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Student at University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh

Class division and snobbery at Edinburgh?

To be clear, I am not predudice against anyone who's been to private school, quite the opposite, i just hate the idea of there being any kind of social/economic divison. Also, I'm really not from a priviledged background and am just worried about fitting in. I know I'm probably being silly, I'm just terrified of being lost in a sea of ugg boot wearing, horseriding, rugby playing eton types. Okay, i know that's judgemental and stereotypical but you know what I mean!!!! :wink:

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Reply 1
I don't go Edinburgh so I wouldn't know.

But I should imagine that there is. There would be everywhere, from Oxford to London Southbank university. The social divide in this country is so horrendously obvious. IMO, the greatest comeback would be that you're in university because you're clever, not because mommy and daddy have a porsche and three 20 acre estates in the South of France.

This works, I played cricket for England for a year, surrounded by the worst snobbery. But I swapped "clever" with being good at cricket mind you. So it works!

Good luck at Edinburgh!
Student at University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
Reply 2
I'm from supposedly the most working class town in Britain and I've not encountered any snobbery so far. In fact, the best friend I've made is from private school and I didn't even know for months because it's really not that big of a deal. Of course there are always a minority of upper class people who play up to their status just in the same way that there are some lower class people with persecution complexes/reverse snobs. I wouldn't worry about fitting in because it's the same everywhere you go. There are so many different people here that social class just becomes another one of those differences that isn't really that important, not for the people I've met anyway :smile:.
There are a lot of rahs here, but I don't actually know any personally.
And if you do meet any idiots who look down on you because of your 'class' they're not worth knowing anyway.
And all of a sudden I'm very glad I'm not going there. :biggrin:
Reply 5
Original post by Emmie3303
I'm from supposedly the most working class town in Britain and I've not encountered any snobbery so far. In fact, the best friend I've made is from private school and I didn't even know for months because it's really not that big of a deal. Of course there are always a minority of upper class people who play up to their status just in the same way that there are some lower class people with persecution complexes/reverse snobs. I wouldn't worry about fitting in because it's the same everywhere you go. There are so many different people here that social class just becomes another one of those differences that isn't really that important, not for the people I've met anyway :smile:.


Are you a fellow Barrovian?
Reply 6
Original post by JayTeeKay
Are you a fellow Barrovian?


Almost, Walney :smile:. I've only met a few Barrovians on here, we're a rare breed :grin:.
Original post by (:Becca(:
And all of a sudden I'm very glad I'm not going there. :biggrin:


You get the upper classes at any decent university. Frankly, anywhere that doesn't attract them isn't worth attending...
Reply 8
Original post by Emmie3303
Almost, Walney :smile:. I've only met a few Barrovians on here, we're a rare breed :grin:.


Haha. Well, I am part Walneyite myself. I take it you must have gone to the 6th Form in this cul-de-sac too? It's a small world!
Slightly more on topic, I couldn't help but feel like I was surrounded by ****s at Warwick. Is Barrow really that different from other places?
For example, I jokingly described the place as "the arse end of nowhere" and got the reply "Yes. I can tell from your accent" :confused:
And also, "If you've got the money, choose the college where the maids clean your room" -a concept that is just alien to me! Maybe it was just Warwick?
Reply 9
Original post by JayTeeKay
Haha. Well, I am part Walneyite myself. I take it you must have gone to the 6th Form in this cul-de-sac too? It's a small world!
Slightly more on topic, I couldn't help but feel like I was surrounded by ****s at Warwick. Is Barrow really that different from other places?
For example, I jokingly described the place as "the arse end of nowhere" and got the reply "Yes. I can tell from your accent" :confused:
And also, "If you've got the money, choose the college where the maids clean your room" -a concept that is just alien to me! Maybe it was just Warwick?


:five:

Yep, I did :smile:. Are you there now?

That's pretty harsh if they weren't joking :frown:. I like my accent but sometimes I feel very northern when I'm talking to people with perfectly refined accents (not that it really bothers me :grin:.)

I still can't get used to having a cleaner for our flat :erm:.

