Ask a student

"Since coming to university from college I've had the time of my life whether that be doing the pier walk, going to Christmas ball or most importantly studying the subject I'm passionate about. Philosophy!"

"My favourite tradition by far is academic families. You become part of this ‘family’ and they are there for you for everything you need. My academic sisters and I are now flatmates and they are my best friends here. I would not have met them if it wasn’t for this wonderful tradition."

"St Andrews has a really warm and welcoming community, which as a first year makes it super easy to integrate and get used to a university environment. I met most of my friends in my hall of residence either at hall events or simply bumping into them. I've also met some friends at lectures and in random lines and situations like that."

"One thing I wish I had known before coming to St Andrews is that I wouldn't feel out of place at all! I was naturally really worried before joining in first year, but everybody is in the same boat and living in a small university town brings so many opportunities to meet people from every walk of life. There are so many clubs and societies to join which will help you to make friends with similar interests. It becomes home much quicker than you could imagine!"

"I love going for a wee dip in the North Sea at dawn. From May Dip to Raisin Sunday and anytime in-between, going for a dip while being bathed in the brilliant sunrises in St Andrews is an equally relaxing and invigorating way to prepare yourself for the day ahead."

"I wish I had known how easy it is to make friends and develop a sense of community. High School always felt a bit cliquey to me, but St Andrews is much less like that than I expected. Everyone ends up knowing everyone, and it matters less what you study or how you spend your time when making friends than your willingness to chat a bit. I wish I hadn't been as nervous about developing a vibrant social life."

"My top tip is to set up a time to call friends/family from back home. Maybe once a month or so. It really helps to have a set time to reconnect or ground yourself."

"I wish I had known that there is so much flexibility in the courses available to me. When I got here I was amazed by how many different pathways there are; if I’d done a bit more research it would have sped up my process of choosing modules in first year."

"I've met most of my friends either through society meetings or just via classes that we share. I take part in a variety of societies, some include PhySoc, AstroSoc, the Engineering and Aerospace Society (EASy)."