As we all know, the UK is a highly developed country, and its economic status is among the best in Europe and even the world. But what attracts many people to study abroad is nothing more than its excellent education level in the world.Common knowledge you must know when studying in the UKCost of living studying in the UK, ,How to study in the UK?, ,Distribution of living expenses for studying in the UK, ,Studying in the UK is very differentThe problem.

Common knowledge you must know when studying in the UK

Common knowledge you must know when studying in the UK

1. I heard that the environment in the UK is very good? Answer: It depends!

Many people think that foreign countries, especially European countries, the United States, Canada, and Australia, have good environments. But if we want to be responsible, it really depends on the specific situation. Different countries and cities will have completely different feelings. Take the UK for example. Most cities are very clean, but there are some big cities such as Manchester. Because of its industrial city background and large population, there are some areas where the streets can be described as dirty and noisy. Compared with other cities, the environment is really not very good. Therefore, you need to understand the study location clearly before studying abroad.

In addition, it depends on what aspect is defined as a good or bad environment. For example, if it comes to air quality, then the UK can be said to be impeccable, but the same cannot be said for water quality. For example, the water quality in Southampton is not very optimistic. Of course, the situation is much better now. Sometimes there will be a little scale after boiling water, so many international students will choose to bring a water filter. However, as the old saying goes, it depends on the specific situation. The water quality in Scotland, UK is generally better than that in England. No one will burn scale in Scotland for a year. And if you observe carefully, you will find that the mineral water sold in the UK is basically produced in Scotland. There is no way to solve this problem. The environment in the Scottish Highlands is pure.

2. Do you need to make an appointment to do anything in the UK? Answer: Yes!

One thing that I have to complain about in the UK is that no matter what you do, you must first make an appointment in advance. It is obviously very complicated to do something very simple. Take banking and medical care as two of the most representative examples. It is very troublesome to open a bank card in the UK. The trouble is that you have to wait. You need to make an appointment when opening a card, usually one week in advance, but there are one-to-one service from staff when you apply for it. After the card is opened, the bank card is mailed to your home. Taking HSBC as an example, it usually takes 5-7 working days. Working days, this means that the card you apply for this week will basically be available next week, or even the week after next, or even longer.

Next, in terms of medical care, the medical infrastructure in the UK is very developed, and it is called GP. However, if you want to see a doctor, it is very troublesome. First, you need to make an appointment, usually one week in advance. However, it has improved a lot in recent years. In the UK, there are usually two situations when seeing a doctor. If the situation is very urgent and life-threatening, you can directly call 9, which is similar to the US phone 911. Then the rest basically requires an appointment. However, recently there is a new 111, which is specially set up for influenza and fever. Therefore, it is extremely inconvenient to see a doctor.

3.Are there many disabled people in the UK?

This is indeed the case. Of course, the reason for this is that British society is very accepting of people with disabilities. Many facilities are set up for people with disabilities, and people with disabilities can go to school and live like ordinary people.

4. Is the UK postal system well developed? Very accurate but not fast?

The postal code system in the UK is very complete. A postal code corresponds to a very small area. Therefore, many times you only need to fill in the form online. Usually you don’t need to fill in the specific address. Just write the postal code and then the houses in the area will appear. Then you can choose your place of residence. However, the postal code is very precise, but the delivery speed is completely incomparable to that in China. I believe that friends who watch Douyin have seen related reports.

5. Is the shopping experience in the UK good, with many products and cheap prices?

Shopping in the UK is really enjoyable. The main reason is that there are not many people and the shopping process is very user-friendly. Each customer can pick 8 pieces of clothing at a time and then go to the fitting room to try them slowly. The fitting rooms are separate and large. You can take away the ones you like and return the ones you don’t like directly to the staff. Everything is up to you. There will definitely be no staff chattering to you. I finally understand why many girls in China like to go shopping in Europe. In addition to the relatively cheap prices of luxury goods, the good shopping experience is also a very important reason.

