Northern students fighting back against cultural homogenisation at UK universities.
Lucy Morville, a student from Burnley in east Lancashire, felt like she'd walked into a "culture shock" when she enrolled at the University of York. What shocked her most, however, was being surrounded by southerners - mostly from London and Cambridge. Morville thought more students would stick to their roots and stay local.
In an effort to revive Yorkshire's Northern Society, Morville and friends hosted events like a northern-themed fancy dress pub crawl featuring characters Wallace and Gromit, the Gallagher brothers, and even Lucy dressed as a Pendle witch. The society also aims to promote learning about each other's regions among students from different parts of the north.
The movement is part of a larger issue - southern universities' lack of representation of northern identities. Adelle Stripe, novelist and journalist, suggests that northern societies exist because there are distinct regional identities in the north under one "great rainy umbrella" rather than a single experience.
Stripe points out that the north is not homogeneous, boasting wealth, verdant landscapes, architectural beauty, varied languages, history, and economics - even from North to South Yorkshire. She believes southern universities may inadvertently create feelings of isolation among northerners, who then seek community through societies.
While some northern societies in the south do share love for Greggs sausage rolls, Cambridge's branch has a more serious side. Their goal is to ease the daunting process of applying to their esteemed university by providing a supportive community.
In contrast, a survey conducted by the Sutton Trust found that over half of northern students at UK universities reported being mocked, criticised or singled out in social settings because of their accents. Newcastle student shared an experience where a London boy asked a group of people if they could "actually understand [my] accent" - a first impression that's far from welcoming.
Morville views York's Northern Society as a way to turn the tables on southerners' preconceived notions about northern accents. She says, "We go to university and get fun made of our accents; it's time to fight back."
Lucy Morville, a student from Burnley in east Lancashire, felt like she'd walked into a "culture shock" when she enrolled at the University of York. What shocked her most, however, was being surrounded by southerners - mostly from London and Cambridge. Morville thought more students would stick to their roots and stay local.
In an effort to revive Yorkshire's Northern Society, Morville and friends hosted events like a northern-themed fancy dress pub crawl featuring characters Wallace and Gromit, the Gallagher brothers, and even Lucy dressed as a Pendle witch. The society also aims to promote learning about each other's regions among students from different parts of the north.
The movement is part of a larger issue - southern universities' lack of representation of northern identities. Adelle Stripe, novelist and journalist, suggests that northern societies exist because there are distinct regional identities in the north under one "great rainy umbrella" rather than a single experience.
Stripe points out that the north is not homogeneous, boasting wealth, verdant landscapes, architectural beauty, varied languages, history, and economics - even from North to South Yorkshire. She believes southern universities may inadvertently create feelings of isolation among northerners, who then seek community through societies.
While some northern societies in the south do share love for Greggs sausage rolls, Cambridge's branch has a more serious side. Their goal is to ease the daunting process of applying to their esteemed university by providing a supportive community.
In contrast, a survey conducted by the Sutton Trust found that over half of northern students at UK universities reported being mocked, criticised or singled out in social settings because of their accents. Newcastle student shared an experience where a London boy asked a group of people if they could "actually understand [my] accent" - a first impression that's far from welcoming.
Morville views York's Northern Society as a way to turn the tables on southerners' preconceived notions about northern accents. She says, "We go to university and get fun made of our accents; it's time to fight back."
it's all about embracin' regional differences & promotin' cross-regional learning
the north is so much more than just a "great rainy umbrella" - we've got our own unique histories, languages, landscapes, & economic systems 
I think its pretty interesting how students in the north are trying to combat cultural homogenization at UK universities. I mean, these places can be super cliquey with everyone sticking to their own social circles from London and other southern spots. Its like they forget that there's a whole northern culture up here waiting to be explored! 
. I love how Lucy Morville and her friends are taking matters into their own hands by creating events like a northern-themed fancy dress pub crawl - who wouldn't want to attend a party dressed as Wallace and Gromit? 
It's time for the south to step up its game and show some love for our northern roots 
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i mean whats wrong w/ having a lil diff accent its not like ur gonna hurt sum1s feelings 
theres so much diversity in the north, u get everythin from rich history to stunning landscapes 
Morville and her crew are like, "Hey, nope, we're not just one big happy family under the 'great rainy umbrella' 
๏ธ." They're makin' a statement about how northern identities aren't all just some watered-down version of... well, themselves. And I'm thinkin', maybe they're onto somethin'. What if we do start to fight back against these stereotypes? Maybe we can show 'em that there's more to us than just our accents? 
It's like, don't get me wrong, southern societies might have their perks... but it's time for the north to take center stage and own its unique vibe 
.
. Like, what happened to the 90s when everyone was all about unity and embracing each other's differences? 
Nowadays, it seems like there's always some drama around regional identities and accents. I mean, can't we just get along and enjoy a Greggs sausage roll without being judged? 
. It's like, we're not all just one big happy family under the "great rainy umbrella" 
. Maybe we can learn from that approach and get the southern universities to appreciate our regional identities too 
. But seriously, it's time for us to take a stand and show everyone that we're not just accents and stereotypes โ we're complex individuals with our own unique stories 
they're trying to start these societies and events to bring some northern vibes to the table but it feels like no one's really listening 
and yeah, I can get why lucy morville would wanna fight back with a northerner-themed pub crawl 
Like, who needs Wallace and Gromit fancy dress parties when you've got actual events like outdoor film screenings or hiking trips? 
And don't even get me started on the accents thing... can't we just coexist without all this mocking and criticism? 
I gotta say, I think these northern students are getting a bad rep. People always assume that everyone from the north is from Yorkshire or Manchester, you know? But there's so much more to it than that. Like, I've got mates from Newcastle and they're super different from my mate from Leeds. Anyway, I think these societies are just trying to promote regional identities and bring people together. It's not about mocking southerners, it's about giving northern students a platform to express themselves. And, tbh, Greggs sausage rolls 
I feel for these students from the North who are just trying to keep their cultural roots alive in a predominantly southern-dominated environment 
. It's so frustrating when people make jokes about your accent or try to change it (like, um, please don't ask someone if you can "actually understand" their accent 
. And, like, who wouldn't want to celebrate their love of Greggs sausage rolls 
I feel like people are overreacting here. They're saying that southern universities don't have enough northern identities, but what's the problem with a little diversity? It's not like they're erasing or ignoring everything northern. The north is all about its rich history and culture, but it's also got its own unique vibe. I mean, Greggs sausage rolls are iconic for a reason! 
. I mean, can you imagine walking into a new city or university feeling like an outsider just because of where you're from? It's crazy! But these northern societies are all about embracing that uniqueness and bringing people together. They're not just about having fun (although, let's be real, who doesn't love Wallace and Gromit?) but also about promoting understanding and respect between different regions.
I mean, can you imagine walking into a place where everyone speaks like one accent? It's like they forgot that there are 8 different northern dialects! 
. people say its homogenisation but im like, that's just a fancy word 4 'we're all the same' 
. southern uni's lackin reps of northern identities, thats a fact, but maybe ppl in the south r just not tryin hard enuf? 
it's like nothin u've ever seen b4. anywayz, northern societies r here 2 stay & thrive, & if thats means fightin back against them southern uni stereotypes, then so be it 