What&#x27;s St Andrews like?.. is it too small?

St Andrews isn't too bad - plenty of students buzzing around for it to have enough of an atmosphere, and Dundee's only about 15 miles out of town if you really need to be in a city for a while :smile:

Then again, a town with a population of 18,000 (during term time) is technically the biggest town I've ever been in :redface:

Oban had a population between 8,000 and 10,000 and I believe I heard that Galashiels has 12,000 or so...I'm perfectly used to small towns :biggrin:

Reply 2

graemematt

12

St Andrews is misconceived as being the Oxbridge of Scotland, that is, it appears to be small, isolated, VERY academic, and overall for extreme scholars. It's really not like that at all.

A lot fo students find it hard to keep up with work, but thats just because they go out most nights in 1st and 2nd year, because there are so many bars to go to, with lots of cheap drinks promotions pretty much every night of the week! Buses run to certain clubs in Dundee at midnight on some nights (Tuesday/Wednesday mainly) too, so much as clubs arent around in St A, there are plenty nearby.

Reply 3

graemematt

St Andrews is misconceived as being the Oxbridge of Scotland, that is, it appears to be small, isolated, VERY academic, and overall for extreme scholars. It's really not like that at all.

A lot fo students find it hard to keep up with work, but thats just because they go out most nights in 1st and 2nd year, because there are so many bars to go to, with lots of cheap drinks promotions pretty much every night of the week! Buses run to certain clubs in Dundee at midnight on some nights (Tuesday/Wednesday mainly) too, so much as clubs arent around in St A, there are plenty nearby.

Tell me about it :frown:

, thank god for reading week

Reply 4

vague

There's plenty to do here. I thought it might be too small myself but, to be quite honest, all you need to entertain yourself in any situation is a bottle of Tesco value vodka and some tortilla chips. Where there are students, there will be fun.

- You can pay £5 and get transport to/from and entry to a club in Dundee most nights. Plus free/cheap drinks promos. (A return bus journey alone is (I think) £4 with student ID.)
- My flatmate has been to loads of gigs in Edinburgh already; it;s not that hard to 'escape' from the bubble.
- Cheap drinks will be found somewhere in town most nights. The pub count per square mile is ridiculously high.
- Many, many societies.
- The beach: I love it.

I'll probably end up in London or somewhere for most of my career, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to live in a pretty seaside town whilst I still could.

It's not posh---just pretty!---although the 'oxbridge reject' count is definitely as high as "They" say. (3/5 in my flat.)

I actually like the size. This probably sounds awful, but it feels like the university owns the entire town, which is nice. I don't have to worry too much about someone taking the front wheel off my bike and running off with it, and you bump into classmates in Tesco.

I can't say I've had much work to do so far. It's great to be an Arts student!

Reply 5

Icecradle

I'd agree with what was said above. Though it may seem posh... it's not really. I went to a state school comprehensive and although I am in a minority, we're definitely around! St Andrews has a large community of 'yah' people and some of the societies and traditions can seem a bit posh, but there are a lot of different types of people, as with all unis, and you're bound to find someone that you get on with.

Yes, it doesn't have the same 'buzz' as a big city... but then that means you aren't likely to get mugged in your first week (as one of my friends did at leeds uni). There are tons of bars and pubs, the union has events on most evenings, dundee is just 15 min drive away and if you really want a night out, then edinburgh is just an hour on the train.

It's definitely not full of people obsessed about nothing but their course. Amazing how many ways you can procrastinate when there's an essay looming.

Reply 6

Solid_L

11

Nope not posh at all - you mostly keep all of them locked up in Sallies somewhere :p:

.

I was worried about that when I came - but all my room mates are pretty much same as me... state school, looking after themselves - Yah's tend to be in a minority, at least in DRA :smile:

Na in all seriousness though, many of the "posh" people are pretty down to Earth, the occasional "up their own arse" type are thankfully not seen around much :smile:

.

Reply 7

Yeah, self-catered accomm (basically DRA, fife park and albany park) is pretty much the best way to avoid yah's, but I was also worried about yah's before coming here and I actually find myself getting on with most of them, there is the odd total arse but there are enough people arround to not have to have any contact with them.

Reply 8

Ademo

All I can say is that st andrews is THE best! Come to DRA it totally rocks! everyone is soo nice! you will love it!

Reply 9

Ademo

All I can say is that st andrews is THE best! Come to DRA it totally rocks! everyone is soo nice! you will love it!

DRA's too expensive...

Reply 10

blondemoment

*cough* As a memeber of the Sallies contingent i would like to say that it isnt like that! hehe okay maybe a little...but i have a sea view :P:P:P My favourite fact is that St Andrews has more drinking establisments per person than anywhere else in the british isles, and not clubs at all - you decide whether that is a plus or a negative

Reply 11

Parrotman

1

It means when your drunk you don't have the opportunity to dance and make a further fool out of yourself. Good thing that....

(Although bad for me since I don't drink and it's hilarious to see drunk dancing....)

Reply 12

Not really, you buy the £5 ticket to Dundee pre-drunkenness, get drunk in one of the many bars (but as moneys tight usually just the union or vic on a tue), go to Dundee dance like an idiot in a club there then find out alllllllllll about it in lectures the next day while hung over, ahhh good times! Definitely recommended! :biggrin:

Reply 13

cookums

and if that fails, there is always the bop to make a fool of yourself on tuesdays and fridays! (i do this too often)

Reply 14

cookums

and if that fails, there is always the bop to make a fool of yourself on tuesdays and fridays! (i do this too often)

You go to the bop...and admit it?! There really is no such thing as shame for you, is there? :p:

Reply 15

Dalimyr

You go to the bop...and admit it?! There really is no such thing as shame for you, is there? :p:

whats wrong with the occasional....... or near weekly drunken bop!??! (though admittedly I have had the misfortune of a sober bop, NOT recommended.)

Reply 16