[_Bright Eyes]

Hi

I'm starting in Septemeber and will be self catered in Albany Park. I had a search around and found some threads relating to this but decided to make a new one rather than bump up an old one.

Are there any other self-catered students here who can let me know where best place to buy food is to cook on a budget. Would it be one of the bigger supermarkets (tesco or morrisons?) or a smaller shop? How much do you average on spending weekly for foods/drinks/basic needs? Are there any particular shops that would be worth making a mental note of?

And my other question might be better posted in the Biology section but anyway, does anyone have a list of recommended/vital reads for the first year (doing Zoology)? Does the Uni itself issue such a list? It would be handy to know prior so I can stock up..

Cheers for any input.

[terpineol]

I do a big shop once a month or so in Cupar. The tesco there is much cheaper than the morrisons in st andrews.

I try and eat on £15 a week.

You can't really get anything cheaply within st-andrews, aldi is probably the cheapest place but you'll probably want a taxi/steal a trolley if you are doing a big shop.



For a spot of petrol/beer you can probably have a spot in the car for the odd food run.

[_Bright Eyes]

Sounds like a fair trade. (:

Ty.

[terpineol]

(Original post by _Bright Eyes)
Sounds like a fair trade. (:

Ty.

Give me a PM come freshers and we shall meet up for a pint so I can check you aren't a complete nutter.

I'm sure we can do the odd food run.

[No Future]

(Original post by _Bright Eyes)
Hi

I'm starting in Septemeber and will be self catered in Albany Park. I had a search around and found some threads relating to this but decided to make a new one rather than bump up an old one.

Are there any other self-catered students here who can let me know where best place to buy food is to cook on a budget. Would it be one of the bigger supermarkets (tesco or morrisons?) or a smaller shop? How much do you average on spending weekly for foods/drinks/basic needs? Are there any particular shops that would be worth making a mental note of?

And my other question might be better posted in the Biology section but anyway, does anyone have a list of recommended/vital reads for the first year (doing Zoology)? Does the Uni itself issue such a list? It would be handy to know prior so I can stock up..


Cheers for any input.

In St Andrews you have mainly Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco.

Morrisons is usually cheapest and freshest. Aldi can be okay for some items, but often quality is ***** and not that cheap. Tesco is small and...Tesco. Morrisons as much as poss, top ups from Tesco. If you eat a lot of ''ethnic'' food, make a trip to Dundee to the (tiny) Oriental supermarket for spices, sauces and powders...oh and M&S

[terpineol]

(Original post by No Future)
In St Andrews you have mainly Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco.

Morrisons is usually cheapest and freshest. Aldi can be okay for some items, but often quality is ***** and not that cheap. Tesco is small and...Tesco. Morrisons as much as poss, top ups from Tesco. If you eat a lot of ''ethnic'' food, make a trip to Dundee to the (tiny) Oriental supermarket for spices, sauces and powders...oh and M&S

I wish I could find that Oriental supermarket.

I swear it only exists for chinese people, rather like a racial isle nine and three quarters.

[No Future]

(Original post by terpineol)
I wish I could find that Oriental supermarket.

I swear it only exists for chinese people, rather like a racial isle nine and three quarters.

Ha ha, it does.

In fact, I found not one, but TWO Oriental stores in Dundee. Check my powers. Okay, so one of them is so small it barely counts as a ''supermarket'', but still...

I can show you/give you directions...will need to go there sometime next year so yeah!

ps; I still need to visit Sals.

[terpineol]

(Original post by No Future)
Ha ha, it does.

In fact, I found not one, but TWO Oriental stores in Dundee. Check my powers. Okay, so one of them is so small it barely counts as a ''supermarket'', but still...

I can show you/give you directions...will need to go there sometime next year so yeah!

ps; I still need to visit Sals.

I'm sure we can do some kind of visiting swap.

Feel free to pop this way any time, good luck with the exams.

[No Future]

(Original post by terpineol)
I'm sure we can do some kind of visiting swap.

Feel free to pop this way any time, good luck with the exams.

Good stuff. Will hope to do so maybs when down south in Sept. Thanks v much. Same here, the common room has ample sofa room, lol.

Let me know when you want to find the Chinese platform 9 & 3/4 :P

[_Bright Eyes]

I'm not masterful enough to cook chinese dishes, so I'll probably pass on that one . The food runs to Tesco sound really handy though - I'll get in touch! I can't guarantee I'm not crazy though..

