Five things to do before returning to St Andrews

 1. Improve your alcohol tolerance

There’s just under a week to go before we all travel back to our beloved bubble, and as well as packing and trying to sort out matriculation from various overseas locations, it’s time to start drinking heavily in preparation for the large volume of ethanol we’re going to be downing during Fresher’s week. I’d start off slowly, maybe a few glasses of wine with dinner, cocktails on last minute lunch dates with friends from home. Then move on to the vodka cranberries (heavy on the vodka, light on the cranberry) a few nights before your return to Fife.

 2. Invest in knitwear

Although we may be returning in early September, a month which promises cool sunshine and warm temperatures in most places, we all know that St Andrews is already going to be fairly chilly. We’ve got to layer up before we’ve even had the chance to show off our bronzed skin and sexy white tan lines. Ditch the sundresses and shorts, we’ve no need for them in our wintry climate, and invest in lots of knitwear – I hear red is fashion’s preferred colour this winter!

 3. Experiment in the kitchen

Now that we’re going to be living alone again without parents to cook for us or buy groceries, we should probably start thinking about what we want to fill our fridges with – especially during Fresher’s when the only food we’re likely to consume is Dervish’s chips or a toasty from Courtyard. Although pasta and pesto is an easy, carby option, it doesn’t provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to continue both studying and partying on a daily basis. Buy a cookbook (Jamie Oliver’s ’15 Minute Meals’ is a personal favourite!) or reading a food blog to find new recipes to make feeding yourself less of a chore and more of an exciting, new project.

4. Prepare interesting holiday stories

Whether you spent your summer at home with your parents and the guinea pig or doing a long, gruelling internship, make sure you prepare a funny story involving alcohol, table dancing and nudity for when you’re inevitably asked “How was your summer? Did you get up to much?”

5. Last minute shopping

While offering its students a plethora of cute cafes, restaurants and bars to frequent with friends and co-workers, St Andrews fails to provide decent clothing shops. This is a terrible omission for those who rely on retail therapy to distract themselves from relationship problems and essay deadlines. Before returning to university, satiate your shopping desires by going on a last-minute spree to your nearest mall or high street and buying all the winter clothing you’ve had your eye on – don’t feel guilty, you’ve got a four month dry spell to make up for any extravagant, expensive purchases.