Welcome, 2007 London Group
You are now part of an SMU tradition that is more than 25 years old — SMU in London. Every year is different, so who knows what this summer will bring. We’re just getting plans off the ground, so check back for information. We’ll use this site to give you updates and links to sites of interest.
We invite former SMU in London students to blog the new group, offering advice about everything– classes, clubs, travel spots, shopping, pubbing, dorm tips, packing pointers, public transportation, etc.
Current London program students and faculty can throw in your questions and comments here, too.
Lots more to come, so stay tuned.
Cheers!
April 19, 2007 at 12:05 pm
It’s probably going to be very hot and there’s no a/c! so don’t stay in the rooms for long after class, because it just makes you want to take a nap.
Bring a nalgene!
http://www.skype.com call anyone, anywhere for free if you both have skype, or calls to the US are like 1 or 2 cents a minute.
get a map!
go to everything, no matter how hung over/tired you are.
the plants on the other side of the tennis court are raspberries and they are gooooood
April 19, 2007 at 10:30 pm
Make your travel plans before leaving for London makes it easier. Amsterdam is very fun and the Van Gogh musuem is amazing. However, when we arrived at our hostile it happened to be in the Red Light District and didn’t have a door, only a curtain. We ended up only staying one night (I had to sleep inbetween two friends and keep the key to my locker in my bra) and we moved to a hotel the next day. So don’t make the same mistake- research the place you you make reservations.
Also before we left for London some of us bought an iamsterdam card, which gives you access to musuems,etc. You can buy the card online.
Also, a group of us went to Barcelona the last weekend there- which is a nice trip to do as classes are finishing up and you are about to go home.
If you are a walker or runner, the parks around the school are great- there is a map at the entrance so you can plan a route.
If you enjoy listening to music, I suggest bringing a small iPod player to use in your room. While taking a nap, getting ready to go to dinner, etc- it is nice to be able to listen to some music. But I would keep it small and inexpensive.
When doing your laundry in the dorm laundry room, I would bring some homework and sit in the chairs by the room. There are non-SMU students also staying in the dorms- who will sometimes take your clothes out and put them whereever they want.
Drink lots of water.
For girls- bring a purse that zips- sometimes you will be carrying around your journal, etc- and also you don’t want someone else reaching into your purse.
April 20, 2007 at 2:57 am
Fun, fun, fun, f-u-n, fun. First off… right off the bat… don’t just hang out with the SMU kiddos. There are kids at Regents from all over the world. Summer abroad programs from Italy, Spain and Japen even. Yes the language might be an obstacle but don’t let that enabele you from meeting the world. Don’t be weak! The school pub is a cool default place to start the night and recruit.
Summer abroad rule #1 – get everyone involved
It’s a blasty to walk around the city, hopping in trains loitering plazas with numbers. Get people to join in on the action. be that spark that ignites the fiesta.
Bottom line – I will never ever forget the city. It’s pace, the people making out in the parks with a bottle of wine on their side. Play some soccer with the natives and enjoy a conversation with a stranger (a couple of them a day).
Creating memories takes guts.
Summer abroad #2 – exhaust all your days energy to fulfill your wildest ambition.
The rest of the rules are yours for the making. Have fun
Luis Lama
London 2004
April 20, 2007 at 2:17 pm
I did not plan my side trips until I got there and I had a blast, so don’t freak out if you haven’t made plans before you get there.
According to Al Gore, global warming is happening as we speak and unless an unexpected cold front occurs, it will be very hot (or atleast it was last summer). I brought way to many sweaters and fleeces and ended up spending money on cooler, lighter things, so check the weather beforehand!!!
I never watched TV or a movie the whole time I was there, but I did do a lot of reading. Their tabloids are very very interesting and I would stop daily at the local newspaper stand and buy a few. In my downtime I really enjoyed reading the trashy gossip.
The laundry situation will remind you of freshman year, but this is a trick I figured out and beat the masses to the four washing machines available. If the dorm still runs the tight ship that they did last year, tokens (yes, you must buy tokens to put into the washer and drier) can only be bought on weekdays and not weekends. So, being the college educated individual that I am, bought the tokens on the weekdays, but waited until Sunday night, when no one was doing their laundry because they did not think ahead like me, to wash my clothes. I had zero wait.
Bring your ipod (but keep it in a safe place)!! Also, if you have cheap ipod speakers bring those as well. I only had my headphones but that did not work when I was getting ready and I wanted to listen to music. Since there are no TV’s around it is pretty quiet and that is one thing I wished I would have brought (other than my rain jacket and umbrella that I forgot, which you will need!)
