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From what to do when arriving at the airport to where to eat on campus, the welcome team gives the lowdown on what to expect when moving to study in the U.K.
LONDON — A new cohort of students — more than 1,000 from the U.K. and around the world — will be arriving on Northeastern University’s London campus in the coming weeks.
Devon House, the main campus building situated at St Katherine’s Docks, will be brimming with activity before classes begin on Monday, Sept. 9.
Jess Coverdale, acting head of residence services, and residence life manager Ben Pigott talked to Northeastern Global News about what the new arrivals can expect.
Northeastern students who will study in London for one year, known as “London scholars,” will arrive in the U.K. capital on Saturday, Aug. 31.
They will be followed the next day, Sunday, Sept. 1, by students who are spending a semester in London — known as “Global scholars.”
Group flights will depart the U.S. from Boston, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Northeastern staff will be at Heathrow Airport from 6 a.m. to noon to meet students arriving on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.
“If students have signed up to the luggage transfer,” Coverdale says, “they are able to drop the suitcases with our team and their luggage will be transferred for them to their residence hall.
“We will then be taking them in small groups on the Elizabeth Line. After landing in London, we will very quickly be exposing them to public transport and making sure they feel comfortable with it.”
“London Scholars” and “Global Scholars” arriving before Aug. 31 or after Sept. 1 will receive an email from the Global Experience Office, setting out where they will be staying, how to get there and when to check in.
There are four Northeastern-partnered accommodation blocks situated in east London, all within a short distance of Devon House. The campus is located close to the landmarks of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
The four accommodation halls are: Chapter in Spitalfields, Chapter in Aldgate, Yugo The Curve in Aldgate and Scape in Shoreditch. U.K. students will reside in Chapter Spitalfields and Yugo in Aldgate. Northeastern has live-in staff based at all four buildings, with someone on duty 24/7.
The residence life team will be available to help new arrivals get acclimated to their new neighborhood and give out directions to such places as the nearest IKEA.
“We tend to do tours of the local area to get students acquainted with where the pharmacist is, where the closest grocery shops are,” says Pigott, “so that they have a really good understanding of where the building is situated in terms of amenities.
“And then anything that they are required to be at — for example, the enrollment, visa checks or orientation — our staff will chaperone the students to those locations so that they have an understanding of how to get to Devon House from their residence halls or how to get to other areas in London.”
A weeklong induction starting on Monday, Sept. 2, will help students get to know the city and the university. “Welcome week” involves a number of optional events, including bus and boat tours of London, trips to the theater and classic English afternoon tea.
There are also academic introductions, the chance to meet academic advisers and come into contact with the Student Union and other student-run organizations.
Convocation, a welcoming ceremony for “London Scholars” and “Global Scholars,” will take place at 11:30 BST on Tuesday, Sept. 3, at O2 Indigo in North Greenwich.
For those looking for a bit of nourishment while on campus, Coverdale recommends two spots for a decent lunch and view of the water.
“There is St Katherine Dock Cafe, which makes excellent sandwiches,” she says. “And then there is White Mulberries — that is always popular with students. You can get something a bit different there.
“When the weather is nice, it is great to sit out in front of both of those places and just take in the environment we are in because I have worked for Northeastern in London for three years and I still cannot get over how beautiful our location is.”
As much as students coming from overseas might want to try to stuff every corner of their luggage with homely possessions, Pigott suggests making sure to leave a bit of space.
“The piece of advice that I like to give students is that it might be tempting to fill all of your suitcases — but leave some room for souvenirs that you are going to want to bring back,” he says.
Bedding and kitchen packs will be waiting for students living in partnered accommodations.
“Students don’t need to worry about packing or buying bedding immediately or taking up space in their suitcase with things like kitchen instruments because that is all available to them,” Coverdale says.
A kitchen pack includes: two boiling pans, a frying pan, basic utensils, kitchen knives, a chopping block, plates, a bowl, a mug, a glass and cutlery.
Pigott adds: “We like to say that we provide pretty much everything that they might need for their first day here, barring a towel. But everything else, we’ve pretty much got it covered.”