[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] Formerly Polytechnic of East London, North East London Polytechnic[EBOLD][PARA][BOLD]For general information about London: [EBOLD]see [ULNE]University of London[EULNE].[BOLD] [EBOLD]The University of East London (UEL) isn't just in east London. In fact, it's in 7 places, grouped into UEL's 2 main sites, 4 miles from each other: the Stratford Campus (nothing to do with Avon or Shakespeare) and the Barking Campus in the huge area of [ITAL]sprawling suburbia, [EITAL]east of London that is Ilford and Barking. [ITAL]The buildings themselves at all sites could be considerably uglier (but they're not winning any [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL] prettiness awards).[EITAL] 51/2 miles north-east of Trafalgar Square at Stratford, the Main Building is [ITAL]a fine example[EITAL] of Victorian municipal architecture (a listed building), surrounded by London's East End, which, [ITAL]with toned down stereotypes, is pretty well represented by a certain well-known soap[EITAL]. The Barking site is bigger and [ITAL]more attractive, despite the surrounding area. This is partly because[EITAL] it is set in Goodmayes Park, [ITAL]an oasis in the suburban desert of Essex.[EITAL][HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Probably the best part of UEL is that students can get on with their own lives without being bothered with the delights and distractions of student culture. A real disappointment for those in quest of the cliche lifestyle of baked beans, bars and books, but a definite bonus for some, particularly the 70% of students who qualify as mature, which means they're returners to education, not that they say 'why don't you just grow up?' all the time. In fact, although facilities may be wanting, the social mix is an interesting cocktail - 1/2 the students come from ethnic minority backgrounds and many come from the local area. There's a positive atmosphere of vibrant tolerance, but most people see this as a friendly environment in which to study, rather than as a political statement.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]THE SITES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA]There's a fair amount of travelling between sites (by London's public transport, see below). It is however, important for students to check out which site their courses are based at and what's there: Barking (engineering, business, social sciences and design); Maryland (new technology); West Ham Main Building (science and paramedical studies); Duncan House (management); Holbrook and Greengate (art and architecture).[HDNG]LIFE IN LONDON:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Samuel Johnson wrote 'When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.' Obviously, he wasn't living on a student grant at the time; for there is only a certain amount in London that a student can afford. SJ was right in that London is second to none in its diversity, but you can't do it all. It's easy to feel that you're not making the most of London if you're not spending every waking minute at the theatre, ballet, opera or cinema, in clubs or fashionable markets, and in museums and galleries, sports grounds and parks. However, if the truth be known, even taking advantage of the many freebies you can dig up if you try, you'd be broke within a week if you tried to keep up with the tearaway pace. When it comes to opportunity, choice and life in the fast lane, London is the turbo-boosted Porsche. London is supposed to be the city that never sleeps, leaving the bright lights burning all night long. In fact, as international metropolises go, this one tends to shut down when the pubs close. Getting more than a cheeseburger after midnight can be as difficult in London as it is in a Turkish jail. Not everyone likes the pace or the impersonal atmosphere that many find in London. Whilst it's hard to be alone, it's easy to be lonely, and most students in London find this at some time. London can be oppressive and if you're not streetwise, or at least street sensible, it can be a dangerous place. Bomb scares are usually just that, but violent crime is on the up. [EITAL][PARA][ITAL]There are a number of responses to the high cost of living in London: (1) burst into tears; (2) mug someone; (3) live on credit; (4) ask daddy for lashings of cash. Alternatively, if these don't appeal, you can always use the following methods: (1) Limit your spending by only going out when and where you can afford it (ULU fits the bill, offering cheap events for students). (2) Buy second hand - for books, there's ULU, Charing Cross Road and Waterloo and, for clothes, try Camden Market, Greenwich, Brick Lane and Portobello Road. (Many a London student falls prey to fashion, but not always at vast expense.) (3) Get a job - [EITAL]more London students have part time jobs than anywhere else.[ITAL] [EITAL][PARA][ITAL] London also has more overseas students than almost anywhere else, which, in Britain's most international city, is an appropriate addition to the already spicy variety of life. The extent of London's cosmopolitanism is unique. Nowhere else are there as many students of every different shape, colour, vintage, creed and flavour.[EITAL][PARA][ITAL] To be young in London and have flexible demands on your time is an ideal recipe. The daily downers such as the time spent travelling have a minimal effect, whereas the opportunities are all there. If you happen to live in London, it's good to be a student, but if you're a student, London isn't necessarily a good place to happen to live.[EITAL][PARA]Stratford and the surrounding areas of London's East End are, traditionally, the home of London's dispossessed: first, Jews; nowadays, Asians and yuppies. [ITAL] They have a lively community atmosphere which is hard to find elsewhere in inner city London.[EITAL] The market in Petticoat Lane [ITAL]may be a bit more gimmicky than once upon a time,[EITAL] but Brick Lane is a [ITAL]massive overdose for the shopaholic[EITAL], even late into the night ([ITAL]with the best 24-hour bagel bakery this side of the Atlantic[EITAL]). Local attractions [ITAL]worth noting[EITAL] include the labyrinthine Barbican Centre, one of the country's largest arts centres.[ITAL][PARA]Barking and Ilford are the stomping grounds of the Essex Girl, and where Essex Man parks his Capri. The towns contain all the ingredients for a simple life (Ilford actually has some quite nice shops) that's all.