Cultural Differences among Students in the United Kingdom

Introduction:

The UK is a country that has people from different backgrounds and cultures. It accommodates people from new cultures and religions. However, the locals still maintain their traditions. When you come to the UK as a student, you will find many cultural differences. London is the hub of international students with diverse cultures and traditions. To live In the UK as a student, you must know these traditions and values. This article by a best academic help provider company will assist you understand the cultural differences among students in the UK.

Ethnic Backgrounds:

Christianity is the major religion in the UK, making up almost fifty percent of the entire population of the UK. Many other people belong to different religious groups in the UK, such as Muslims, Hindus, Jewish, and others.

Main Language:

English is the major language in the UK. Throughout the country, English is spoken by everyone, so it is the language you need to learn to live as a student in the UK.

Cultural differences in the UK:

Following are some important cultural differences among students that you need to know.

Timekeeping:

In the UK, coming late to a class or any other academic meeting is bad. Keeping proper time is very important here compared to other nations and cultures. Therefore, in the UK, if you are going to be late for a meeting or an appointment, let the other people know. Moreover, always try to come five minutes early for classes or seminars so that you can have a chance to be there before the beginning of a lecture.

Queuing:

Another cultural difference in the UK is making queues. In the UK, people use proper queues to do everything, such as in toilets, shops, buses, trains, and even to enter a room for meetings or lectures. Just like keeping time, making queues is considered respectful and polite to others. If you do not do this, people get annoyed with you. Try to make sure that you make way for others as well. If you forget to do this, you must apologise to the other person. This will save you from leaving a bad impression.

Gender:

In all spheres of life, women and men have equal status and respect in the UK. They are valued and treated as equals. There might be some differences in the social relationships among people of the same gender, but they treat each other with respect. The ways of interaction among people here can rely on age and disability. In the UK, you have to understand how people interact with each other, and it might be different from how you interact in your own country. It would help if you learned how to adapt to the social norm through keen observation and by being mindful. This can help you greatly in becoming a part of their culture.

Tipping:

In the UK, you must give at least a 5% tip to someone serving you, such as your waiter. It is part of being polite and respectful. If you take a taxi, go for hairdressing or eat in a restaurant, you should think of giving appropriate tips to your servers. Usually, it would be best if you gave 5 to 10% of the cost of your bill as a tip. For instance, if your meal costs thirty pounds, you must give at least 1.5 pounds as a tip to the waiter for his services.

Small Talk:

Making small talk is another cultural difference in the UK. It is difficult to make small talk when you meet a person first. This is harder if you are new to England and don’t know how to engage other people. In this case, you can ask people about their interests. It is important to avoid any kind of sensitive or personal questions.

Personal Safety:

Britain is considered a very safe country according to international standards. There are lesser street crimes and gang violence. Police and the British Council work together to make this country safe for students. This makes the UK students less vulnerable to violence so they can study comfortably in schools, universities and colleges. They have made a useful guide for the international students with useful information and advice on personal safety. Before coming to the UK to study, you must read that guide carefully.

Conclusion:

To live a successful life as a student in the UK, you must learn all the important cultural differences so that you can learn to adapt to them. This way, you can show polite and respectful behavior to other students and become a part of the society that you live in.

Author Bio:

Robert Fawl is a professional Content Writer based in London, UK. He is an author and blogger with experience in writing different academic assignments. If you need dissertation writing services to write your dissertation, you can contact him.