London is a huge and diverse city filled with people from all walks of life. But if you’ve lived in London, then you’ll know that we all share some pretty similar experiences on a day-to-day basis. From avoiding eye-contact on the tube to shamelessly paying for an obviously overpriced meal, you know you’re a Londoner if you can relate to the things listed below.
Learning to avoid eye-contact and any manner of conversation on the tube is a skill. Londoners don’t do it because we’re rude, in fact, it’s our way of being polite. We can appreciate each others’ personal bubbles and privacy. On top of that, small talk with a stranger is just awkward, and we’d rather not put ourselves through that.
… Or at least you try not to act surprised. People in fancy dress or individuals donning strange ensembles don’t faze you like they used to. Everyone has their reasons, right? You don’t even blink an eye when passing the city’s famed monuments and landmarks. Honestly, we’re probably all just too tired and done to really care at this point.
Whether it’s a police siren, traffic or drunk people stumbling through the streets on a Friday night, you know you’re from London if you can sleep through it all. In fact, all the hustle and bustle has gotten rather therapeutic. Just like how some people fall asleep to rainforest recordings, you can comfortably doze off to the city’s chaos.
We all have our lazy days where we just don’t want to cook. One of the biggest perks of living in London is the huge variety of restaurants that offer delivery straight to your door. They may be on the pricier side, with a £3.50 delivery fee (thanks Uber Eats), but for food, it’s worth it. We’re blessed that a lot of places are open until late, including the 24-hour McDonalds to satisfy the drunk late-night cravings.
It’s a real hassle when you have places to get to but you’re met with a wave of tourists blocking the way. It’s guaranteed that they’re slow walkers and completely oblivious that you’re trying to get past them too. And let’s not get started on tourists that don’t understand the concept of queuing.
That being said, there is a sense of London-pride when you see people appreciating the city – plus a small feeling of satisfaction when you get to give directions.
London is a huge city and even after living there for years, you can only explore so much it. With so many winding roads, alleys and turns to remember it’s no surprise that sometimes you can second-guess your memory. Was it this road, or the next? Was it the Central or Piccadilly line? Thankfully, we’re blessed with Citymapper, the quintessential app for navigating London.
6. You’ve calculated your train route to a T
You’re a definite Londoner if you’ve worked out exactly which carriage you need to board so that the station exit is right in front of you on your stop. You’ve finessed the underground and you can even predict which carriage will be the emptiest.
7. You take the bus to get some air
Despite being the tube connoisseur that you are, the underground can get overbearing, especially during rush hour and peak tourist seasons. If you’re from London, then you can appreciate how peaceful getting the bus can be, and how 9 out of 10 times, you’re guaranteed to get a seat.
The rent is ridiculously expensive and the cost of living is astronomical. Maybe moving to the country wouldn’t be that bad? But you remember that despite all the negatives, you love the busy London that’s bubbling with life – there’s always an event and more to explore. You love your city and wouldn’t live anywhere else.
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