10 things you should know about St Andrews

1. For the next four years (and probably longer) everyone everywhere will ask if you’ve met your prince or princess yet. You will laugh politely and tell them you’re still looking, secretly rolling your eyes in despair.

A studious Will

2. Academic parents are important – don’t rush into any decisions and pick the first person to buy you a messy bomb in the union. Good academic parents should give you more than a good Raisin. The good kind provide you with home-cooked dinners, great house parties and a new group of friends.

3. You can’t go to Tesco in the hope that no one of any note will notice your PJs, greasy hair, or last night’s smudged makeup. You WILL see everyone you have ever met, and also probably the tutor you’ve just emailed to say you’re bedbound. This is especially true if you hit the 5 o’clock rush.

4. The beach is your friend. Go for a walk, run or even a hypothermia-inducing swim, and appreciate how lucky you are to be somewhere so beautiful.

5. There are a lot of traditions. You will take part in several and understand very few, but there’s nothing quite like the sight of thousands of students running into the sea on May Dip night or costumed students at The Kate Kennedy Procession. Embrace the bizarre and baffling traditions. It’s what makes our university unique.

Students running into the sea at May Dip

6. At any event being held at Kinkell Byre you will get lost. You will lose your friends in your bid to get to the bar, and realise that there’s no signal and the doors always seem to be in different places to where they were before. Ladies, the queue for the loos is always endless. The boys will swan past smugly as you wait…and wait…

7. Never underestimate the importance of brunch. Nothing will cure your hangover like pancakes from Northpoint or a smoothie from Zest. It’s also ideal if you’ve slept through breakfast or can’t face killing your spare hour in the library.

Health in a cup

8. Right now your walk to the library seems perfectly pleasant and civilised. Beware, come Elections’ Week and it becomes a master class in the art of avoiding eye contact and faking phone calls and text messages.

9. You will at some point take part in a conversation about how to use a conventional oven. Don’t laugh, this is necessary advice for the multitude of AGA owners baffled by hobs and knobs and dials.

10. St Andrews is the best place to go to university. Full stop. Take note of the aforementioned information (or disregard it completely), and you’re sure to have a ball (or probably several).

Images courtesy of ahsgolf.org, royalweddings.hellomagazine.com, www.st-andrews.ac.uk and www.zest.ae