The University of Sheffield
Student Life

Daily Life in Britain

Room

Clothing

1. What shall I wear?

Students wear a wide range of clothes to class and when they socialise. The average British student tends to dress very casually when attending lectures, tutorials and so on. Some people like to demonstrate their independence and individuality by wearing very unusual or untidy clothes. In general this is acceptable, although some groups – medical students, for example – have to deal with the public in formal settings where informal dress is less appropriate.

2. What will the staff think?

The way you dress will not affect your academic marks. Students are judged by what they do, not by what they wear.

3. Can I dress as I do at home?

  1. Traditional dress is perfectly acceptable. Women who wear veils/scarves for religious or cultural reasons are more than welcome to continue doing so in the University. In the same way, men who wear turbans or cover their heads because of their religion or culture will be able to do so here. (Please note that the face must be visible on UCard photographs and for identification when this ID is required).
  2. Clothing restrictions may be applied where personal protective equipment is required for reasons of health and safety. This is most likely to apply in laboratories or when working with machinery or heat or in clinical settings.

4. What about winter clothes?

You cannot wear the same sort of clothes in your room/home during winter as you would during summer. Warm clothing, including one or more sweaters, leg covering etc. is usually worn inside as well as out. It is considered unfair to house-mates to turn heating up to compensate for light clothing since fuel bills will be greatly increased.

5. What about winter shoes?

Shoes for the winter should be strong leather or imitation leather. It is important that the soles should have a good `grip´ (not be smooth) due to slippery roads and pavements.

Telephones

1. Using the Telephone

2. Pre-Paid Calling Cards

Many companies provide pre-paid cards or schemes that can save money on international (and other long distance) calls from private or public pay telephones. Note that although such schemes can be used from phones on the University´s network, NETnet are likely to make a charge in addition to that which the scheme provider will make.

3. Mobile Telephones

Heating

1. Central heating is operated from a central point in the accommodation. Students who are not used to a cold climate may find it very difficult to live in accommodation which is not centrally heated.

2. Self-catering accommodation.

Timing and level of heating should be agreed with others living there. To be healthy, some heat is required but excessive heating will lead to excessive fuel bills.

3. Heating is usually switched off at night.

4. Free-standing heaters are not permitted in University-owned accommodation for safety reasons.

Baths and Showers

1. Traditionally in Britain, the bath tub has been used rather than showers or any other method of washing the body. Until quite recently, nearly all British people washed their bodies by sitting in a tub of warm water to wash.

2. Showers are popular.

Toilets

It may seem petty or even insulting to give information on something so basic as toilet facilities. However, the different expectations of different cultures can lead to so many difficulties that it has been decided to include this.

1. Cleanliness

You can offend others using the toilet and those who have to clean it if the toilet is not left in the condition they expect.

  1. In Britain people expect to find a toilet almost as clean as if it were new: clean, dry seat; flushed; bowl clean; nothing on the floor. Very often, brushes are kept at the side of the toilet. It is expected that individuals will clean the bowl after use if necessary.
  2. Drains are efficient. Used toilet paper can and must be flushed away, not deposited in bins or on the floor.
  3. Paper towels must not be put in the toilet bowl; they block the pipes and cause mess.
  4. When you have used a toilet, you should ensure that the toilet is flushed, the seat is clean and dry and the bowl left as clean as possible. This is out of consideration to others who have to use the facilities and also out of respect to those who must clean them. In Britain, people who leave a messy toilet are sometimes judged as being dirty themselves.
  5. It is not the responsibility of cleaning staff to deal with other peoples’ personal waste.

2. Muslim Ablutions

Many Muslims regard the use of toilet paper as insufficient and wash after using the toilet. Facilities for this are generally not adequate in Britain so individuals should provide their own.

You must leave the seat and floor clean and dry for the next person.

3. Sanitary Waste (Women)

  1. In general, sanitary waste should not be flushed down any toilet in the University or University-owned accommodation. Special rectangular bins are provided in women’s toilets and used sanitary towels/tampons must be placed in these.
  2. People are offended if other people’s sanitary waste is left where it can be seen or must be moved.
  3. It is not the responsibility of cleaning staff to deal with other peoples’ sanitary waste.

Smoking

1. Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public spaces, places of work, University halls of residence etc. in the UK (since 1 July 2007 in England, earlier in Scotland and Wales).

2. Many British people object strongly if you smoke near them.