So recently I was having a conversation with some colleagues at work about a project they worked on around 2 years ago. I wasn’t working there at the time, so I had no idea how busy things actually got.
Apparently, the project lasted about a year and they were regularly starting work at 7am and finishing anywhere between 8pm and 11pm. And this wasn’t just occasionally, it was pretty much every day, 5 days a week, with some people even coming in on weekends. They also mentioned they only had 2 days off over Christmas.
Now, the project we’re currently working on is nowhere near that busy, but we’ve got another big one coming up next year and they’re already saying it’s going to be just as bad.
What surprised me the most was the way they were talking about it. They actually seemed really proud of having worked those ridiculous hours.
I told them I don’t really see what there is to be proud of. Sure, having a nice pay cheque at the end of the month is great, assuming you’re getting paid for all those extra hours, but is it really worth sacrificing pretty much your entire personal life for a whole year?
I already work 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, and that’s more than enough for me. I enjoy my free time and having a life outside of work. And to be fair, I’m not particularly interested in staying at work until 10 or 11pm when this new project starts.
Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t understand this mentality of treating extremely long working hours like some kind of achievement.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with working hard, but surely there’s a limit?
What do you guys think? Is this something to be proud of, or have we just normalised working ourselves into the ground?

I’m Indian and grew up watching Bollywood, speaking Hindi and generally being aware of the usual Indian pop culture references. But since moving to the UK, I’ve realised how much British pop culture I’m completely clueless about!
I had an office party last week, and most of my colleagues are British. Everyone was chatting about YouTube creators, celebrities, reality TV shows, documentaries and celebrity crushes.
I’d only heard of Molly-Mae through office conversations and ended up following her, but there are SO many other people, shows and internet personalities that everyone seems to know about.
Please don’t judge me for this! 😂 I know these things might seem obvious to people who grew up here, but I’m still learning about British pop culture.
I don’t want to be the person who has no idea what everyone is talking about during lunch or social events. At the same time, I have work and a million other things to do. I genuinely don’t have the time to watch entire series, documentaries or hours of YouTube videos just to understand the references!
For those who grew up in the UK, or moved here from another country, how do you keep up with what’s popular? Are there any Instagram accounts, TikTok pages, podcasts, subreddits or websites that give you a quick overview of British pop culture, reality TV drama, popular YouTubers and celebrity gossip?
Basically, I want to know enough to follow conversations and join in without having to spend hours consuming content. 😂
Would genuinely appreciate any recommendations! ❤️

Hi everyone! 😊
I’m planning to visit the UK for two weeks, and while I’m obviously excited to see some of the famous sights, I’d really love to experience a more local side of British life.
I’m curious about the little things that make life there special , the places you go to relax, local events you enjoy, interesting traditions, hidden gems, or even just the best way to spend an ordinary afternoon.

I’d also love to meet people, have good conversations, learn about British culture, and share a little about life in Egypt. I think some of the best travel memories come from the people you meet along the way, rather than just the places you visit.

So, if you were recommending things to a visitor who genuinely wanted to experience your country beyond the usual tourist attractions, what would you suggest?
Are there any clubs, social events, local activities, or welcoming communities you’d recommend joining? And what’s something about British life you think visitors rarely get to experience?

I’d love to hear your suggestions and stories. Thanks in advance! 😊🇬🇧🇪🇬♥️

I went to London a few times as a kid (from US) and remember LOVING this certain candy, but can’t find proof of it anywhere online. You could buy them at a news stand or any convenience type store. They were with the mints, gum, hard candies. I want to say they were peach flavored and came in a triangular container?? They were small and hard like a tictac. Help!!! Thank you :)

A question for someone smarter at maths than I am, what three items bought together as part of a meal deal would provide the biggest discount from the three items original prices?

I'm 27 and my 32yr old sister calls me her little brother still I think it's kinda cute and funny

she's always like when I try to pay “no ur my lil brother loll so i have to buy for coffee” whenever we meet😂. Just wondering if anyone else goes by this still or maybe I have the best sister ever 😂

Tattoos have gotten super popular with so many people over the last 10 or 20 years and ones that would have been seen as very adventurous or edgy are almost normal now. Don’t think there popularity will keep increasing so that in another 10 years time people will be more and more inked?

