Current St. A students w/ Oxbridge rejection - did you get over it OK?

Poet on the Rock

Actually I think he was talking to me, though your reply would be mine also. Can you show me where I said I hated St Andrews? I just said, that in my opinion, it wasn't as good as Cambridge which was my first choice. Accepting my second choice because I didn't get my first is hardly a mark of stupidity, and the reasons I gave are for why it is my second choice and not my first. What I said was true anyway: it was pissing down with rain and freezing, from what I've managed to discover the climbing scene is nonexistent, I did meet rather a few posh people and it doesn't have as good an academic reputation. I'm not saying that because I'm bitter, I'm saying it because it's true: the fact I was rejected from Cambridge first does not change that fact that there are no climbing training facilities on campus does it?

And why would I what? Does that question refer to why would the Admissions lot admit me to Cambridge or why do I want to go to St Andrews?

We're not a campus uni :rolleyes:

.

What sort of reception do you expect if you come on here and basically slate our university? (which we all, naturally, think is fantastic!)

Reply 64

ImperceptibleNinja

13

M_E_X

We're not a campus uni :rolleyes:

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What sort of reception do you expect if you come on here and basically slate our university? (which we all, naturally, think is fantastic!)

The town and the uni are distributed throughout each other, so it's not that bad a word choice.

And he's not slating the uni. He made a factual comparison of his experiences with both unis, and recognised that they may not be complete pictures that he has. That is not unreasonable, and it is not something that we have any right to give him a hard time for.

In reference to the climbing wall in the sports centre... even I was a bit dissapointed by it. I do know people here who have their own climbing stuff, who go to Dundee to climb, and possibly elsewhere. You will probably be able to find people who are keen to do things like that, and that might help balance out the lack of facilities in the town, at least a bit.

Reply 65

ImperceptibleNinja

The town and the uni are distributed throughout each other, so it's not that bad a word choice.

And he's not slating the uni. He made a factual comparison of his experiences with both unis, and recognised that they may not be complete pictures that he has. That is not unreasonable, and it is not something that we have any right to give him a hard time for.

In reference to the climbing wall in the sports centre... even I was a bit dissapointed by it. I do know people here who have their own climbing stuff, who go to Dundee to climb, and possibly elsewhere. You will probably be able to find people who are keen to do things like that, and that might help balance out the lack of facilities in the town, at least a bit.

I would take your side more, if I didn't know a guy (Jankó) who is a keen climber and regularly goes on trips with the climbing society to all sorts of different places, and has a great time. And he seems to be an accomplished climber too. So I just don't buy that there's no "climbing scene" or whatever.

If I went on the Newcastle football club forums and wrote "facts" about how well they're doing in the premier league at the moment (they're sucking), do you think I would get a balanced response or a hostile response? Sometimes you have to keep your opinions to yourself

Reply 66

ebotron

I appologise to xanthian, my post most definately was not aimed at him, he went about this the right way, poet on the rock slated the university. M_E_X put it better than me with the above football analogy. Perhaps the cambridge discussion board is the place to talk about St Andrews like this?

Reply 67

Murphyen

9

If you want climbing then join the Mountaineering Society - they're all very active. :smile:

Reply 68

God if you knew the full story of my efforts to track down climbers at St A's! Basically I went to the open day and nobody knew anything about them, including the guy I asked who was meant to be the "sports coordinator" or some such thing. There was also no sign of the club: no cubbyhole in the mail thing (and there was one labeled "parachutists"), no notices about club meets, no "come and try" posters like there were for the other societies, nothing. So I emailed the club with some questions and they took a month to reply, hardly filling me with confidence. When they did it was from a bloke who said he was a walker and didn't actually know anything about the climbers, though he was able to tell me that there were no training facilities in St Andrews (even he admitted the wall was dire). I can't help but think that that wouldn't be the case if it was brimming with motivated climbers, can you? It's not actually the weekend trips I was interested in, it was more about the midweek training stuff, which isn't mentioned at all, as opposed to the weekends away which I’m sure are excellent. So I was a little harsh saying it was non-existent, I’ll rephrase to “not focused on the same things as I am”. Ok, so maybe I’m a sad sport climber who should focus more on having fun but that’s not a crime.

But anyway that's not the issue is it? The issue is that you think I was slating your (almost our, as I've accepted an unconditional) Uni. I honestly didn't mean to offend anyone with what I intended to be dispassionate observances, I'm just saying it's not as good as my first choice ok? But I think you're going a bit far to suggest I shouldn't have given my opinion at all, after all this is an internet forum! I think something, you think something else, that’s fine, let’s both be big enough not to descend to name calling? I felt what I said was relevant to the topic, so I said it. It’s possible to disagree politely you know, maybe a better response would have been: “Well, I think the Uni is great and you’re wrong about X, Y and Z,” rather than twisting my words and calling me stupid. And I'd say that as my post was about St As it should go on the St A forum?

And I also said I found St Andrews "nice enough," which pretty fairly represents what I think: it's not perfect but it's quite nice and I think I'll be happy. If you're holding out for universal adoration you're just being unrealistic, you may have to accept that some people will disagree with you occasionally, just because you think the Uni is great doesn’t mean everyone has to. I like pickle but I won’t have a problem if you say you hate it.

