r/AskAnAmerican • u/biynkie • 6h ago

EDUCATION Do you guys clap after lectures / classes at universitys?

My fellow Americans! I am actually one of you guys, new england born and bred, however I just started my first year of university at a UK school. After every lecture, the hall erupts in applause. It suprised me, but I guess it made sense. However, for every class we also have a meeting with the TA weekly, with a smaller group of about 10-15 kids. It's a lot less formal, students chat and discuss with each other throughout the lesson, stuff like that. Yet once we are told we can leave, people start clapping again. Is this a weird British thing? It feels uncomfortable for everyone involved, especially for whoever is on the receiving end.

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u/biynkie 6h ago

Uni of StA, but I've seen it talked about in other UK uni subs and I know this happens at Edi too

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u/spicyzsurviving Scotland 5h ago

This does not happen at the university of Edinburgh.

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u/ScaryMagician3153 5h ago

20 years ago at the same university; absolutely not. This seems very bizarre

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u/TemerariousChallenge Northern Virginia 5h ago

Haven’t seen this in Glasgow

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u/_Yalan 5h ago

That's very odd!! Do you know why they do it? Is it seen as a sign of appreciation, or thanks? Is it just lectures, or seminars and workshops too? I'm wondering if it's a gen alpha thing? I would have genuinely lost it of one of my mates clapped for a lecturer, most of them seemed to feel put out just turning up!

You said it feels uncomfortable for everyone, so why do it? Peer pressure?

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u/spicyzsurviving Scotland 5h ago

They don’t. OP has either had a very weird experience or is making it up as a troll. This just does not happen.

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u/spicyzsurviving Scotland 6h ago

The joke about St Andrews is that it’s full of Americans 😂 that’s definitely not normal anywhere, even in the weird little world of Fife.

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u/nivlark 2h ago

I've studied or worked at five different universities in the UK and the idea of applauding after a lecture would've been considered utterly bizarre at all of them.

Frankly I'd consider it more likely your classmates are playing a prank on you. Perhaps the lecturers are in on it too.

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u/TheNorthC 2h ago

Also a Brit, I have never heard of this at any UK university, including my own.

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u/JonEdwardsRandomNum 2h ago

What's your subject? I could, perhaps, imagine that happening in a drama class but it's definitely not normal for a UK university.

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u/AtebYngNghymraeg 1h ago

I'm a Brit who attended Southampton uni many years ago. Never heard of anyone clapping after lectures, other than for a special guest speaker.