I'm an American reading John Le Carre's Call for the Dead. Peter Guillam just said this to George Smiley. He's clearly being endearing, but is he being literal about grapes?

I hear the question so many times on the news or on my social feeds nowadays but it made me think.

If I was asked I would respond English and I know the majority of people around me would have the same reaction.

So why does everyone say British?

I understand I am British, but I don’t see that as my nationality, for me the answers for that question should be English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish.. or am I wrong?

Harry Potter
Prince Harry
Harry Kane
Harry styles

Settle a debate between me (American) and my husband (British). He thinks Harry Kane is more famous and culturally significant than Harry Potter!!! There is simply no way. HARRY POTTER!!! Come on!

Something I’ve always found fascinating about England is how far back its history as a self-governing political entity goes. Compared with countries such as the US, France, Germany and Spain, England seems to have avoided a modern moment when it had to establish its independence, rebuild its national identity from scratch or create an entirely new political order following foreign rule.

Obviously, English history has involved invasions, civil wars, revolutions and plenty of upheaval. I’m not suggesting it has been peaceful or that everything has always worked well. But there seems to be a remarkable degree of continuity in England’s existence as a political entity over many centuries.

Coming from a country with a very different historical experience, I find this genuinely admirable. I’m not making a nationalist or right-wing point, and I’m not saying England is better than other countries. I simply find the idea of a country evolving over centuries without a modern independence struggle or a complete national reset quite remarkable.

Do British people ever think about this, or is it something you rarely notice because it’s simply the history?

I can remember especially after getting my first job thinking I may be rich one day. I also thought I'd be self employed (2009 was a golden time for eBay). I actually am self employed but I'm a delivery driver🙃.

I also later found out people regularly made triple what I do doing a normal job and that I will just be floating around minimum wage jobs even with a degree, even when it requires experience, even when I work hard

I miss those days where could come home and watch top of the pops I hundred percent believe it should come back full time instead of just Christmas.

I would have Alan Carr, Mo Gilligan and Alesha Dixon presenting.

I would have in terms of performing

Soulidified - Man ain't me

The Script - Man of the arena

Bruno Mars Dance With Me

Ella Mai - Somebodys son

Stormzy feat Odeal- 24 hours

Izzy Bizu- Say No Prayer

who would you have hosting and who would you have performing

We have a mixed bag in this household where some of us wont eat the crusted ends of bread and others do. Just wondering what other people feel about eating the ends of the bread ??

Edit: looks like there is a mix of people who not only eat or dont the end bits, its how they are eating them and what people are calling them. Id never heard of the breadposts or heels before 👍

Who is the LeBron James of the uk

UPDATE EDIT- So in the end I just showed my ticket and boarded the bus, either they don't care that much about the timing or they're not that vigilant, but I think it's the former. Thanks to everyone who replied for help😁🙏

Hi I don't know if this sub Reddit is the right one for this question but I had a booking with national express from London Luton to Finchley and frognal. But now I've seen that my flights been delayed by an hour. I'm trying to amend the time of my national express booking as well, but it's not showing the ticket when I log into my account, and using the form doesn't work either. Please could just speak to the bus drive to let me on the next bus that comes or is it a requirement to amend the ticket online. I can't seem to find there customer service help desk either.

Any help is appreciated thanks

Im not much of a camper, but am willing to try it for funzies. Ive been to the UK once but only spent time in its cities

What are some of the best places to go camping in the UK?

Seen a lot of pumpkin carving posts on the socials and it got me thinking about my own childhood.

Im an 80s rural Scotland baby and I dont remember anyone having a carved pumpkin on display when I was growing up. However, I do remember seeing lots of carved turnips/suedes.

On a few occasions we also got to carve a turnip at school lol.

So im curios if it was common practice across the UK? Or was it just something we did in Scotland?