After visiting many stores in the UK, you will feel that there is nothing new. A very important reason is that there is too much supply. There are many pieces of the same style in different sizes and colors, but the design styles are very old-fashioned (low-end), or basically classic styles (high-end). You will soon get tired of it. Because in the UK, food and clothes are considered necessities of life, so in this regard, the UK pays more attention to quantity than quality.

The price depends on the type of goods. It is the least cost-effective to buy digital products in the UK, because the UK imposes very high taxes on digital products, about 50% higher than in China. From USB flash drives to cameras, none of them are cost-effective. But it is very cost-effective to buy durable goods, such as shoes and jeans.

6. Are British university student unions serious and responsible? Answer: Yes!

Compared with the bureaucratic style of student unions in domestic universities, student unions in British universities are much more down-to-earth. For example, some activities, parties, and travel in student unions of some universities are organized by students themselves. And the staff is streamlined, usually only a dozen or so. They all wear the same blue T-shirts and are very easy to recognize. You can ask them any questions and they will answer them enthusiastically. All the clubs in the school are also initiated and maintained by students themselves.

The language course welcome party was also a welcome party day. Cakes, sandwiches, and fruits were all free and everyone finished eating quickly. However, British angels are really sweet, so it’s easy to get sick of them.

7. Do British buildings also have fire and theft protection? Answer: Yes!

Although the architecture in the UK has remained basically unchanged for hundreds of years, its internal facilities and structures are still being renovated. It is not very modern, but the original brick and wood buildings also make fire prevention a problem, especially after the Great Fire of London a hundred years ago, which left the British with lingering fears.

Therefore, most rooms in the UK are now basically equipped with smoke alarms. Fire prevention is a must, and of course they also often conduct some imitation drills.

Further reading: A list of things to note when studying in the UK

1. Tips

Tipping is usually done at 10% in the UK. In the US, you have to tip everything, including taxi drivers; in the UK, you usually only tip when you go to a restaurant. Some restaurants add a service charge to the meal price, so you can ask for the meal to be charged separately and the tip to be given separately. But if you feel that the service quality is not good, don't tip.

2. Keep left

In the UK, you drive on the left. It's easy to forget this when you first arrive and look in the wrong direction, only to find a car coming towards you.

Although jay walking is legal in the UK, people usually wait for the pedestrian crossing light to turn green before crossing the road. Unlike in China, drivers in the UK usually don't think of crossing the road in the middle of the busy traffic.

3. Use more polite language

In the UK, you will find that people say "please" and "thank you" much more often than in China, and they often use these two words between friends. Using these polite words has become an element of our culture. So, if you accidentally bump into someone, even on the subway, most people will naturally say "sorry".

4. Different eating habits

In the UK, people drink a lot of tea and coffee, but usually drink cold drinks with meals. Unlike Chinese culture, British people do not think that drinking hot water or hot drinks is necessarily good for health. Therefore, there is no place to fill hot water on university campuses, and you can only see taps that dispense cold water.

Even though there are authentic Chinese restaurants run by Chinese people all over the UK, when your British friends say they have eaten Chinese food, they are probably talking about "British Chinese takeaway", such as fried shrimp chips and lemon chicken. There are Chinese supermarkets in big cities where you can buy all the cooking ingredients, condiments and pots and pans you need. From hot pots to rice cookers, everything is available. But if you live in a more rural area, don't forget to bring some of your favorite foods from China, but British customs have strict regulations on passengers bringing certain foods into the country, so pay attention to the latest regulations.

Another thing to pay attention to is the time and amount of meals. In the UK, dinner is usually more formal than lunch and is larger. Students' lunch is usually a cold sandwich, which is very different from the hot lunch that most Chinese students are used to.

5. Transportation

In big cities, it is usually not cheap to hail a taxi on the street, and it is much cheaper to take public transportation. If you really need a taxi, you can usually call to order a "mimi cab", which is cheaper, but it must be a legally registered taxi company.

In China, you may need to queue for hours to buy train tickets, especially around the Spring Festival. But in the UK, it is different. The easiest way here is to book tickets online. Students under the age of 25 can also buy a student discount railcard. With this card, you can get discounts on train tickets.

Summary of life common sense you must know when studying in the UK

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