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Trains: [EBOLD]London is the centre of the network: Bristol (1:40hrs, 1/hr); Birmingham (1:40hrs, 3/hr); Manchester (2:30hrs, 1/hr); Glasgow (5:20hrs, 12/day); Edinburgh ( 4:20hrs, 1/hr); Newcastle (2:45hrs, 2/hr); Leeds (2:30hrs, 1/hr); Norwich (1:49hrs, 1/hr). Trains come into the 8 mainline termini and if passing through London (for example from Canterbury (Kent) to Manchester), it is often necessary to travel by tube (at extra expense) between mainline stations .[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] London is also the centre of the National Express system and a whole variety of other national bus services (Green Line, Blue Line and so on). Some example National Express journeys: Birmingham (ú9.50, 2:30hrs, 1/hr); Bristol (ú12.50, 2:15hrs, 1/hr); Edinburgh (ú25, 7:50hrs, 3/day); Glasgow (ú25, 7hrs, 7/day); Manchester (ú16, 3:30hrs, 7/day); Newcastle (ú17.50, 5:10hrs, 7/day).[PARA][BOLD]Local Trains: [EBOLD]Network SouthEast operates local overground trains [ITAL]which are a speedy and sometimes pleasant way to travel and are moderately efficient. The main problems are the ease of use (a fair level of understanding is necessary), the high fares and the early closing[EITAL] (last trains between 11pm and 1am).[PARA][BOLD]Underground:[EBOLD] The 'tube' is the largest underground train system in the world and generally,[ITAL] it is fast, easy to use, efficient (well, maybe not the Northern Line) and takes you just about anywhere you want to go, although South-East London is a bit hard done by. However, it is often crowded,[EITAL] shuts down at midnight,[ITAL] it's often disrupted by bomb scares[EITAL] and the minimum fare is 90p. [ITAL]Talking to other tube passengers is tantamount to threatening their mother - the only people who do it are tourists and people who want to talk to you about Jesus.[EITAL] Nearest tube to Senate House/ULU Building: Goodge St (Northern Line).[PARA][BOLD]Local Buses: [EBOLD][ITAL]In the tube you can't see the real sights, so why not take the buses which are just as efficient,[EITAL] offer even more destinations and are slightly cheaper (50p minimum). [ITAL]But buses are slow and, until you know your way around, it's difficult to know which ones take you where.[EITAL] After midnight, buses come into their own - Night Buses are London's only form of all-night public transport and[ITAL] if you don't mind how long it takes,[EITAL] you can go almost anywhere within 10 miles of the centre.[PARA][BOLD]Travelcards:[EBOLD] For a legal way of dodging the expense of tubes, buses and trains, Travelcards are available at ú2.60 for a daily pass for the central 2 zones of the network.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis: [EBOLD]There are 2 types:[ITAL] the classic black cabs which are well regulated and enormously expensive, and dodgy merchants in Ford Escorts which are almost as expensive. There are now also some run by and for women. Basically though, forget all taxis, except late at night when all else fails and/or you're in a party of 4 or more.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Parking in Central London is impossible, and, although there is only one rush hour every day it lasts from 6 in the morning to midnight. Driving in London is excellent training for being a volcano.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Air: [EBOLD]Served by 4 airports, including Heathrow, the world's busiest. Regular flights to anywhere and back.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[ITAL] [EBOLD]Not possible from Central London, but get out a little way on to the city's escape routes or beyond the M25 and a thumb's a first class ticket.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bicycles: [EBOLD][ITAL] A popular form of student travel given the pros: it's cheap and you can get through traffic. But there are the cons: London is big, full of exhaust fumes, lacking in cycle lanes and a Houdini-proof lock is advisable. It's also an easy way to die.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] For West Ham the nearest BR stations are Maryland (10mins from London Liverpool St) and Stratford BR station, which is lucky enough to have been selected as the site of the forthcoming Channel Tunnel link. Stratford tube is also on Network SouthEast's North London Line. Barking Station is 13 minutes from London Fenchurch St Station.[PARA][BOLD]Buses:[EBOLD] The only buses that run between the 2 sites are the 238 and the 25 (more or less), which runs from the Aldwych (in the West End), past the Stratford site's Main Building to Ilford. Other buses for Stratford include 69, 173, 241, 262 and a number of Night Buses. And for Barking: 5, 87, 162, 287 and N95.[PARA][BOLD]Docklands Light Railway:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The extremely unreliable DLR runs services into the City and Docklands, when it runs.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Underground:[EBOLD] Stratford is on the Central Line. Barking on the District Line (and, at peak hours, the Hammersmith and City) and Plaistow (on the same lines) are useful for some of the other buildings.[PARA][BOLD]Hiking: [EBOLD][ITAL]Impossible from inside London - hitchers have to get to the outskirts, but Essex is a no go area for the thumb traveller, even the freight terminal near the University.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]For those students who can stand the filth and traffic, biking it is a great deal cheaper than public transport, until they have to replace their stolen bike.[EITAL][ITAL][BOLD][HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][EITAL][EBOLD][PARA][ITAL][BOLD][STAT][BULL] Books: 247,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 1,452 [BULL] Study places: 861 [BULL] Computer workstations: 644[ESTAT][EITAL][EBOLD][PARA]There is main library and 5 others on separate sites with books relating to the subjects studied there.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 6full [BULL] Unemployed after 6mths (1992): 12%[ESTAT][PARA]Many of the courses are vocationally based which doesn't necessarily mean students get jobs, but does increase their chances of going into certain areas.[HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]UEL offers some unusual courses, often with 'Independent Study' teaching, [ITAL]a sort of flexi-time degree where students establish their own programmes of study. [EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA]Toni Arthur (Playaway presenter); Garry Bushell ([ITAL]objectionable [EITAL]right-wing 'Sun' TV critic who was a Socialist Worker as a student); Eileen Carey (Archbishop of Canterbury's wife); Mark Frith (music journalist, Smash Hits); Christopher Wenner (Blue Peter presenter).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads.
