Dhwani Masand - Newcastle's drinking culture
My biggest culture shock after coming to Newcastle was the heavy drinking! I knew to expect it as it is a student city, though it was still a bit of an environmental change for me - but I’m not complaining! I’m from the state of Gujarat, India, and it is a 'dry state', which means that alcohol cannot be sold there commercially. That fact aside, everyone still drinks, but procuring the alcohol is often a task; I came from a lifetime of house parties to a city with pubs and bars on every corner, and it was a great change! Furthermore, the locals being so sweet and helpful wasn’t a cultural 'shock', but it was a very warm welcome!
Sapphire Ling - matchday madness
Moving from Singapore to Newcastle, I knew football was a huge part of life here, but nothing compares to experiencing it in person. On match days, the entire city comes alive—streets packed with fans in black and white, chants echoing from pubs, and an electric atmosphere that lingers long after. I’ve always known that football runs through the heart of English culture, but seeing how it shapes the rhythm of daily life in Newcastle made me appreciate it in a whole new way.
Another big shift was how friendly people are here. Small talk is woven into everyday interactions; whether it’s a quick chat with shopkeepers or a stranger striking up a conversation in a queue. At home, people tend to keep to themselves and it is not common practice to speak to strangers. There’s something comforting about how a simple ‘you alright?’ can brighten your day.
Taylor Roth - the lack of dessert spots, and pubs being the most prevalent social space
One of my biggest, and maybe silliest, culture shocks coming to Newcastle has been the lack of ice cream parlours. I’m from the Midwest in the U.S. where it’s frequently colder than Newcastle, yet I go out for ice cream with friends any time of the year. While it’s common here to ask your friends here to go out for a pint, at home the equivalent for my friends and I would be a scoop of ice cream. I can think of three different ice cream parlours within just 15 minutes of my house (keep in mind the U.S. isn’t very walkable, so a 15 minute drive is considered quite close). After any local event, you can find a queue spilling out of the doorway of the most popular parlour, everyone waiting to get a scoop of their favorite flavor (personally I love black raspberry chocolate chunk). I enjoy a pint with friends, but I still yearn for a good ice cream and yap session!