About housing, living and italian grandmas

After regular, daily dose of laboratory creato-labor, I meditate in front of a laptop, trying to find an accommodation in London for the next year. Quite a tough quest to accomplish from here. I am tired, quite motivated from the lab, but rather exhausted from the rest of my life. I am listening to Smetana's Vltava, sweating in the desert heat which penetrates the whole house.

I had been searching for three weeks already. Quite a lot of messages have been sent to my unimates, requests for flatshare. The plan is straight - complete the internship solidly, finish the third year and try to get to Cambridge math tripos with a reference from my mentor. I have been working quite non-stop for almost four months already. At first I had quite tough exams which I did not manage to focus on properly during the year, then preparations for the actual internship and then the internship itself - which was absolutely amazing, only in quite deserted part of the world. Now I am just quite tired and need a rest.

First reply! A friend of mine suggests a flatshare at Clapham Junction, a little bit cheaper than what I was paying the previous year. I am inclined to that idea. Such accommodation would mean to travel daily on train and the tube. 45 minutes off-peak if all goes well. I think again - I am going to be tired, the public transport is not reliable at all and it will be expensive. I need a calm place to rest as well. If I want do study properly this year, this is probably not the way to go. I search further.

 Almost the last resort. The recommended acommodation on Imperial College website. These are usually not the best offers, as the uni seems to try to make as much money out of students as possible. At least they guarantee safety and no scams. I request a college dorm room, but they tell me that they will be able to consider the request only after 30th September. The uni starts on 1st October so it is a no go for me. Thank you, my precious institution. I send requests to independent dorms recommended by other universities. The cheapest room on offer starts at £220 p.w. I search further.

 The first reasonable offer comes two weeks later - room on the Edgware Rd. The accommodation is a bit more expesinve than the last year, but the bills and water are included. I do not count on having internet connection or TV. The uni is quite close anyway - just across the Hyde Park. I expect to save some money (and time) by not being forced to use the public transport and by cooking for myself. Moreover, the landlord agrees that if the City of Westminster exempts me from paying the council tax (as they should), he is going to lower the cost considerably.

 I send a friend of mine to have a look. According to his opinion, the accommodation is worth it. I do not have much other options than to believe him. I accept the offer.