wasn’t completely clear when I started school and some of my classmates ended up paying double.
Pool (closing down soon)
Possibly the smallest pool I’ve been in in my adult life but, again, it beats swimming at South Ken where 8 people in a lane is a common occurrence. Sadly the college has announced that the pool is closing down in July 2018 but a campaign is being set up to challenge the decision. I’ll be posting more details about this when I have them.
Okay that’s it for now. Next post: Tips on where to live and where to eat. Stay tuned.
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Well, I’m greedy in a sense, and when I’m feeling keen, I really am keen. By that I mean I have a ~somewhat~ tendency to go overboard/ overenthusiastic in my first year; being that I WANT to join EVERYTHING. Not to mention, I’m not the most decisive person ever, so I have a really hard time choosing only one club (in my defense, I do like to keep busy so that I won’t get bored/ keeps my mind off things). So, I ended up joining… seven clubs?
If you’re still not convinced, we arrange cake-hunting outings to bakeries and occasional cooking classes too.
