1. British people are very polite
One thing that struck me was how polite and gracious people here are, and it’s something I have grown to be quite fond of! Stepping onto the bus on the way to Uni for the first time, I heard people in the queue in front of me greet the bus driver hello, and people saying thank you on the way out. Doing my weekly shop at Tesco I observed people thanking cashiers too, and responding to an offer for a carrier bag with a ‘Yes please’. The same can be observed in cafes and food joints. Treating service staff with the respect and kindness we expect from them is a wonderful practice!2. Small talk is a big thing
What I noticed right from the start during Freshers week was how much small talk people engage in here. I’ve grown used to walking into the kitchen and bumping into a flat mate and hearing a ‘You alright?’ or ‘How are you?’ and replying in kind, followed by a brief chat about school or how the weather’s been (this topic never fails) before leaving with a ‘See you later’. I could be in a queue at Topshop or Primark waiting my turn, or sat next to a course mate in a seminar, and I would no doubt find myself drawn into conversation. So, one word of advice for international students about to come to the UK to study: be prepared to make small talk!3. Summer is not summer
For those of you like myself who come from tropical climates, say goodbye to your crop tops and other summer clothes. Get ready to splurge on some comfy jumpers, warm boots and a coat or two for the colder weather. Don’t have high hopes for British summer either. It can be perfectly sunny one week and rainy and chilly the next. I’ve somehow come to love this quirky weather. Come to think of it, I guess I understand now why people here talk of the weather so much, it’s like a naughty little child that refuses to behave.
About the Author: Trina Khoo is an English literature and linguistics student at the University of York. She loves poems, classic rock music, and spends her free time baking or playing the guitar.
