Living in England

[Bessil]

Alright, so I've been living abroad, away from Australia, moving around, working in London and in Canada.
Now I'm back in England, and in Leeds, and boy is this the toughest stretch.

I need some advice.
I want to ask a serious question:
How do you cope?

With the following:
keeping warm in winter (it is *^$£* freezing, and I know it's gonna get worse)
finding a steady job when you're only here for 7 months (there's no hiding that expiry date on your visa)
making friends when you're pretty much alone (i'm not the go-to-the-pub-on-my-own kinda gal)
keeping costs down
keeping yourself entertained (highlights of the city and area)
keeping your cool when your morning train is always delayed

There must be some of you out there that have found yourself in a similar predicament: hit a low peak while exploring the world and finding yourself cold, poor with inconsistent (or non-existent) work, and alone in a damn well expensive country.

Speak out! Share your stories and wisdom!

How do you handle it?