Signing a lease is stressful enough. Signing one with someone who hasn’t set foot in this country before is sure to add a whole new layer of uncertainty. If you’ve recently found yourself planning on living with an international transfer or exchange student, you might be wondering how different your lives really are; how exciting or overwhelming your cultural differences might be. From my experience, they’re a little bit of both.
Beth signed our lease before we even met, a few months before we were due to move in. It was a last-ditch effort to fill the fifth spot in our apartment, and to be honest, we didn’t have many other options. She’s British, attending UCSB for one year as an exchange student, and goes to University in Scotland back home. Granted, she showed up just in time to save us from covering extra rent, and of course, we were relieved—but inevitably, we were a little wary. We knew how different our lives could be growing up in different cultures and countries, and we weren’t entirely sure how that would play out under one roof.
We expected some differences, and sure, there were plenty, but I’m here to tell you that it was way more normal than we expected. The differences were fun to talk about and compare, but day-to-day life was normal, so do not hesitate to sign that lease. After a long conversation with Beth, I put together a series of differences that stood out most to her from the UK to IV, and what those differences showed my roommates and me.
- . Night Life & Going Out
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One of the first things we noticed was that our definitions of a “night out” were completely different.
In Scotland, nights start late. Beth explained that back home, pregaming doesn’t usually start until around 11 p.m., people head out at midnight, and don’t get home until anywhere between 3 and 5 a.m. In Isla Vista, on the other hand, it feels like the party starts the second the sun sets. Going out early is typical, and house parties play a much bigger role than clubbing, with the U.S. having a higher drinking age. In IV, DP and frat parties seem to be far more intense as opposed to the UK, where nightlife is more about bars, clubs—and most importantly, pubs. Casual drinking is also common in the UK; she even said it’s completely normal to grab a pint at 2 p.m. after a lecture.
- . Food
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Food was another area where our cultural differences became impossible to ignore. Adding to the stereotype, my roommates and I definitely found ourselves bringing home takeout far more often than Beth did. She cooks more put-together, healthier meals than the rest of us, while I live off frozen chicken nuggets and In-N-Out most of the time.
In Santa Barbara, fast food options are everywhere, and Mexican food seems to be the go-to international cuisine. In the UK, however, Indian food holds that same status as comforting, accessible, and popular. Then there are the British dishes that simply don’t exist here. Beth introduced us to the idea of roast dinners and Yorkshire puddings, unironically paired with a cup of tea at the end of the night.
- . People & Personalities
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Compared to the UK, people are incredibly outgoing in Santa Barbara. It’s normal to strike up conversations with strangers, compliment someone in passing, or chat with classmates you’ve never met before. In the UK (especially England), people tend to keep to themselves more and are generally less expressive. That difference also shows up in humor as British humor is famously dry and sarcastic, while American humor is oftentimes more obvious and expressive.
- . School, Grades, and Classes
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Academically, Beth found that UCSB classes require much more consistent work throughout the quarter. Weekly assignments, participation, and continuous deadlines are typical. In the UK, it’s often possible to do very little during the term and then cram everything right before exams.
Interestingly, while coursework here is more demanding over time, exams themselves tend to be easier, especially essays. In the UK, grading is much stricter, and it’s very rare to score above an 85%.
Overall, living with a British roommate didn’t drastically change our lives. It just added some new routines, perspectives, and conversations into our everyday apartment life. We noticed the differences, talked about them, laughed about them, and then moved on.
What started as a last-minute housing fix turned into a genuinely easy, comfortable living situation and a friendship that feels pretty natural. The cultural differences were there, but they never felt like a divide. It was fun to have a new perspective on UCSB living. It opened our eyes to the way we live feels so normal to us, but actually is the complete opposite in another country.
If you’re nervous about living with someone from another country, it’s probably not as big a deal as you think. Most of the time, it just feels like having another roommate—who happens to have a different accent and a better sense of humor.