To be honest there are people like that at every university and the idea that we'd rather not have a cleaner is probably as strange to some of them as their comment to you seems to us (I'm not even sure that made sense). Maybe Barrow just has a smaller proportion of wealthier people. I don't really know. A lot of the wealthy people in Barrow are just normal down to earth people too, maybe that's the difference :smile:.
Reply 10
Original post by dothestrand
There are a lot of rahs here, but I don't actually know any personally.
And if you do meet any idiots who look down on you because of your 'class' they're not worth knowing anyway.


Okay, this is another thing i wanted to ask... what exactly is a "rah"?
I was thinking about this the other day actually but then realised that even if it was the most snobbish university ever, I'd still go! Tbh you're going to get a real mix of social classes at most universities but that's not a bad thing...but hey congrats on getting in anyway :smile:
Original post by Emmie3303
:five:

Yep, I did :smile:. Are you there now?

That's pretty harsh if they weren't joking :frown:. I like my accent but sometimes I feel very northern when I'm talking to people with perfectly refined accents (not that it really bothers me :grin:.)

I still can't get used to having a cleaner for our flat :erm:.

To be honest there are people like that at every university and the idea that we'd rather not have a cleaner is probably as strange to some of them as their comment to you seems to us (I'm not even sure that made sense). Maybe Barrow just has a smaller proportion of wealthier people. I don't really know. A lot of the wealthy people in Barrow are just normal down to earth people too, maybe that's the difference :smile:.


Yeah. Hopefully I will be out by the end of the year :tongue:
I think he said it in all seriousness. What's even more annoying is that my accent sounds more Scottish than it does Barrovian!
I suppose there is a spectrum wherever you are. It just seemed more obvious to me at Warwick than normal.
Original post by dizzy177
Okay, this is another thing i wanted to ask... what exactly is a "rah"?


It's that typical upper class university student - the girls with their messy hair and Uggs, the guys who play rugby and wear lots of Jack Wills. The thing that gets me most is their voices - loud, obnoxious, overbearing.
But like I say, they're easily identifiable so easily avoidable.
That's a suprise for me, What does a Snobbish Scottish Accent sound like?

"Arggg Neoww! the degon mustard taysts like Bowk!"

English Translation:

" Oh No! The Dijon mustard taste foul!
Original post by JayTeeKay
Yeah. Hopefully I will be out by the end of the year :tongue:
I think he said it in all seriousness. What's even more annoying is that my accent sounds more Scottish than it does Barrovian!
I suppose there is a spectrum wherever you are. It just seemed more obvious to me at Warwick than normal.


Haha, that's just strange :confused:.
You'll fit in somewhere. Don't worry about this and don't let it put you off applying.
Reply 17
Thank you all, i feel a bit better about it now, it's a pretty minor problem with an amazing uni tbh. Just got to get my 3 As now! Anyone studying English and/or Philosophy?
I'll give you two answers: the first is about people from Edinburgh in general, and the second is about its students.

Edinburgh is the only middle-class city in Scotland. I'm from here (I don't go to uni' here, but I live here). As a result there is a clear distinction between those from Edinburgh and those from other parts of Scotland.

Generally, if you're not from Edinburgh, and you're Scottish, then we're not really interested in you. It's similar to Londoners not caring about anyone else unless they're from London.

It's more of a social thing though. What do I mean? I mean social manners, interests and the etiquette mentality of the traditional (emphasis on traditional) middle-class.

We find that the rest of Scotland (I am not arguing this conclusively, so I'm not arguing inductively) are crude, abrupt and lacking manners.

Are we stuck up? Not necessarily. We just look down on people if they are rough, crude and generally the opposite of etiquette. 'That makes you sound like a stuck up fool', one might say. Well, we are only like this because we are not rough, crude and are etiquette. Be objective.

About the students at Edinburgh, it's mixed. You'll find what you're looking for social group wise. Is there class segregation? In some places, yes. It will entirely depend on the people - we are all individuals remember. A lot will be moulded by interests - social classes have similar interests e.g. rugby is a more middle-class game and football a more working-class game. Thus class segregation arises due to factors such as this. However it is more of an interest thing than 'you're a different class so this is awkward' predicament. Class is a mere association, sometimes.

Whoever and whatever you are (generally), you'll find your place.

I hope you enjoy my wonderful city. I know I'm going to miss it terribly when I go to uni'.
Uggs are considered "upper-class"?! :eek:

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