Hustle culture in America is hardly an unknown phenomenon, with high school students loading up on AP classes fighting to get into a top college and working jobs to support themselves, all while maintaining high grades. Social life becomes muddled with stress and anxiety over the next exam or project. All this is for the benefit of working in the corporate American landscape.
This high-stress environment isn’t a worldwide view. In countries around the world, people have a healthier relationship with their jobs and school. European countries tend to rank high on the list of having a healthy work-life balance.
However, what happens to people from those countries when they are placed into a toiled America?
Bella Speir, a sophomore studying journalism at Penn State, has experienced this situation first-hand. As an international student from England, Speir came to America fascinated by the college experience she had only seen in movies. She came with the mindset that she would enjoy these four years before returning to England, but her experience was far from what she expected.
Back in 2022 on a long 12-hour flight, Speir dreamed of football games, parties, new friendships and a strong campus culture. By November of freshmen year, Speir thought she would move back to England before starting her second semester, officially leaving Penn State.
“I came here naive. I believed that because I spoke English, I would have an easier time transitioning to America, but that wasn’t the case.”
The adjustment of having a consistent workload was something Speir never dealt with in England. In high school, once you are 16 you only take three subjects, each with an exam, but you have two years to study for those exams.
“In those two years, if you only spent six months studying you would still succeed. And those would be your final grades.”
After meeting a few other friends who were international and getting to know more people, Speir decided to stay at Penn State. Those friendships were essential for her to feel understood while in a new country, and led her to learn that it takes time to adjust to a new culture.
The reason behind going to school internationally for Speir was due to the flexibility of classes and majors. In England you go to university to study for your specific major, there are no general education classes. For Speir, who wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do yet felt a strict path wouldn’t be the best fit. However, while Penn State had the opportunities to explore future passions through general education classes, the struggle to have to learn about multiple subjects at once took her by surprise.
“I wasn’t used to having to work constantly, and having repercussions for even the smallest assignments if not done right.”
To work every week with very minimal breaks isn’t as normal as American college students might think. Students that grew up in America, are bred to be able to work hard every week without little support. The pressure of knowing that a good grade point average and college diploma could be a choice between you and someone else when applying for a job. Especially in a country where living on minimum wage won’t support you or a family, this pressure is exceeding. In the state of Pennsylvania, the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
In England, there isn’t pressure to go to university. In fact, it is quite the opposite, due to the access of one-year and apprenticeship programs.
“Most of my friends don’t go to university and it’s in no way frowned upon to not go,” Speir said. “From what I’ve seen in the U.S., if you can afford it, you go.”
Speir details that in England if you don’t want to go you don’t have to. It’s not a massive risk either to not go to university because you are still able to get a job that pays well without a degree.
In many ways, school pressure affects our friendships and relationships. Conversations surrounding the date of the next test or needing comfort over a failed assignment, are the stepping stones to relationships for college students.
“You spend more time with your friends in England. When it’s the weekend you’re able to go to the pub and be with friends a bit more because there isn’t a big assignment due.”
Speir does acknowledge that the types of conversations are seemingly more mature and intellectual in America.
“Here we discuss politics and current affairs more because of how often they are discussed in the classes most of my friends have taken,” Speir said. “Whereas in England you are only on your one track, you don’t know much else.”
On a frustrated note, the months without a break were an adjustment in itself for Speir.
“Where’s the holiday!” Speir laughed.
Speir believes that in England, they are more in touch with human needs. There is an awareness of the mental and physical health of people that far exceeds the conditions in America. Here Speir says it’s all about the go-go-go. That constant feeling of imminent failure lingers around you.
“If you have one bad week and you don’t do well on those assignments, your grade can drop and you can fail everything.”
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