15 Signs You Grew Up In London And Loved Every Minute Of It

In the world we live in, there are clear signs that we have grown up in a certain place and I thought it would be fun to write about the signs you grew up in London because the city really has an effect on its people.

1. You add an hour to your journey because of traffic.

Growing up in London means never trusting the London roads. While your destination may be quite close, that still doesn’t mean you can trust the journey.

2. You always carry an umbrella.

It isn’t surprising to see sudden rain when the skies looked deceivingly clear a moment ago and it’s especially not surprising to watch everyone around you take out their go-to umbrellas because come on who can trust British weather?

3. You don’t talk to anyone in public and have developed a resting bitch face.

It isn’t that everyone is hostile in London, it’s just we like to mind our own business. Most of the time. It is a sure sign that someone grew up here when they do not acknowledge strangers at all.

4. You cross the road before the traffic light.

Londoners tend to be impatient, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them rush to cross the road as soon as they see an opening.

5. You’ve had to do the walk of shame because your oyster card didn’t work.

To travel around London, it is essential to have topped up your oyster, but hey everyone is bound to forget at some point. Most of us have probably entered a bus before hoping that our oyster cards will work only to be turned back.

6. You’ve become a pro at chasing down buses.

Big red buses in London don’t wait for anyone apparently unless you are running like your life depends on it in order to catch it.

7. You plan your day around rush hour.

Rush hour in the London tubes is never somewhere you want to be, it’s an experience most of us try to forget and so most Londoners avoid it at all costs.

8. You walk like you’re always late for something.

It’s very common to see Londoners whizz past you, grunt when you are walking slowly in front of them and stress when they have to stop at a traffic light. Apparently, we are always walking like we need to be somewhere.

9. You always carry a water bottle.

Getting stuck on the tube or bus has meant that Londoners always come prepared for long journeys.

10. You dread going to Oxford Street for shopping.

Oxford Street is known for its busy environment. It can sometimes be hell having to face literal human traffic just to make your way around the shops.

11. You are very annoyed when someone stands on the wrong side of the escalator.

It becomes the habit of always being in a rush to memorise and abide by the rules of the escalator, if anyone breaks that law, they face the wrath of the Londoners. In other words, the right side of the escalators is for standing and the left for walking!

12. You don’t really notice the weird noise the tube makes.

I’ve had many people who come from outside of London tell me how the trains make a disturbing sound, one that I have clearly been conditioned to tune out.

13. You’re slightly arrogant.

Every Londoner secretly or not so secretly feels like London is better than any other place in the UK, some would even consider it a country of its own. This is another one of the signs you grew up in London.

14. You become incredibly good at ignoring things.

There are many occasions that you find a drunk man talking to himself in a packed train and everyone else pretending that they haven’t seen a thing.

15. You don’t know what to do when someone smiles at you in public.

Are they smiling at me? No, they couldn’t be. We don’t do that here. Is that even … allowed? This is one of the signs you grew up in London.

Which of these signs you grew up in London do you relate to? Let us know in the comments.

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