I arrived in the middle of winter, when Paris is at its least glamorous. The sky was grey, the days were short and the trees along the streets were bare. But the city was beautiful anyway: cream-coloured stone buildings, iron balconies, small cafés with steamed-up windows and the soft glow of streetlights on wet pavement.

The first thing I noticed was the rhythm. Parisians walk fast, talk quietly in public and keep to themselves on the métro. The second thing was manners. Saying bonjour when you enter a shop, and merci, bonne journée when you leave, is not optional. It changes how people treat you completely.

Paris is not a city you visit once. It is a city you learn slowly.

Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements that spiral outwards from the centre, and each one feels like its own small town. These are the ones I have come to know best.

• Latin QuarterStudent energy, old bookshops, cheap crêperies and the Sorbonne. It never feels empty.
• Le MaraisMedieval streets, boutiques, falafel, galleries and a lively evening scene.
• MontmartreSteep, hilly and artistic. Go early to enjoy Sacré-Cœur before the crowds arrive.
• Canal Saint-MartinIron footbridges, picnics by the water and a relaxed, local crowd.
• Saint-Germain-des-PrésClassic cafés, literary history and elegant, quiet streets.
• The outer districtsLess postcard, more real life: markets, families, affordable food and calmer evenings.

The métro is the backbone of daily life. It is fast, frequent and reaches almost everywhere, though at rush hour it can be crowded and warm. The RER and tram connect the suburbs, and buses are great when you want to see the streets instead of a tunnel. A monthly pass, often with a student discount, makes the whole network affordable, so check what you are eligible for.

Still, I have learned that the best way to know Paris is on foot. The centre is much smaller than it looks on the map, and many of my best memories are from unplanned walks between two lectures.

Everyday life has its own routine. I buy fresh bread from the boulangerie down the street, vegetables from the open-air market and basic groceries from the local supermarket. Many small shops close on Sunday afternoons, so weekend planning is a real skill. And yes, French bureaucracy is real: residence permits, health insurance, bank accounts and housing paperwork all take time and patience. My advice is to keep digital and paper copies of everything.

Language matters too. English works in many places, but every bit of French I learned made daily life smoother and friendlier.

Food in Paris is not just about fine dining. It is about small daily pleasures. A fresh baguette still warm from the oven, a croissant on a quiet morning, a savoury galette or a sweet crêpe from a street stall, and a long coffee on a café terrace, where nobody rushes you out.

As a student, budget is important. University canteens offer cheap, filling meals, bakeries have good lunch deals, and the markets are ideal for fruit, cheese and bread. Restaurants can be expensive, so I save them for special occasions and look for the menu du jour, a fixed-price lunch that is usually the best value.

Paris is also wonderfully international. In just a few metro stops you can move from French bistro food to Lebanese, Vietnamese, North African or Japanese cooking. That variety is one of my favourite parts of living here.

Living here means the famous landmarks stop being a checklist and become part of normal life. I still get a small thrill when the Eiffel Tower appears between rooftops, but I enjoy the quieter places more: an evening walk along the Seine, a book in the Luxembourg Gardens, or a slow hour in the Tuileries.

The museums are a huge gift. The Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay are world famous, and there are dozens of smaller museums and galleries that are less crowded and often just as interesting. Many offer reduced or free entry for young people or students, so it is worth asking and bringing your student card or ID. Cinemas, theatres, concerts and free events fill the calendar all year.

Paris is also a city of ideas. In cafés, libraries and lecture halls, conversations about art, politics and philosophy feel completely natural, and as a student that energy is contagious.

Winter is grey, cold and cosy. Days are short, but Christmas lights, hot chocolate and warm bookshops make up for it. Spring is when the city comes alive: blossoms, terraces filling up and long walks that suddenly feel easy.

Summer means long evenings, picnics along the canal and the river, open-air events and festivals such as the Fête de la Musique in June and Bastille Day on 14 July. It can also get hot, and many older buildings have no air conditioning. Autumn brings golden leaves, the return to campus and some of the best light for photography.

Paris is not perfect. Housing is expensive and competitive, small apartments are the norm, strikes can disrupt transport, and the pace of administrative tasks can test your patience. The city can also feel lonely at first, especially in winter. What helped me most was joining student groups, building a small routine and keeping a few favourite places close.

• Learn the basics of French. Bonjour, merci and s’il vous plaît go a very long way.
• Get organised early. Start your paperwork, housing and bank setup as soon as you arrive.
• Use your student card. Ask for student prices at museums, cinemas, transport and shops.
• Walk more than you ride. The best parts of Paris are found between the métro stops.