Exeter- Posh?

prejudice is not confined to middle class culture.

try not to be prejudice against the 'type' of students studying at exeter.

Reply 21

Chester

supercat

Heh, rah, as far as I'm aware, stands for rich arse-holes. So they're the preppy girls/boys wearing Jack Wills (she says in her Jack Wills tracksuit bottoms :wink:

) that went to public school etc etc. It's just a stereotype.

I never knew it stood for that!! You learn something new everyday!

Btw, how are you fixed for friday lunch?

xx

Reply 22

supercat

2

Chester

I never knew it stood for that!! You learn something new everyday!

Btw, how are you fixed for friday lunch?

xx

Sounds good! Facebook me! xx

Reply 23

Ariadne

16

Pure interest, why does it matter? People who do completely conform to ye olde rah stereotype may be just as nice/nasty as the random delinquent in the next door room wearing head to toe imitation Burberry and fluorescent white trainers. How somebody dresses and speaks isn't the be all and end all of their personality.

Admittedly, I didn't see many black/asian folks when I went down there for the open day, but I really don't think anyone but the worst Jade Goody-esque scum is going to hold that against you. :smile:

Reply 24

kuroptd

OP

Ariadne

Pure interest, why does it matter? People who do completely conform to ye olde rah stereotype may be just as nice/nasty as the random delinquent in the next door room wearing head to toe imitation Burberry and fluorescent white trainers. How somebody dresses and speaks isn't the be all and end all of their personality.

Admittedly, I didn't see many black/asian folks when I went down there for the open day, but I really don't think anyone but the worst Jade Goody-esque scum is going to hold that against you. :smile:

Im black african/british, and I don't wear any labels (imitation or otherwise). My main fear is finding a group to fit in with. Yes people will not hold anything agaist me but typically people like to hang around with people that are more like them. If people associoate people from diferent backgropunds its less likely that you would want to be around them (people for different backgrounds) all the time. Your little 'clique' is more likely to be people you can better identify with.....or am I wrong in my thinking?

I am very open. I don't care what peoples backgrounds are or what they wear, but I'm just scared that others may not think that way. Yes, no doubt people will talk to me and I will have friends BUT will I have people that I can identify with? or people who don't mind that we might not idenfity with each other (as I don't mind)?

Thats why exeter has a BIG question mark next to it.

Am I wrong to think this way? :confused:

Reply 25

kellywood_5

17

kuroptd

Im black african/british, and I don't wear any labels (imitation or otherwise). My main fear is finding a group to fit in with. Yes people will not hold anything agaist me but typically people like to hang around with people that are more like them. If people associoate people from diferent backgropunds its less likely that you would want to be around them (people for different backgrounds) all the time. Your little 'clique' is more likely to be people you can better identify with.....or am I wrong in my thinking?

I am very open. I don't care what peoples backgrounds are or what they wear, but I'm just scared that others may not think that way. Yes, no doubt people will talk to me and I will have friends BUT will I have people that I can identify with? or people who don't mind that we might not idenfity with each other (as I don't mind)?

Thats why exeter has a BIG question mark next to it.

Am I wrong to think this way? :confused:

I know what you mean- you do tend to see groups of blacks or Asians hanging out just with each other as opposed to mixing. It was the same at my sixth form. But I think, as you said, it's to do with feeling more comfortable around people from the same background that you can identify with rather than any sort of prejudice. As long as you make the effort to talk to everyone, regardless of background, you'll have loads of friends :smile:

Reply 26

supercat

2

And living in halls with other students helps too. There are girls in my corridor I never thought I'd get on with...but we're really good friends now. There will always be someone you can get on with.

Reply 27

Sweepster

kuroptd

Im black african/british, and I don't wear any labels (imitation or otherwise). My main fear is finding a group to fit in with. Yes people will not hold anything agaist me but typically people like to hang around with people that are more like them. If people associoate people from diferent backgropunds its less likely that you would want to be around them (people for different backgrounds) all the time. Your little 'clique' is more likely to be people you can better identify with.....or am I wrong in my thinking?

I am very open. I don't care what peoples backgrounds are or what they wear, but I'm just scared that others may not think that way. Yes, no doubt people will talk to me and I will have friends BUT will I have people that I can identify with? or people who don't mind that we might not idenfity with each other (as I don't mind)?

Thats why exeter has a BIG question mark next to it.

Am I wrong to think this way? :confused:

If you are worried about it, then it will become a problem when you are here, but only to you.

I thought there were hardly any black students at Exeter when I first arrived, but in actual fact, there are plenty. Not enough to form a group of separation, but surely you don't want to do that anyway. If you are more comfortable with a higher percentage of people "you can identify with," then I fear you will be unhappy at Exeter.

In one of my lectures, which could feature about 200 people, there may be 1 or 2 black students. It does not seem to be a problem for those concerned, and they seem to be enjoying their time here, but I repeat it could be a problem if you are conscious of it.

In all honesty, you are more likely to be excluded from 'cliques' if you don't get involved with other students rather than reasons of background.

On a personal note, I am more concerned about posh students rather than black students. I have already made good friends with one black student, and additional to that, most of my other friends are very down-to-earth southeast England types, rather than posh types. But I have found a grouping that is easy to relate to so stuff the rest of them (I say in my finest London accent!). :biggrin:

Reply 28

alex_trust

My friend goes to exeter and she is not posh. But you shouldnt judge posh people because the chances are they will not judge you. Arent you judgin them that they will judge you that they will care what you are wearing or what you are driving. You also dont have to be rich to be posh or have class. posh people are just fine. don't worry were still people and i'm not even that posh beleive me. Also don't worry if you are black/asian. Chances are you will be the only one who notices it. Why should it make a difference if there are more white people or black people or whatever we all the same but anyway im sure thats an argument for a different thread.

