Before I even talk about this it is important to remember that this is East London. It is often dirty and dangerous. There are plenty of pitfalls for the student in an area with some significant racial and social tensions. With that in mind:
The three campuses span three pretty varied areas. Barking is traditional Essex so if you bring a car be sure to have it fitted with neon lights on the undertray and some form of sizeable spoiler. Stratford is East End London at its purest. Brick Lane and Petticoat Lane are great for students, Hoxton trendies, art, curry, shopping and clubbing. The fact that Stratford is so far East is good from the point of view of money, things are genuinely cheaper than the rest of the capital. Docklands seems to be the sole preserve of the 'city type' nowadays but this is a bit of a myth. There are places to go for students although many will head to the Students' Union at Barking or the West end for evening entertainment.
There is a dry ski slope in nearby Becton that has produced a couple of world-renowned snowboarders but these days it's pretty dilapidated. Still worth a laugh though.
Unfortunately trouble is pretty common, as you might expect in such a racially diverse location. You really do need to take all the advice you are given about areas to avoid.
