Traditionally postgraduate students are an inward breed, this is true in any University, such students range from Masters to PhD students some with families, jobs and other commitments outside the 'bubble' which St Andrews has become lovingly named by its students.

Over the past two years, during my Masters and the beginning of my PhD, I have taken it upon myself to give the postgraduates a little shake and, at the very least, capture their attention and inspire them to get involved in the university community of which they constitute something along the lines of 24%! From encouraging procrastination, organising trips to Edinburgh for Christmas shopping, bonfires and garden parties, not to mention the postgraduate annual ball, the basis and foundation of a community has been established!

There is still a long way to go but, I can honestly say that I've enjoyed being part of the beginnings of something that has great potential, a dynamic community and the opportunity to develop alongside a growing postgraduate community!

The very nature of the community is that every year we have a new and exciting influx of independently minded, world class scholars from all over the globe and its not always the academic that has to prevail, this is one of the most important attributes of St Andrews the opportunity to celebrate every cultural festival, try every kind of food, hear and attempt to articulate every language ... and never feel lost because after all there are only three streets!

Within hours of the parents leaving I was plunged into Orientation madness.

The atmosphere on my first night was just electric: hundreds of new students, all my age, all looking to meet new people and have fun. I lived in Albany Park for three years and loved every minute of it. I enjoyed the independence, to cook what you want when you want, to leave laundry until you run out of clothes(!). In my final years I volunteered to organise the hall events I'd enjoyed going to in my first year, which was a brilliant opportunity to take responsibility and contribute to the community.

Outside of hall I was never stuck for stuff to do. There is ALWAYS something on - cheese and wine, late night cinema, house parties, fashion shows, academic family nights, RAG week, etc. - I will particularly miss the formal balls: St Andrews knows how to throw a party in style!

Don't be fooled by the 'small town' image of St Andrews like I was. St Andrews is proof that it definitely is the 'quiet' ones that you have to watch.

My previous experience as an undergrad and masters student had taught me that departments were often segregated and there wasn't much interaction between students from different disciplines. This is not the case here at St Andrews. Not only has this been a huge benefit academically, by being able to exchange ideas with students from different departments, it has also been a tremendous learning experience to interact with people from such a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

In addition to my academic expectations being surpassed from the outset, it has most certainly been the sense of community that separates the St Andrews experience from any other I've been involved in. I am confident that both the professional and personal relationships formed over the past few years will reach far into the future and the shared collective experience is one that will not be easily forgotten.

Over 170 student sports clubs and societies provide every opportunity you could possibly imagine and some others that you couldn't to let your hair down: ranging from the gastronomic delights of wine and cheese through the many groups which cater for our incredibly diverse community, including LGBT and the At Home and Abroad society, to the sporting brilliance of our top performance athletes in Saints Sports clubs such as Fencing, Golf and Lacrosse.

You have the opportunity to live in one of the best possible locations for a uni: an ancient seaside town in Scotland whose rich sporting and medieval history is crammed between three fantastic beaches and surrounded by amazing countryside. In St Andrews you are ideally placed for adventures to both Scotland's cosmopolitan festival cities and her awesome highland landscapes.

You will be part of a tight knit international community, whose unique and bonkers traditions (think annual hitch-hikes to Europe and beyond, followed by a massive foam fight, a dip in the North Sea and more balls than you could ever possibly go to) never cease to amaze. You will make friends for life and many of you will not want to leave after what will undoubtedly be three or four remarkable years.

My time at St Andrews has predominantly been taken up with the sporting opportunities that are provided by the Athletic Union clubs. I have been involved in the Canoe Club since my first year. From a background of having never done any kayaking before St Andrews, I was competing for my university by my second year and was Captain of my club in my third year. I am now President of the Athletic Union, a full time job where I focus all my energy on supporting and developing the sporting experience at St Andrews.

One piece of advice: get involved.

I spent my first few months trying everything I could from Wine and Cheese Society to a very brief (and painful) attempt at playing lacrosse. The marvellous thing about all of St Andrews' clubs and societies is the opportunity they provide to try new things, for instance I never thought that as a student I would be convenor of the Charities Campaign which last year raised nearly £80,000.

To me St Andrews means leaving 30 minutes early because you will always bump into someone for a chat on the way. St Andrews isn't a huge place but it has a big personality and the friends I have made here are lifelong friends.

One piece of advice I'd give to any new students is to find at least one activity you've done before and keep doing it, find one activity you've tried before and get involved in a serious way and find one activity you've never even thought about trying and give it a go. Expand your horizons. St Andrews is a safe place to let you try things out, to succeed (or fail) right along side people who care about you - for who you are.

Moreover, I believe it can be argued that St Andrews University attracts some of the best professors in the country as well. Having myself experience many different departments of St Andrews (Social Anthropology, Psychology, French, Geography and Economics), I can honestly say that each is unique in its own way and comes together in such a way as to motivate students to learn and to discover their areas of interest.