I really fancy having a little wander around exploring everywhere on my first few weeks - is it allowed to enter the other halls unaccompanied to have a 'wee' gander?

[ImperceptibleNinja]

(Original post by _Bright Eyes)
I really fancy having a little wander around exploring everywhere on my first few weeks - is it allowed to enter the other halls unaccompanied to have a 'wee' gander?

Erm. Theoretically, this should be fine in the daytime, although a lot of halls require card/key access to get inside.
I'm aware of some halls that you might be able to get into without a key/card, but you might be better seeing halls by meeting people who live there. A lot of the older halls are fairly easy to get lost in

[sophie_c]

(Original post by _Bright Eyes)
I really fancy having a little wander around exploring everywhere on my first few weeks - is it allowed to enter the other halls unaccompanied to have a 'wee' gander?

There's a few halls that you can get into without a key or a card... I think I went for a wander around McIntosh during freshers, but Uni Hall you can't get into without a card I'm fraid... dunno bout the other halls!

[sophie_c]

(Original post by _Bright Eyes)
Hi

I'm starting in Septemeber and will be self catered in Albany Park. I had a search around and found some threads relating to this but decided to make a new one rather than bump up an old one.

Are there any other self-catered students here who can let me know where best place to buy food is to cook on a budget. Would it be one of the bigger supermarkets (tesco or morrisons?) or a smaller shop? How much do you average on spending weekly for foods/drinks/basic needs? Are there any particular shops that would be worth making a mental note of?

And my other question might be better posted in the Biology section but anyway, does anyone have a list of recommended/vital reads for the first year (doing Zoology)? Does the Uni itself issue such a list? It would be handy to know prior so I can stock up..

Cheers for any input.

Woo for Albany Park!

Quite a few people have replied about the shops, so I'll just do the bio bit! They don't really give out a reading list till freshers, but for 1st year you have to buy:

1. Campbell and Reeces "Biology"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Biology-Inte...7319984&sr=8-1

2. "Practical Skills in Biology" by Dr Allan Jones
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Practical-Sk..._bxgy_b_text_b

3. "Asking Questions in Biology" by Barnard, Gilbert and McGregor
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asking-Quest...7320374&sr=1-1

These 3 are the ones they say you must get, and will last you for most of your degree. I would advise you to get them from Blackwells in St Andrews once you get to St Andrews, as they put the 3 together for a slightly discounted price (cheaper than buying the 3 seperately), and also gives you a free online biology study thing with them as well.

The main textbook though doesn't go into detail as much as is needed for certain parts of the course. Therefore, for 2nd semester when you will be studying Molecular Biology and Biology of Organisms they suggest you buy these books:

1. Instant Notes in Molecular Biology
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Molecular-Bi...7320646&sr=1-2

--- This one I didn't buy, but it was quite useful, and in hindsight, it might have been worth getting... I managed to get it out of the library for the week before the exam, but that isn't guaranteed as the library only has 3 copies of it, and everyone studying Biology HAS to do this module... This one if you are going to get it, I'd get it off Amazon as it is expensive in Blackwells.

2. oh dear...I'm sorry I've completely forgotton what this book was called, it was the one advised for Biology of Organisms, but tbh, I don't think you need to buy it at all... I didn't, but one of my friends did, and she never used it! It's very exoensive for what it is as well, it's not a very big book, tiny in fact, and Blackwells were charging nearly £40 for it if I remember correctly, so yeh, I'll get back to you with this one, but I wouldn't worry about it just now, as you won't be using it until 2nd semester anyway...

So, basically, I wouldn't worry atm at all, best to get the deal from Blackwells, and you can wait and get the Molecular one cos you won't need that til 2nd semester. You also may be able to get some textbooks for cheap during freshers, from people from last year selling their books as they're not continuing with biology anymore... in fact I may indeed have a friend selling the 3 compulsary Bio books, but i'm not sure...
During lectures the lecturers will also highlight certain books which may be useful to buy if you feel you need to read up on a certain section in more detail than in "Biology", but you can get away without getting these!

Sorry that was uber long, but I hope it was of some use!

[_Bright Eyes]

Thanks a lot, that was exactly what I needed!

I will wait til I'm there before getting the books then. Lemme know if your friend wants to offload hers!

[sophie_c]

(Original post by _Bright Eyes)
Thanks a lot, that was exactly what I needed!

I will wait til I'm there before getting the books then. Lemme know if your friend wants to offload hers!

You're welcome! Haha will do!

PS... anyone needing to buy Latin or German textbooks, I'm looking to sell mine!