Tube Etiquette

Living in London for three weeks means getting very acquainted with the public transportation systems. It's so easy to get around in London. Between walking, the bus, and the Tube, you can really get anywhere you need to go easily and fairly quickly. However, the Tube can be sometimes frustrating. During rush hour, the Tube is incredibly busy, and you end up packed like sardines on the trains. Sometimes people will take one step onto a train and then stop, which effectively blocks everyone else from getting on the train. This also happens while getting off the trains as well. It's annoying, but you learn how to work your way around it by moving fast and making sure that you're not the one causing the problem.
In London there are always just as many tourists riding the trains as Londoners. This means that you can hear a variety of languages and accents while riding the Tube, but I've often found that most people don't talk on the train. Everyone usually just keeps to themselves and people don't really talk even if they're with other people. Even though most people don't talk, I feel strange not making conversation with the people I'm traveling with, especially since many of our trips are fairly long.
Last week, a woman stopped me and asked me for directions on the Tube, and I was able to give her some advice, and I felt super accomplished. The London Underground may be super large and confusing, but you gain some working knowledge from taking the Tube almost every day. It's definitely become easier as the days have gone on, and I feel super comfortable taking the Tube. Now all I need is a permanent address and an accent and then I can really feel like a native.