Take A Break: What to do in London if You're Not Revising

Image Credit: Anna Pringle

There’s a particular kind of guilt that comes with being a student in London. You’ve found yourself in one of the most extraordinary cities in the world yet, somehow, you’ve managed to spend weeks of rare sunshine oscillating between your desk and the library, occasionally drifting over to the same old coffee shop.

I’ve lived all around the city during my years at UCL, and I can say with some confidence that the best thing you can do – especially when revision is eating you alive – is step out of your postcode.

London gives back as much as you’re willing to explore it. Here’s a guide of where to go:

Eat Something Properly

The temptation during exam season to eat badly and quickly is profound. Resist it. Here are some places I suggest for a meal:

- Italia Uno (91 Charlotte St)

This Italian hole-in-the-wall is a true rarity in London. Run by a genuinely lovely old man, your sandwiches are sure to be constructed with an unguarded delight. My personal recommendation is the Bondola (which pairs remarkably with a cold brew), and each sandwich will only set you back £5.

Hjem (3 Launceston Pl)

If you ever find yourself in South Kensington, Hjem boasts the best cardamom buns in London. The café serves Danish specialty coffee, and the atmosphere is warm and quiet enough to read on weekdays. It’s also far enough from Bloomsbury to feel like a genuine escape – not just a brief hiatus!

Carousel (19-23 Charlotte St)

If you’re looking for a bit of a splurge, Carousel is a wonderful wine bar near campus with delicious small plates. I’ve always found small plates to be a bit of an expensive gamble, but Carousel is one of the rare times it pays off.

Go to a Bookshop

Waterstones on Gower Street is right on UCL’s doorstep and perfectly good but, if you want something more curated, the London Review Bookshop on Bury Place is just around the corner. Browse with purpose and take your purchase to Gordon Square to read in the sunlight until you forget the countless hours of revision you have to catch up on. 

See a Ballet 

Unlike Timothée Chalamet, you care about ballet and opera. Or at least you should, and student tickets to the Royal Opera House is a surprisingly cheap way to find out. Currently showing until 18 May is Mayerling, Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet about a morphine-addicted Crown Prince and his death pact with his teenage mistress.

Just Walk

This is genuinely the best advice I can give. That said, some walks are better than others.

Regent’s Park is the best park near campus, and from there, it’s a short walk up to Primrose Hill, where you can view the city skyline at sunset after a long day of revision. Further out, Hampstead Heath is wilder and more sprawling. On a hotter day, the Mixed Pond is the perfect place for a dip. And then there’s always Hyde Park. The loop around the Serpentine is my personal favourite, with the Serpentine Gallery just steps away, currently showing a wonderful David Hockney collection.

The point of all this is to appreciate London. The city can shrink around your routines if you let it. The library will survive without you.