The Student Room Group

Culture shock?

I am an international student studying in a British international school in Thailand. I am just thinking about the culture shock I will encounter in the UK. What kind of norms should I be aware of or need to know? What is socially acceptable and not.

I know drinking is a big thing in the UK and part of university, but if you don't drink is that a social problem or can you still fit in and go out. I don't mind going out and socialise with friends generally, just don't drink. Any thoughts on that?

I know this is quite early to be asking such a question, but just want to know what I should expect. (Also if you are bored sitting in your common room! )

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the long post.
Reply 1
Well, it's a bit difficult to answer when we don't know what sort of culture you are coming from.
Generally speaking, unis in Britain are friendly and tolerant, and you should not have much difficulty making friends. You will get support and advice from the uni on life in this country.
My main advice would be bring warm clothes and a raincoat - Britiain is cold and wet. Also learn to queue for everything, we are big on queues.
As for the drinking, there is a lot of alcohol involved in uni social life but it is not forced on you. No-one will care whether you drink or not and you will be able to build up a life without drinking.
You might get more helpful replies if you ask specific questions or give us some idea of what you are most worried about.
Well tbh it is the drinking. I have a few English friends, and living in an international environment from friends from loads of countries, I do know quite a bit about culture and that sort of thing. Queueing is fine, I love it. I hate when people cut lines, and to be blatantly honest us Indians aren't too good at that! (I am though, don't worry :P)

Yea, I know about the weather, I wouldn't mind a change from the heat here. I will do some warm cloth shopping :biggrin:

I am quite social but not in the drinking/smoking sense, and there are various reasons for that. I love to do all other stuff, if I have the time and money!!!
Reply 3
It is hardly to give a definite answer as it will depend entirely on the uni you go to...student life in a busy city is completely different to spending your time in a small town on campus. It also goes without saying that it depends on the uni's status and location- as you may imagine, some places are worlds apart.
Obviously drinking is a big part of uni life for many students but it doesn't have to be nor should it be if you are not interested in getting drunk.
Yeah the weather is 'unpredictable' (ie dull, damp and cloudy for about 330 days a year with temperatures hardly varying between any season, lol), so I'd imagine that would be quite hard to adjust to. Won't affect your uni life, though.
On every 7th passing Wednesday, we don our Hats of Gordesh for approximately 3 hours from when the cow caws. So watch out for that one.

It looks something like this: http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/kids/images/ritual.lg.jpg

(Or atleast I do, anyway)
Reply 5
I don't drink and I got through uni fine so I wouldn't make that one of your worries :smile:
Reply 6
Shrayans - the culture "shock" will be stronger at those universities where the student population is mainly white, anglosaxon, british etc. The UK has plenty of universities which offer a diverse student population so you can engage with your own culture if that's what you prefer. There is no "one culture" dominates British universities - it all depends on the uni, the course, and the location of the uni. Exeter is primarily a white, middle class university in a peaceful, white, rural part of the UK. Postgraduate communities are diverse, but undergraduate diversity is not a strength of Exeter. Bradford is a university in a town with a diverse population. The university serve the local community, so you will find Indian subcultures in the town and university (larger than Exeter's certainly!!)

Why don't you tell us where you wish to study and we can give you a better idea of the subcultures that operate within that uni,.
Depends where you go. If you're going to be in London you'll be fine. 1st/2nd/3rd generation immigrants probably outnumber more traditionally English people here (not saying thats bad or good).
Reply 8
Erm I stayed at a relatives in Thailand a few weeks ago and met some of their Expat friends. Anyway I started talking to this Thai dude who was at Uni in Imperial (cant remember course, something to do with computers and electronics). He said he spends most of his time hanging out with his Thai friends in Imperial (which is a London Uni, very multicultural so it doesn't surprise me!). Most top universities are seriously multicultural. I'm probably going to goto UCL and swop to mathematics, I need to be prepared to be in a class of Chinese students for example! LOL.

I dont think Alcohol will be a problem, aslong as you dont make out your better/superior than others cause you dont drink. Its your choice really, people wont mind aslong as YOU dont make a fuss out of it. People in the UK are FAR FAR more confrontational than people in Thailand, this may take some getting used to! Generally speaking you dont need to take off your shoes when you enter houses, and you certainly dont when entering shops etc. Sport is a big thing, bigger as far as I can see than it is in Thailand - especially Rugby and Football. Theres more fat & ugly people in the UK (on the girl front) - big generalisation but this seems to be the case, British food is more unhealthy than Thai food. Is it just me, but are most Thai's like the perfect weight lol? I guess i've only been here a month.

