I'm glad to see you say you want to get away from the "beaten track".... those places that everyone gets told in the brochures they have to see. If you are going to be studying there for a while, you'll sure get around to those anyway.
I would recommend you take a Sunday morning and catch the good old underground east to visit Petticoat Lane, the longtime and very well known street-length open air market. But guard your valuables, or you'll very likely get them lifted, and maybe even later see them for sale on one of the display stands LOL.
While you are there, have somebody direct you to a Jewish Saltbeef sandwich place. Those saltbeef "sarnies" are the best.
It's been a longish time since I lived there, so I hope "Dirty Dick's" still exists one end of Petticoat Lane. You go down some steps to a "Tavern" (one still hates to call it a Pub because of its very old history). The story goes that long long ago a nobleman of wealth and status fell madly in love with a beautiful girl and they were to be married. Best I recall, his name was "Sir Richard somebody... or Lord Richard something like that. Tragically, his betrothed took suddenly ill, and died on the very day they were to be wed. The nobleman was overcome with grief to the extent that he lost all interest in everything. Once an elegant dresser and fun-lover, he let himself go, and day after day would hang out in this underground tavern, dirty, sullen and inconsolable. Eventually everybody came to call the Tavern "Dirty Dick's". So ask if the tavern is still there, and pay it a visit.
I'm sure that the Londoners you will make friends with will be full of suggestions about places with similar kinds of fascinating history, and be equally enthusiastic to escort you to them. Have a great stay, Say hello to "My Town" for me, oh, and buy a brolly, raincoat and golloshes as soon as you get there. It wont be too long before you'll need them LOL.
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