Adjusting to the UK
Leaving your home country and your family, changing your lifestyle, and adjusting to a new culture can often cause feelings of anxiety. It’s a natural and temporary reaction, but there's lots of great ways to reduce feelings of culture shock and quickly settle into your life as a UK student.
Here's some advice to help you know what to expect.
Language
Speaking English as a second language can be a challenge, especially if you aren’t feeling confident in your skills yet.
The UK is also known for its wide range of dialects and accents, which can even make it a challenge for British people to understand each other sometimes, with many different 'British' accents.
Just remember that it’s ok to not be fluent in English – the UK is a very multicultural country, and people will be happy to repeat themselves or speak more slowly if you need them to.
Food
Changes in the food you can find, and how easily, can often be a big factor in culture shock or feeling ‘homesick’.
You might want to research any shops that stock food items from your country so you can cook your favourite dishes at home. Most of the major supermarket chains stock a wide range of foods, and many have entire international food aisles. If you live in a city or large town, you can usually find specialised supermarkets that may stock a larger variety of ingredients from around the world.
In most cities you can usually find a range of restaurants which offer a wide selection of international cuisines. But you should find opportunities to try traditional British cuisine when you can. It’s all part of the experience, and you might even discover some new favourite foods.
Making friends
Feeling isolated after moving overseas can be unpleasant. Making friends and being part of a community is a wonderful way to get support while you adjust into UK life. You’ll also have fun, learn more about other cultures, and make friends for life.
Your university’s international office will usually organise orientation and other social events, which are a great way to meet other international students early on. You can also meet UK students through your course, by joining a club, society or sports team at your university, at other events, or even in your accommodation.
While it can feel scary at first, getting out of your comfort zone and being proactive in meeting or talking with others always has fantastic results.
Climate and weather
Moving to the UK can be a shock for students who are used to higher temperatures or different weather patterns.
The British weather is often talked about being unpredictable, and it often does change several times during the day. While the summers can be hot, rain is always around the corner. Winters will have periods of sub-zero temperatures, with a small amount of snow often occurring. The north of the country is generally colder than the south by a few degrees.
The length of days can vary widely throughout the year. You can expect just over eight hours of daylight in winter, while during the longest summer days the sun can be up for more than sixteen hours. The sun rises about 8am sets about 4pm during the winter, but rises at 4am and sets at 10pm in the summer – leading to a very different experience.
It’s a good idea to look at what the weather will be like during the season you arrive, and pack for different weather types. A good coat and an umbrella is always wise!