Just to give you a couple of examples. I spent most of my academic life in the Geography department, having completed an MA in Geography. The opportunities offered within this one department are quite remarkable and I think unique to St Andrews University. Not only were classes a decent size, so you were actually followed as a person and not just as a number like in many other universities, but you could choose a wide range of topics to flavour before concentrating on your area of interest. I think this is a particular advantage to Scottish universities, where you have the extra year to dip into other subject areas and to find your true passion. I think many people graduating from high school do not know what they want to study and with this extra year, you can go more profoundly into subjects of interest that you might have touched upon in high school, before eventually choosing your honours degree. This is what allowed me to experience Psychology, Social Anthropology and Economics which in an English university, I would not have had the option to try.

Coming back to Geography, I think this department had a lot to do with my St Andrews experience. I got to write a dissertation and a review essay on precise subjects of my choice and be closely followed by some of the best professors I have ever known. They were not only there to teach, but to assist you in the whole learning process and personal development. They went far beyond what is to be understood as a professor's role. To give you an example, how many professors would offer to photocopy readings and drive them down to your flat because you were ill? Or organise an additional tutorial for you alone when you had to miss it due to external circumstances? How many graduates can actually look back and think "yes, I loved studying, I loved learning and I would do the whole academic experience again"? Academics aside, St Andrews University offers much more.

The next point of interest is the accommodation. For me, this was an important point when choosing a university. My sleep/work/living space is irrefutable and I placed great value on it. After visiting 100s of universities, not one had accommodations that could compare to St Andrews. I lived in a brand new building in an apartment with four people of my choice. We each had our own individual room with a double bed, under-floor heating, tv, internet, phone and bathroom. We shared a huge kitchen with individual cupboards that could lock, all the modern appliances including a microwave, toaster, oven, huge refrigerator etc and a lounge area. Moreover, the rooms are completely sound proof, so your friends can be partying in the lounge and you can be sleeping in your room. Student accommodation services will strive to make sure all your needs are met in the best possible way. They will take your preferences into consideration and should you have a problem, they are approachable.

Ok so you sleep well and you study well - but what else can complete this experience to make you really wish you were 18 again and applying to St Andrews? What was so special that I happily pay hundreds of pounds every year to come back to visit, even though the actual trip is longer than my actual time there?

The Student life. The lifelong friends that you make. The atmosphere. Let's face it: coming to university is a daunting experience. You are leaving the safety of your home, your family and in some cases your country and coming to a brand new life style where you don't know anyone. The transition itself is stressful, but on top of that, you need to keep up with the academic demands. I left Switzerland having never even stepped foot in Scotland. I came from a different culture, a different language, a different education system, etc. I arrived in St Andrews not knowing anyone and struggling with the language in same cases, but not once did I look back. Within minutes, I was swept up in the freshers week activities where I literally met hundreds of people from all different backgrounds just grabbing my arm, putting a drink in my hand and urging me to join in on the activities. I made friends instantly. I loved the close knit community and the fact that you walk down the street and you will say hi at least 50 times before reaching your final destination.

The student union offers you a plethora of activities ranging from Polo to diving to skiing to basketball. From hard rock music to classical music - you will find every kind of person and you will fit in somewhere. I think I joined about 50 different groups in my first year and religiously tried to keep up with all of them, which meant that I had few nights in! I joined the St Andrews Big Band and got to tour different parts of Scotland whilst playing piano for the big band. I met some fellow music minded students and we started our own band and did gigs in Aikmans and the Byre. I got to develop as a musician by exposing my own music to the public and having people there to back me up. If you had told me that I would be singing in front of hundreds of people on my own in a microphone I would have laughed, yet this is what I found myself doing, along with guitar and piano. I love horse riding with a passion and got to experience the thrill of Polo. Meeting people with the same interests and sharing a game of polo was just amazing. I was on the basketball team where we worked our way up to the finals! I tried my hand at salsa dancing, which was a lot of fun, even though it did confirm the fact that I have two left feet. The St Andrews sports centre gives you access to gyms, any sport imaginable, personal trainers, tanning beds etc. I took a liking to squash and you would often find me in one of the squash courts ready to take on anyone who would play me.

And the experience continues. There are many opportunities to offer your own support and help to students or community members who are struggling with everyday life. In the form of Supnet (a subgroup of Student Support Services) and SVS (student volunteer services), you can help. I started my own help group for people with stress and anxiety difficulties and offered support and management techniques. You are professionally trained in these areas. With the help of SSS and a friend, I created a stress management CD. I also did riding for the disabled, first aid, one to one work, orientation help etc. Leading on from this, if at any point at St Andrews, you are feeling overwhelmed or are having any troubles ranging from personal, to health, to academic to financial, student support services is there for you. Made up of professional counsellors and support workers, they are there to make your experience at St Andrews the best it can possibly be. You can call up, write an email, drop in etc to ask anything that might be on your mind. They really do help and most importantly, help you to help yourself. You are never alone at St Andrews - there will always be someone there to listen or to answer your questions.

So now I am in the working world. Using the skills I have learnt at St Andrews to further my career development. My colleagues and friends ask me why I return so often to my old university. They say "but your friends are gone, but it is different, why go back? What's there?" And I smile and think to myself "they just haven't lived the St Andrews experience." Those were the best four years of my life and have formed a major part of who I am today. St Andrews is my second home and wherever I am in the world, whatever I am doing, I know I can go back and relive the memories.