And the comparison with a football club is hardly fair. If I created a username on a board solely for Newcastle fans and then genuinely slagged them off I’d deserve what was coming to me. After all, they're renowned for a clannish and violent hatred of outsiders: not a comparison you want to draw if you're trying to people to like the place more than they already do? Good thing there’s people like ImperceptibleNinja and sophie_c on here to demonstrate a little tolerance and understanding.

Okay, so maybe I underestimated how attached some people can get to their Uni, and I'm sorry, but I think you're only finding offence because you want to find it.

Reply 69

Poet on the Rock

If you're holding out for universal adoration you're just being unrealistic, you may have to accept that some people will disagree with you occasionally, just because you think the Uni is great doesn’t mean everyone has to. I like pickle but I won’t have a problem if you say you hate it.

I know - a lot of people don't like the uni, for all sorts of different reasons.

However I've never met someone who's so upset and filled with disgust at somewhere they're unconditionally agreed to spend the next four years of their life.

I just don't get it.

Reply 70

Oh for the love of God M_E_X open your sodding eyes! One last time...

I! DO! NOT! HATE! SAINT ANDREWS! UNIVERSITY!

Not sunk in yet?

I! DO! NOT! HATE! SAINT ANDREWS! UNIVERSITY!

And once more for M_E_X...

SAINT ANDREWS UNIVERSITY! POET ON THE ROCK DOESN'T HATE IT!

Got it yet? Just because I said it has some faults and I'd rather go somewhere else doesn't mean I loath the place from the depths of my soul. A Porshe 911 isn't as good as a Buggatti Veyron but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be chuffed if you gave me one.

If you're really interested in the reasoning behind my Uni choice it goes thus...

- If I can't get Oxbridge I should go to a Scottish Uni so I get my fees paid.
- I prefer small towns to cities.
- It has a good academic reputation, possibly the best in Scotland, particularly for my subject.
- I really liked the tutor I met on the open day.
- My lovely girlfriend and a couple of my best mates are going there.

Logical enough I thought?

Reply 71

YOU! ARE! AN! IDIOT!

James
xx

Reply 72

Continued via PM, I think we're all bored of this now.

Reply 73

HatfulofHollow

My god M_E_X is an absolute arse. Just admit when you've misunderstood and get on with your life. Why do all these threats become bitchfests? One thing someone disagrees with and people argue over grammar and punctuation. Get a grip he was perfectly reasonable.

Reply 74

Deadmau5

I'm bored of M_E_X.

I don't think you've said anything particularly controversial poet...what I would say is, if the climbing scene/society don't match up to your standards, change them - it's definitely within your power. Someone with your passion is all that would be needed to kick start or revamp the climbing at St. Andrew's. Since the uni DOES have a wall, they perhaps would not be adverse from turning it from shambolic to acceptable. Pressure them, lobby them, you know, find them external funding if you have to. I haven't climbed before but i'd be willing to try it, get in charge of that soc. and send me an invite. :biggrin:

Reply 75

Deadmau5

I'm bored of M_E_X.

I don't think you've said anything particularly controversial poet...what I would say is, if the climbing scene/society don't match up to your standards, change them - it's definitely within your power. Someone with your passion is all that would be needed to kick start or revamp the climbing at St. Andrew's. Since the uni DOES have a wall, they perhaps would not be adverse from turning it from shambolic to acceptable. Pressure them, lobby them, you know, find them external funding if you have to. I haven't climbed before but i'd be willing to try it, get in charge of that soc. and send me an invite. :biggrin:

He negged me aswell... No helping some people :rolleyes:

.

Thanks for the advice, I'll certainly do my best to help the scene out. In the email I sent to the society I offered to give my fingerboard, campus board and Bachar ladder over to general club use in reutrn for some space to put them in, but he said he didn't know if that would be possible. Fingers crossed though, appartently the management of the sports centre is changing so they might be open to fresh ideas.

Reply 76

la_banane_verte

16

Poet on the Rock

Fingers crossed though, appartently the management of the sports centre is changing so they might be open to fresh ideas.

Yup, they're revamping a lot of how everything's done this year, and they're really keen to help clubs develop and expand - for instance we're getting a new trampoline, something we've been trying to do for years, and they've been really supportive about helping us find space to store it and getting us sessions in the larger hall.

It may be difficult to change the Mountaineering club structure in your first year, but if you run for committee then you'll have plenty of opportunity to change the way things are done!

Reply 77

Ouch, lot of e-hate for me in this thread.
(curiously only from the people who've never met me / don't even attend St Andrews. Hmm).

Anyway! On topic!
hi.

edit: Poet on the Rock I didn't read your PM, send me the cliffs if it was important.
Sincerely,
James
xx

Reply 78

la_banane_verte

16

M_E_X

Ouch, lot of e-hate for me in this thread.
(curiously only from the people who've never met me / don't even attend St Andrews. Hmm).

I've noticed a few of this year's potential St Andreans have been a bit...antagonistic shall we say.

Reply 79

Meteorshower