Out of interest what international school are you in. My relatives live in Samuk Prakan district outside of Bangkok, their children (age 16/13/12) go to the international school somewhere in Bangkok.
I am in Shrewsbury International School, and guys I can't thank you all enough for your comments, it really relieves me!!! Well its really Warwick unless LSE decide to give me an offer and then I will think about it, but I prefer Warwick by far! Its way cool! Having seen some videos on Warwick, I am amazed, would love to be there. Just have to consider whether LSE's rep is so good that I should give up Warwick for that. Oh well, I have some time, but I would rather get my decisions done as soon as possible!
Reply 10
Warwick, as a good university, will attract plenty of international students, you won't be outcast all by yourself or anything horrific like that. It'll be the same for all good universities I would have thought. I attend a Surrey university interview/open day this week and there was at least one international students also attending the same open day thing. She hadn't quite mastered English and didn't seem to totally understand our currency, but everyone was perfectly friendly to her and I would have thought she enjoyed the day just as much as everyone else. :smile:
Hmm... Yea, agreed, and I don't think my english is too bad. I should be able to talk to the locals fine :wink:

That is actually awfully nice if they helped her out!
Reply 12
Shrayans
Hmm... Yea, agreed, and I don't think my english is too bad. I should be able to talk to the locals fine :wink:

That is actually awfully nice if they helped her out!


Saying "awfully nice" may may you sound a bit posh though :wink:
wtid
Saying "awfully nice" may may you sound a bit posh though :wink:


I did apply for Oxford :wink:

Does really nice sound better mate?
Reply 14
I dont think you'll have a problem speaking english, or understanding some people. You may find the slang hard to grasp, along with peoples strong accents mind. Having a strong english accent here makes it bloody difficult to get people to understand what i'm saying, sometimes I have to say something like 5 times and then they go "ooooooooooh thats what you mean, sorry I couldnt understand you!" (in Thailand, but also any foreign country)

Where abouts is Shrewsbury International School? Which city/town?

Just checked, and Warwick seem to have the most comprehensive statistical analysis of student profiles i've seen of ANY university webside. Check them out here

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/ourservices/planning/academic_statistics/2007/
supernova2
Depends where you go. If you're going to be in London you'll be fine. 1st/2nd/3rd generation immigrants probably outnumber more traditionally English people here (not saying thats bad or good).


:eek: does it?

i know london is much more diverse ans certain corners (east/tower hamlets) are better represented by ethnic minorities, but i thought london or greater london as a whole was still predominantly white?
The Boosh
Exeter is primarily a white, middle class university in a peaceful, white, rural part of the UK. Postgraduate communities are diverse, but undergraduate diversity is not a strength of Exeter. Bradford is a university in a town with a diverse population. The university serve the local community, so you will find Indian subcultures in the town and university (larger than Exeter's certainly!!)



I thought bradford was a city?
Ewan
I dont think you'll have a problem speaking english, or understanding some people. You may find the slang hard to grasp, along with peoples strong accents mind. Having a strong english accent here makes it bloody difficult to get people to understand what i'm saying, sometimes I have to say something like 5 times and then they go "ooooooooooh thats what you mean, sorry I couldnt understand you!" (in Thailand, but also any foreign country)

Where abouts is Shrewsbury International School? Which city/town?

Just checked, and Warwick seem to have the most comprehensive statistical analysis of student profiles i've seen of ANY university webside. Check them out here

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/ourservices/planning/academic_statistics/2007/




Its in Bangkok, Charoen Krung area. I shouldn't have too much problem with the language, i am used to accents now!
hermaphrodite
:eek: does it?

i know london is much more diverse ans certain corners (east/tower hamlets) are better represented by ethnic minorities, but i thought london or greater london as a whole was still predominantly white?


Im thinking more about unis tbh
supernova2
Im thinking more about unis tbh


ah ok. fair enough. why do you think london unis are better at attracting ethnic minorities than say exeter, durham or bristol say? And when you say london unis; would that be all london unis in general or specific londo unis?

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