5 Negatives About Scotland I Secretly Loved

An American’s perspective on the ‘cons’ of Scottish life

A lot of people asked me why I studied abroad in Scotland.

My response to them was usually, “Why not? It’s a beautiful country with a rich history.” Plus, I got accepted to the top university in the country.

But, the more I thought about it, the more the question really revealed to me the negative perceptions some Americans have about Scotland. The reality is completely different.

I lived in Edinburgh and Fife for most of the six months I was in Scotland, plus some travel to other areas of the country. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

In fact, a lot of the negatives people have about Scottish life is why I loved living there so much.

Here are five cons that I think people get wrong about Scotland:

This is the most popular argument to stay away from the United Kingdom in general, so I thought I would lead with my most controversial perspective first.

Yes, it’s true. You’re not going to get the same weather as you would in Florida or even a northern state like Massachusetts (where I am from) for that matter.

Scotland can be cold, cloudy, and rainy. On the bright side, the weather is usually quite moderate and doesn’t swing from extremes. So, it was relatively easy to pack clothes for an entire semester.

When sunshine is rare, it is that much more celebrated. I remember on the first warm day of spring, everyone rushed outside. People flocked to the beach for picnics. Lines for ice cream stands were out the door. There was a universal happy feeling in the air.

The truth is, you appreciate the sun a lot more when it’s usually cloudy. On those few days when the sun is shining and it is warm outside, you see more smiles and hear more laughter.

Those sunny days wouldn’t have the same effect if it wasn’t rare.

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