Living in London, you should always be prepared for the worst. And the best.
1. Always be prepared to defend the area of London you live in.
2. Always be prepared for a spontaneous post-work drink.
3. You’ve actually got a selection of outfits underneath your desk.
4. Always be prepared for FOMO.
As much as you should always be prepared for a drink, your body might not want one. It might want biscuits and Netflix instead. So, unless you can hack it every night, be prepared to miss out on a lot of things.
5. Always be prepared for the moment your Oyster cards to get rejected.
6. Always know which end of the platform to stand on, so you’re on the ‘Way Out’ side when you get off at the other station.
6. Always be prepared to be touched on the tube.
7. And always be prepared to touch others.
8. Most importantly: always be prepared with a ‘sorry’.
Because it wouldn’t be right if you didn’t apologise for your existence to random strangers.
9. Always be prepared for rain.
But never be prepared for heat – a Londoner isn’t a Londoner without a thin coating of sweat.
10. Be prepared to tourist-dodge.
11. Always be prepared to whip out the hand-sanitiser.
12. Always ALWAYS be prepared for a tube strike.
13. Always be prepared to walk… and walk some more.
You’ll walk for over 45 minutes and think nothing of it in London. Because it’s probably as fast as taking the Circle line.
14. Of course, you should be prepared to pay over £10 for a drink.
15. Be prepared for the moment you get caught between a couple on the tube.
16. But always be prepared to let London take your breath away.
Even if you’ve been here for yonks, the city still catches you unawares.
Featured image: Jury’s Inn Hotels