Shop smart before basics turn into a quest

Stationery, snacks, coffee, merch and first-week essentials without turning Bloomsbury into a scavenger hunt.

The SU already has its own local corner shop on campus, and SOAS’s international guide is very clear about the other practicals that matter early: bank letters, a UK SIM, a GP registration and the kind of coat that makes London weather less personal.

Open My SU Shop

Back to your first-week checklist

Students carrying books and essentials at SOAS

Your easiest useful stop is already in the SU building

My SU Shop describes itself as the SU’s very own local corner shop. It stocks drinks, lunches, snacks and coffee to get you through the day, plus stationery essentials and SOAS-branded merch from hoodies to tote bags, mugs and gifts.

It is open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00, which makes it a good answer to most “I forgot I need that today” problems before you start searching the city for a pen, charger snack or replacement tote.

Use week one to remove the small frictions

Everyday basics

My SU Shop already covers drinks, lunches, snacks and coffee, so you can keep the practical part of campus life local and quick.

Stationery without the detour

Pens, notebooks and the other boring things you only notice when you sit down in the wrong room with nothing to write on are part of the Shop offer too.

Merch if you actually want it

The shop stocks the full range of SOAS-branded merchandise, which is much better than impulse-buying a generic freshers hoodie elsewhere and pretending it means more.

Coffee and food nearby

Because Coffee Pod and the bar are also on campus, the best shopping plan for week one is usually combining a quick essentials run with food or coffee nearby rather than making separate trips.

The other purchases are mostly about settling in

Banking needs paperwork, not vibes

SOAS’s international guide says opening a UK bank account usually means proof of identity and address, and sometimes a bank letter from SOAS. That is not glamorous, but it is a first-week essential.

Get a UK SIM before you need a route home

The same guide recommends sorting a UK SIM soon after arrival so contact, banking, maps and two-factor logins work properly when everything else in the week starts moving.

Buy the coat that makes London feel less chaotic

Students writing about first year at SOAS keep circling back to routine and balance. In London that starts with practical kit: a warm waterproof layer, a charger you can trust, and enough day-to-day basics that small weather changes do not derail your mood.

My SU Shop Coffee Pod International student guide What I wish I’d known in first year

Use week one to remove frictions, not to perfect your life

Go to My SU Shop

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