I’m an American student who’s just been accepted to the LSE for this fall, and the deadline to apply for university accommodations is coming up soon. I apologize for this posting—I realize these questions are likely quite irritating to locals—but I know nearly nothing about the different neighborhoods/districts of London, and I’m hoping to make at least a somewhat-educated decision about which halls to apply to.

I’ve narrowed the possibilities down to a few LSE halls and a few ULondon intercollegiate halls. Below I’ve included the addresses and descriptions from the LSE website. I hope to live in an area with a younger, hipper population (a large student population is good, as is a large LGBT population). Lots of clubs and bars, trendy shops, cafes, museums, parks, perhaps, but also access to mundane things like grocery stores and whatever England’s equivalent to America’s Targer or Meijer might be. For comparison, if you’ve been to Chicago (where I’m living now), I like the Boystown area off the Belmont stop on the Red Line. I don't mind walking a mile or so to get to the school, so distance from the LSE isn't a top consideration.

Any comments you can offer on these neighborhoods, or even better, advice on residences from LSE or UL students who might be reading, is much appreciated.

1) Passfield Hall
1-7 Endsleigh Place WC1H 0PW
The hall is situated one mile from the LSE, just south of Euston station, in a quiet area, just a 20 minute walk from School.

2) Hughes-Parry/Commonwealth Hall/Canterbury Hall
Cartwright Gardens WC1H 9EF

3) Connaught Hall
Connaught Hall is situated within easy walking distance of the LSE, in the University precinct.
Tavistock Square WC1H 9EX
(Looking at the maps, I realize that these first three I’ve listed aren’t particularly far from one another. If they’re close enough that the neighborhoods would be essentially the same, feel free to scorn me and reply with “stupid American.”)

4) Carr-Saunders
The hall is situated near Telecom Tower just off Tottenham Court Road, approximately a 25 minute walk from the School.
18-24 Fitzroy Street W1T 4BN

5) High Holborn
The residence is situated within 10 minutes walking distance of the School in the heart of London's Theatre land, close to Covent Garden, Oxford Street, Leicester Square and Soho.
178 High Holborn WC1V 7AA

6) Bankside
This is the only residence that I’m considering that’s on the south side of the river. Someone had mentioned something to me in passing about that being undesirable… thoughts?
Bankside House is situated within a 25 minute walk of the School on the South Bank of the Thames near to the new Globe Theatre and behind the new Tate Modern art gallery.
24, Sumner Street SE1 9JA

7) Northumberland
Northumberland House is situated within a 10 minute walk of the LSE on Northumberland Avenue, in sight of Trafalgar Square

Again, I apologize if this is an obnoxious post, or if I’ve been insensitive or blatantly ignorant in some way. I’m quite excited to be coming to London, but also terrified because I’m clueless about the city and its culture and how things work in general. I expect some things will be similar, and some things will confuse the hell out of me. And, if anyone has questions similar to mine about Chicago or Minneapolis/St. Paul, I’d be happy to answer them in return.