Living in London is such a unique experience based on the individual neighborhood you live in. What is so special about London, however, is that there truly is not a bad place to live. No matter where you are in the city, you are never far from a tube, bus, or train station, which makes the city seem so much smaller and more accessible. My living situation in London is definitely interesting, but I love everything about it. I live in a seven-person flat in the East End region of London, just a ten-minute walk away from the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. Of the seven people in my flat, five of us are Pitt students, which definitely made us all feel more at home. The East End is a very lively and diverse region in London, filled with people from all different religions, communities, and ethnicities. The extreme diversity of the area makes our neighborhood, Whitechapel, such a great place to live. In just a short walk to the local Sainsbury’s for groceries or Pret A Manger for a daily coffee, you can run into people from all sorts of communities and walks of life. It feels like every single community you can possibly think of is active in the East End, so no matter what you can feel at home.
While for the most part our living arrangements are outstanding—in a great location and very up to date—there have still been some challenges, as can be expected in any new living situation. One of the biggest adjustments coming from the United States is just the difference in space in living accommodations. In London, living space is said to be “at a premium,” meaning that it is extremely expensive and limited. Thus, houses and flats are generally smaller, making it difficult for seven people to share a space. Thankfully, our flat is still rather roomy; however, where we have been encountering difficulties is in the storage, particularly in the kitchen. With seven people all trying to share a fairly small refrigerator, we have run into some difficulties fitting everyone’s food in such limited space, to the point where a few of us, including myself, will go to get groceries right before we cook to minimize the amount of space our stuff took up. Despite our storage issues, it truly has been a rewarding experience getting to live in London with so many other college students, and I am excited for the lifelong memories and friendships that it will bring.
