Student Bloggers

It has been a while since I landed in the lively city of London, and in that time, I have had to assimilate to the English culture. There are many rules I have learned to abide by, and have experienced ways of living that I have found very interesting. These include:

The Tube

For example, the tube is an experience in itself. From “minding the gap” to avidly avoiding eye contact with people, there are both written and unwritten rules one must follow. Arguably the most important rule is one must stand on the right side of the escalator if they do not wish to walk down. If you fail to remember this and block the left side, you will more than likely get a passive-aggressive “huff” thrown your way. Secondly, you must always stay behind the yellow line when waiting to board the tube and let everyone off first before getting on. When you are on the tube, you keep to yourself, don’t even attempt to make eye contact with anyone. So, when riding the tube, grab a book or plug your earphones in, and enjoy the ride.

Apologies

“Sorry” is arguably one of the most used words in England. Brits apologize for everything. If you accidentally bump into someone on the street, you say sorry. If someone bumps into you, you say sorry. When in doubt, a good “sorry” is always the way to go.

Busy Streets

I would say my biggest accomplishment in assimilating to London, is getting used to the direction of traffic. The UK is notorious for driving on the opposing side of the road, and with all the bikes, motorcycles, cars, and buses occupying the streets, it can be overwhelming. However, even with the chaotic traffic, a London local never obey traffic lights. When you can confidently cross the street without help from the light of a little green man, you’ve made it in London.

Pubs

Pubs are not only a place to have a drink on a night out, but it is also a meeting place for friends and a place to grab a nice Sunday Roast. It isn’t peculiar to grab a pint with some friends in the middle of the day, and chat. They are more of a place of socialization than a bar.

Brexit

Before coming to the UK, I briefly heard of Brexit, but could not tell you anything about it. However, once I arrived, I quickly learned it is pretty much the only thing anyone talks about. Whether it was at university or the pub, the conversation topic usually leads to questioning your opinion on the United Kingdom withdrawing from the European Union.

There are so many things that I believe distinguish a London local, but these I often encounter daily. Other notables include: the difficulties of the night bus, Love Island, British rap, take away food, English breakfast, delicious tea and scones, and the beautiful parks.