My name is Faith Philpot and I am studying abroad with the CAPA Program in London for the fall 2021 semester. I have always wanted to go abroad during college and I am beyond excited that it is finally happening.
One of the main reasons I have always wanted to study abroad for a semester is not only to see and travel to places I have never been to, but also because being abroad allows you to get know another culture first-hand.
Luckily, with living in the “melting pot” country of the U.S, I have already gotten the chance to experience dozens of different cultural aspects that make up America. Sports, competition, small talk, and ‘the bigger the better’ mentality are just a few cultural features of the U.S, however the most prominent one being how fast paced life is.
American society undoubtedly elevates the values of impulse, instant gratification, and fast action and reactions. Since moving to Florida from the North East (CT), I have seen life move a little more slowly, however the American people are still moving in a vicious circle of the exhausting fast pace of overstimulation and over scheduling. In my opinion, this causes crazy amounts of stress and pressure which unfortunately leads to mental health issues.
Since I have been in London, I have noticed the exact opposite of this way of living. Individuals living here are way more slow paced in everyday life activities. For example, on a tour our program took us on the tour guide mentioned that people here never eat in there cars – only when sitting at a restaurant or home. This was super surprising and almost confusing at first, then I realized that drive-thru fast food places are extremely rare! I also am interning with a company while I am abroad and the work-culture is more laid back than in the U.S. Employees sometimes take 1-2 hour breaks to just walk outside during the workday, which is almost unheard of in the US.
These are just a couple of factors that show how the UK differs from the US in terms of the pace of life. I am definitely enjoying more and taking life in deeper and more slowly than I would at home, which I have loved thus far.