The highlight of the year for many junior-year Colby College students: studying abroad.
For many, this may be their first extended experience in a different country, encountering a new way of living. Culture shock is a real thing, after all. For those of you thinking of heading to the United Kingdom in the future, no fear! I’ll give a brief guide to my current experiences living in Cambridge, UK.
The first thing I noticed after stepping off the plane was the clothing. At the College, you usually see a mishmash of attires, ranging from PJs to nice collared shirts. However, it seems that the range of proper clothes is shifted up a notch. People, on average, dress nicer than their counterparts across the Atlantic. Regardless, I don’t think I’m ready to give up my sweatpants just yet.
You’re going to be moving around a lot. Car, bicycle, or foot, you’ll realize that the flow of traffic is different than back home. In the UK, traffic travels on the left; cars have their steering wheels on the right. A friend said that this goes back to the medieval tradition of keeping your sword hand (your dominant hand, so for most people, your right hand) ready in case of violence. Nowadays, you’d only find a handful of countries around the world with the same customs. I guess jousting in cars isn’t as common outside of the old country.
Point being, this is important for crossing the road. Since there is no right of way for pedestrians in the UK (I almost found this out the hard way on my first day), you should definitely make sure to double-check before you cross. At least most of your healthcare needs should be covered by the National Health Service (NHS) if you do need to use the emergency room!
Despite us all speaking English, you’ll quickly realize that there are peculiarities to the vocabulary. For instance, washrooms are usually just called toilets. There are at least four different, seemingly unrelated words for bread rolls. “Lifts” are elevators. And many more. Thankfully, I think that my consumption of British culture has mitigated some of these adjustments, but your mileage may vary.
One of the biggest peeves I have at the moment is the signage. In North America, our signs are huge. They are prominently displayed at every intersection, usually on top of the lights. In the UK, however, they are tiny and so out of the way. Additionally, I personally don’t like the white-on-black (or vice versa) texture as it makes it hard to see. This is especially pertinent while I’m trying to navigate the unfamiliar terrain and have to pull out my phone to check if the turn up ahead is a dead end or the upcoming street.
However, it’s not all bad. I adore how walkable the city is, and while cyclists can be controversial, I think it’s great that there are green alternatives for transport. It’s also a practical choice; since the towns in England are older, they weren’t originally designed for large pickup trucks. Thus, navigating the narrow cobblestone streets is best done outside an enclosed vehicle.
I would be remiss not to mention academics. I’ve been told that the Oxbridge universities are unique in their approaches to courses. Instead of, say, our typical four lecture-style courses, Cambridge uses the supervision system. In short, the majority of education comes from the weekly one-on-one supervisions with professors, which are supplemented by non-graded lectures throughout the week. The course mark primarily comes from weekly problem exams and a final exam or a dissertation. This method definitely pushes students to be more independent and responsible for their own learning.
Finally, Cambridge University has the college system. Unlike Colby, students apply directly to specific colleges within Cambridge. For the political nerds out there, Cambridge is like a federation made up of 31 autonomous colleges. Each college is responsible for your admissions, accommodations, and dining services. There are positives and negatives to this method, but one thing is for sure: you’ll still get your tight-knit, liberal arts community vibe.
There’s so much more about the UK and Cambridge, whether it be the meal deals or Hogwarts-esque dining halls. However, I truly believe that the best way to learn about this is to experience it firsthand. Take the plunge abroad. It’ll be worth it.
~ Roy Li `28
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