April 20, 2007 at 7:35 pm
You are going to have so much fun!! Make sure you go see a play at the outdoor theater in Regent’s Park. The Volunteer Pub is a great place to watch all the games and has a nice atmosphere. Make sure after you are comfortable with the city to walk around by yourself for a day. It’s fun to see the city on your own and explore all the small things you wouldn’t see otherwise.
When Nina talks about not wearing heels, she isn’t kidding. Remember the tube closes at midnight so its hard to get a taxi on the weekends. That was the most frustrating part.
Go to Barcelona on a side trip!! It was my favorite place to visit… try to stay somewhere on Las Ramblas. That’s where all the action is.
If you’re a picky eater, make sure you bring tons of snacks with you. You don’t want to spend a whole lot of money on food… it a waste.
Try not to stick with a particular group the whole time. You’ll miss out on making some good friends if you do. Definately bring your IPOD. You don’t need a computer. Bring some ear plugs because you can hear the bathroom door slam all night.
It really is going to be the best time of your life!! Get excited!
April 21, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Be prepared for it to be too hot, too cold, and/or rainy.
Try to see/do something every day- even if this means going to the famous Harrods, walking through any of the English gardens, etc. No matter how big or small the activity is just make sure you do something each day!
On a nice evening have a picnic dinner in Regent’s Park.
Take runs/walks through Regent’s Park- you’re bound to see many brides on the weekends getting their pictures taken, I even once saw a film crew filming a movie!
Take every opprotunity to travel within and outside of England.
Try new food whether it’s the famous ale, English tea and crumpets, Fish and Chips, etc.
See as many shows as you can!
Have fun! And be safe!
April 23, 2007 at 2:27 am
This was one of the best summers I have ever experienced! Despite the intense summer heat, I made the most of every opportunity. Here are some tips:
Make all travel arrangements before you leave, but do not skip class. The professors do not appreciate absences.
Go to Amsterdam!and hire a private canal tour with your traveling buddies!
My roommate brought ipod speakers which were a nice addition to our room.
Do not expect the the rooms to be fancy. They are dorm rooms, so accept and move on. You only sleep in them.
Go eat Indian food, even if you think you do not like it. London is known for its Indian food. It is spicy, so be careful.
Bring running shoes (if you are into that). I ran occasionally in Regents Park and it was so pleasant.
Bring BEDDING! I forgot to, and had to get on the tube and go a long ways trying to find a comforter or blanket.
Be prepared to spend money. London is an expensive city! But dont be afraid to splurge a little!
April 24, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Number 1: Don’t be afraid to look like a tourist! Trying to blend is good, but you’ll regret not pulling out your camera or a map sometimes.
Weekend trips are GREAT! Amsterdam and Barcelona were tons of fun, but if you want go to Paris for Bastille Day, I heard it was tons of fun. You don’t have to make reservations ahead of time, but it might help. But if you don’t really know anyone going ahead of time, don’t worry, it’s not a big hassle.
Go on the Scotland bus tour. but remember, it is BUS TOUR. You will be on a bus for long periods of time, but the scenery is beautiful and the guides are pretty entertaining. Plus, the nights at the hostels were really fun with the whole group hanging out together.
Have a plan of what you want to see in London so you can see a site or something EVERY DAY. You will run out of time before you realize it.
Go see a play at the Globe if you can. Don’t be afraid to spend money, London is expensive, you can’t do anything about it. Take taxis sometimes, you can see more of the city. Bring COOL clothes, it gets hot, and you are in the land of no A/C. Shower shoes, small ipod speakers, and bedding stuff you might want to leave there are good things to bring.
Girls: Nina is right about the heels, so unless your planning a night of sitting, be careful.
And just have fun! don’t close yourself off from meeting new people! It really was the best summer!
July 28, 2007 at 1:19 am
As the mother of an incoming freshman and just left SMU today the 27th of July, we were in Europe since the 6th of July. Stefy experienced Paris first taking in the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Take the train to Paris and experience the Chunnel. Go to James Street to enjoy ecletic restauraunts. Eat at Ristorante Sirena Italiano. 44 James street, London. Ride the Eye of London to see the entire city. Experience the changing of the Guards with their now machine guns. Go to the Royal Academy of arts Summer Exhibition which also has the largest collections of Monet in one room. Go to the Opera.Take a walk through St. James Park and then go to the Toy Soldier Musuem by the House of Guards. London is great but so is the rest of Europe. Go by the Grand Hyatt which the King of Saudia Arabia owns and experience High Tea. Walk all the side streets and explore. Keep an umbrella handy and have comfortable shoes. If you have time take a train to explore the rest of our intinery which included Copenhagen, Brussels, Norway and Germany. Hope you all have a great trip. We enjoyed SMU for orientation. Ciao