Ass Pres: who’s the Bad Ass?

The Stand sat down with your nominees for Association President for a chat with a difference. Bypassing the usual campaign spiel and political jargon, we wanted to get to the real stuff – can these people represent us? Are they approachable, respectable, morally upstanding citizens? Can they still tell us why they should be president with a mouthful of prawn crackers?

 

Chloe Hill

We stop first at Chloe Hill’s, whose front room is filled with slogan tees hanging from the light fittings and a ready prepped banner. This lady is obviously super organized, primed and ready for election lift-off.

Hi Chloe! Where are you from?

I split my time between my parents in London and Singapore – although I don’t have a bedroom in London any more, so St Andrews is home!

What are you studying?

A joint honours in Geography and Philosophy.

What halls were you in?

St Regs Annex! It was awesome, there were about thirty of us in the house. We had an invisible warden and had to walk down the road to the main Regs building with our washing, which was always fun!

Where can we find you on a Friday night?

I’m definitely more of a Thursday person. I lived with two of the Minimood boys in first year, so love to get down to see them at the Vic every Thursday! It kind of writes off Friday though…

What’s your favourite thing about St Andrews?

Days like today, so sunny! I love the beach, and of course Jannetta’s. Yum.

What do you really want to change for the rest of us?

Well, firstly the housing system. I’d like to create a Union-run letting agent and change how, at the moment, we just get a list with a road and a price. That’s not how you should choose a house! I’m also campaigning for RUK fees to be four years for the price of three – Edinburgh’s already done it, and the university does love to compete with them!

Are you single?

I am single in St Andrews…what’s wrong with me, right?!

 

Alex Thornton Reid

Next is Alex’s abode, where her and her flat mate (campaign team!) are hand colouring leaflets on the kitchen table, and munching prawn crackers. Alex’s enthusiasm is immediately evident, and she is fantastically easy to chat to.

Hi Alex!

Hi! Have a prawn cracker! It’s my third packet today.

Thanks! So where are you from?

I’m from the little town of Stanford in Lincolnshire. It’s strangely similar to St Andrews but in England, has three streets, a golf course, the works. A home away from home!

Single?

Single.

What you studying?

I’m Divinity, got my St Mary’s hoodie on right now! I’d never studied it before St Andrews, but loved it so I’m doing the MTheol. Don’t ask me to do any Greek or Hebrew though; I’ve avoided it so far…

What halls were you in?

Andrew Melville! It was really great fun, I loved it. Fantastic hall spirit.

Where can we find you on a Friday night?

Oh definitely in the Bop. I love it! I know it’s strange to be a fourth year still in there, but the first five or six weeks of last term I went every Friday. I absolutely love going with all the first years, honestly I’m probably more excited than they are. Maybe I’d bring it in every night if I were president! No, I’m kidding, but we did used to have Tuesday Bops when I was a fresher…those were the days.

 

Duncan Downie

We headed out to see Duncan in Albany Park, where he reigns supreme as the senior student. He’s wearing a campaign shirt that draws attention to his remarkable beard, and is quietly eloquent in his opinions and thoughts.

Hi Duncan. We love your t-shirt.

Thanks! I’ve just got home from campaigning all day.

Nice. So where are you from?

Inverness, so almost a local, but South Africa originally.

What are you studying?

Physics!

Sounds difficult…have you been in Albany since first year?

Yup. As the senior student, I get to do the day to day running of the hall, organize the events, distribute the finances and sort the discipline. Haven’t had any incidents this year though, everyone has been very well behaved! On a smaller scale it’s good practice for President.

What would you change during your presidency?

Well one of the main things is getting accommodation affordable. It’s so oversubscribed, and yet I know last year where people dropped out of halls before September, Albany had 40 beds free. I want no halls to be empty!

Single?

I am single.

Where can we find you on a Friday night?

Most probably in a pub, not the Lizard! I also worked at the Vic, so it’s not my favourite place to go out!

How was that?

Yeah, I enjoyed it, it just didn’t mesh well with uni work…or life.

 

Nathan Elias-Ruby

Last stop is Nate’s house, where he’s running his somewhat last minute campaign. Currently the Environmental Officer, Nate has some very well informed and strongly driven ideas about what the President should be like, and thinks he is the perfect man for the job.  

Hi Nate. How’s the campaign going?

It’s all happened pretty quickly. We were talking about it at a party and at first it was really jokey, but then got really serious! In the end, I was thinking that I actually really care about these things, so I need to sign up.

What are you studing?

IR, with a focus on environmentalism and conservation, which is my dissertation topic.

Where are you from?

Chicago.

An American studying IR…

I know, what a shocker.

Single?

Not single, I’ve been with my girlfriend for over a year. She’s running for Environmental Ethics Officer actually, and two of my friends are running against her… awkward.

Where can we find you on a Friday night?

I would probably be somewhere in Scotland, playing a gig with my band. I play guitar!

Awesome. So what’s the campaign plan now?

I want to get more than just my name out there – we should be trying to get people more engaged with the debates and what’s really going on. I could promise a fridge in every house and tofurkey for all (I’m a vegetarian!) but I’m not so sure that’s going to happen. I don’t want to be making any promises I can’t keep: I think, for the Association President, personality and willpower are really important here. 

 

Jamie Ross

We tried to go to Jamie Ross’s flat, but he wouldn’t let us in. Instead, Jamie stuck a note under the door with his answers to our questions.

Hi Jamie… Kind of. Where do you call home?

Kinross. It’s a small town about an hour from here situated between Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee, making it an ideal location for the trafficking of heroin.

Where can we find you on a Friday night?

I was a Bop regular up until this year when I started to feel old, so now I’m more likely to go somewhere like the Whey Pat where I’m not constantly reminded of my unstoppable march towards death.

What’s your favourite thing about St Andrews?

Huge fan of The Other Guys. I think it’s dead clever when they sing one song, and then merge it with another song.

Single? Mingling? 

I have been single for my entire time in St Andrews. For my first three years, I put this down to being too picky and, for this one, I put it down to being off-puttingly desperate.

What halls were you in?

You say what halls ‘were’ you in, but due to a satanic landlord I am currently in DRA, despite being so old that I should really have legal clearance to be here. The freshers treat me with a combination of pity and disgust.

Good luck with your campaign…

Thanks.