Thanks for letting me get that out just for how this thread started :-*

Reply 29

kuroptd

OP

alex_trust

My friend goes to exeter and she is not posh. But you shouldnt judge posh people because the chances are they will not judge you. Arent you judgin them that they will judge you that they will care what you are wearing or what you are driving.

I haven't made a made a judgment. I'm hoping people don't care and Im asking about peoples experiences. And I think its going to be very hard for people not to notice im black lol (i know thats not what you meant- im joking). I don't think its a big deal but before I place myself somewhere for 3 years I wanted to have a lil bit of an idea of what I would be dealing with- if anything-thats why I started this thread.

:smile:

Reply 30

*KatyE*

Exeter - posh? Nah we're all common as muck 'ere!

Seriously though, whoever you are and from whatever background you're always going to find people you click and get along with. Everyone always uses the phrase "you're all in the same boat", but it couldn't be more true. I've met some amazing friends at Uni, and though different means - some are hall-friends, others from my course, nights out, societies....

Exeter is great. That is all. :biggrin:

Reply 31

Sweepster

alex_trust

My friend goes to exeter and she is not posh. But you shouldnt judge posh people because the chances are they will not judge you. Arent you judgin them that they will judge you that they will care what you are wearing or what you are driving. You also dont have to be rich to be posh or have class. posh people are just fine. don't worry were still people and i'm not even that posh beleive me. Also don't worry if you are black/asian. Chances are you will be the only one who notices it. Why should it make a difference if there are more white people or black people or whatever we all the same but anyway im sure thats an argument for a different thread.

Thanks for letting me get that out just for how this thread started :-*

Just to follow from kuroptd's reply, I also wasn't making a judgement. As I said, I am concerned about the fact that all my friends are from similar stock to myself (typically Londoner/SE England types) rather than the overly posh. But as I also said, I have made a lot of good pals - stuff anyone who doesn't want to be - and anyone friendly is welcome into my world. :smile:

Reply 32

Sianey

The amount of "rahs" at Exeter worries me too slightly. Seriously on the open day I went on it was just like Cheltenham College all over again, which is something I want to get away from to be honest. In Cheltenham I've had enough of people thinking they're better than me because I have to have a job and don't pay to go to school. I'm not saying that's how people at Exeter are, but its deffo how a lot of "rahs" in Cheltenham are. I'd rather experience something different at uni.

Reply 33

Angelil

19

I sympathise - I'd never experienced rahs/sloanes before coming to Exeter so that might be why I can (just about :p:

) put up with it. I can understand why it might not be your cup of tea if you'd just spent the past 7 years in that environment.

Reply 34

kellywood_5

17

I have to say, I haven't experienced anything like that at Exeter so far. OK, so I was shocked by the amount of ex private school students whose parents are paying for everything, even to the extreme of buying them a house/flat to live in after the first year :eek:

being an ex comprehensive schooled Essex girl with a loan and a grant :p:

but I get on fine with most of the 'rahs/sloanes' and I don't think they look down on you or anything. Obviously some do, but it's just a case of finding the normal people and avoiding the snobs.

Reply 35

boho

1

i think there are a lot of unnecessary judgements being made here. For starters, the rahs are only an issue if you make them an issue - if you think they're going to be a bunch of rich arseholes then you are more than likely going to treat them as so before actually getting to know them which i think is a mistake a lot of people tend to make.

On the other issue, my family aren't poor, but they've never been exactly rich either. I went to what is probably one of the worst state schools in my area, but that has never bothered me. My parents have always paid for my accomodation and my nan my tuition fees - i get my student loan in weekly installments to spend on food and anything else i want. I'm still going to come out of uni with a £12,000 loan to pay off like everyone else. and i've found that most of my friends are in a very similar boat and that more often than not, a lot of my richer friends are being made to pay for everything themselves. My best friends parents bought our house - as an INVESTMENT, yet she is footing the bills and rent herself - even though they own it. Everyone is different and has their own personal circumstances and i think its important for you to realise not to judge them until you know them, but also to understand that there are over 10,000 people at exeter university and you'd be hard pushed NOT to find people who you get along with x

Reply 36

kellywood_5

17

boho

I'm still going to come out of uni with a £12,000 loan to pay off like everyone else.

Isn't that at least partly through choice though? If your fees and accommodation have already been paid for, all that's left that you actually need are food, books and stationery, and you can't possibly spend the whole student loan on those. If you want to spend the rest of it on things you want, that is of course up to you, but you could get away with taking out a much smaller loan if you wanted.

boho

My best friends parents bought our house - as an INVESTMENT, yet she is footing the bills and rent herself - even though they own it.

Yeah, most people I know whose parents have bought them a house are still paying rent and bills, but for me personally, it was the fact that their parents could afford to do it in the first place that was so shocking! I just feel like the complete odd one out sometimes paying for everything myself and I suppose I might feel more comfortable around people from similar backgrounds, but at the end of the day, as you said, it's not an issue unless you make it one :smile:

Reply 37

soup_dragon87

supercat

Heh, rah, as far as I'm aware, stands for rich arse-holes. So they're the preppy girls/boys wearing Jack Wills (she says in her Jack Wills tracksuit bottoms :wink:

) that went to public school etc etc. It's just a stereotype.