Want to study in the UK? Beware of the stereotypes

By Uloop Guest Writer on March 26, 2013

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. “Oversimplified” is the key word in this definition; it hints at the negative impact that stereotypes have on a person’s or group’s reputation.

Jonathan Freedland quite nailed it in a Guardian article saying that the stereotype is itself a stereotype. “The European image of the Brit – either pukingly drunk football fan or snooty City gent, both living off past imperial glories, sullenly resenting being in Europe rather than ruling the world – is itself a cliche.” It’s pretty much the same thing as believing that in France all men are artists, called Pierre, wearing a striped shirt and a beret and that the Germans eat nothing else than sausages and drink nothing else but beer.

It’s pretty obvious that as long as stereotypes are treated as stereotypes, that is “oversimplifying”, they have a certain charm, making one feel at ease due to a certain humoristic intent. But when one sticks to the oversimplified image and does not want to go beyond, the negative will weigh more, and a false image will be projected.

Now, those who want to pay a visit to the UK, be they tourists or students wishing to study, should consider the following:

Stereotypes, or habits? Good or bad?

  1. It rains a lot in the UK - Ok, it does, but that doesn’t stop the Brits from running, biking, or taking the children out. And that’s something! Go to other countries where raining means staying indoors and complaining.
  1. The Brits drink gallons of tea - Hmmm…ok, that is quite true, but tea stopped being the “5 o’clock tea” years ago. It’s a chance to have a break and chat to your friends or colleagues. On top, it’s a much healthier option to coffee. So why not drink gallons of tea?!
  1. Queuing - Now that is indeed something the Brits are famous for – and somehow they like their own queues. What they hate, and make sure to remember this, is queue jumpers! If you truly want to understand the “queue” from “the outside”, it’s worth paying a visit to Dover and going through both the British and the French customs. That should do!
  1. The British sense of humour - While the difference between chips and crisps can be learnt in advance, there aren’t any British humour lessons available. Maybe some Simon Pegg films. But you’ll get to love the British humour – and that’s because it’s about sarcasm and poking fun at oneself.
  1. Too much alcohol - According to the same Guardian article, it is not the amount of alcohol that is the real problem, (France ranks 1st in Europe as far as alcohol consumption is concerned) but the way it is consumed: in large quantities with the clear intention of getting hammered. “Le binge drinking” (gulping down pints after pints) is part of the French vocabulary now.
  1. The stiff upper lip - Translated, this means duty before self. Not sure whether this is bad. Quite the contrary, I would say.
  1. The Brits like to keep the distance - This doesn’t mean that they aren’t friendly, just that they like to mind their own business. Take the tube and you’ll see that 70% of the commuters are either reading a book, or the newspaper. The rest are listening to music, and most of the times if you ask someone to turn the volume down a bit, they’ll consent to it and apologise. Better be known as minding one’s own business than being nosey.
  1. The UK is home to some of the most renown universities and colleges. Suffice it to mention Cambridge and Oxford. London, Brighton and other locations are just as famous as these two. And if you want to know why they are famous, the answer lies in the number of Nobel Prize winners who graduated from a UK university.
  2. Class consciousness - While it is true that class is still a matter of concern, it is nonetheless true that the UK and London especially is home to millions of foreigners, so there’s a bit of contradiction in the whole story. Shall the concept of “stereotype” bear the blame?

One thing is for sure: that stereotypes, no matter the country, are only able to provide a mere sketch and not a complete representation of that country’s real life. So don’t mind them!

This is a guest post on behalf of Bellerbys College, written by Corina David. Bellerbys College is an International College in the UK with locations in Brighton, London, Cambridge and Oxford. As they whole-heartedly welcome international students, they want to prove that stereotypes are themselves “stereotypes”, just as Jonathan Freedland put it. Bellerby’s College Blog is a great resource for those wishing to learn more about what British education has to offer.

Corina enjoys travelling, reading and cooking. She pays no attention to stereotypes and believes that a country can only be truthfully known through one’s own experiences.

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