Having previously featured all three of his flatmates, this week’s campus cutie is Matthew Hastings, and in an effort to make it a full house, (literally), I was delighted to have the opportunity find out more about this charming, sincere and rather intriguing guy.
Originally from Twickenham, Matthew is studying Maths and Physics and is in his third year at St Andrews. I began by asking him what had influenced his decision to study here, to which he responded, “I wanted to get away from my family!” He went on to tell me that he had applied to both Glasgow and St Andrews, clearly sincere in his desire for distance, but was also attracted by the beauty and serenity of this small town and driven by a desire to learn to look after himself. Matthew played rugby at the start of this semester but following a heavy session of contact in which he got badly injured, he hasn’t been back. Although hindered by his current lack of bike, Matthew is a cyclist at heart, and had a great time on his mountain bike last year in the surrounding hills, telling me, “On a day like this, it’s beautiful” (the weather on the day of our interview was uncharacteristically sunny!).
Matthew became a Christian about two years ago and has since been involved in the Christian Union here. He started going to the Baptist Church following the encouragement of a friend in halls “who’d prayed for [him] before they’d even met!” He’s also treasurer of the Solid Rock Café society, an organisation that puts on a lunch bar every Thursday, followed by a testimony. I asked Matthew if he was single, which he is, and went on to quiz him about what he looks for in the perfect partner. “I have a huge list of criteria,” he joked, before proceeding to tell me, “I believe either I’ll find someone, or I’ll find satisfaction in God.” Matthew readily volunteered his baptism when asked for his most memorable moment in St Andrews thus far. He was baptised at the Baptist church on South Street last year, by full emersion, and it was a great experience for him to give a public declaration of his faith: “I’m glad it was the Baptist church as the other option was the North sea, and the water would have been a lot colder!” Matthew mentioned that a defining experience in his life was getting badly burnt at the age of seven, leaving him physically scarred. It allowed him to open himself up to the concept of faith, as he believes he felt God’s protection and favour whilst in hospital, yet added, ‘the scars just aren’t something I really think about!”
Matthew talks fondly of his flatmates, despite their constant practical jokes at his expense. He speaks first of Simon, the one that roped him in for this interview, telling me he’s great fun and always happy to have a laugh, poignantly adding, “Simon doesn’t like to be serious very often, but those are my most valuable moments with him.” He is equally thrilled to be living with Rob and Chris (his other flatmates), and appreciates the diversity of their individual churches. Ever the pranksters, his housemates have frequently given him wedgies and went as far as putting a baked potato down his pants when he failed to cook it thoroughly. He insists that these little pieces of banter are what make life a lot of fun, although he notes that if they’ve been at a hockey social, he locks his door.
“I think I might be a bin man for a bit,” was Matthew’s response when I questioned him of his thoughts towards a future career, expressing his hesitations about graduating with a degree in Maths and Physics, having ruled out working at a university, a scientific institute, or even in an office job: “I think I’d really learn to look after myself if I were a bin man.” With an interest in sustainable development, he is also considering the possibility of linking his degree with Biology and is contemplating becoming an environmental engineer. As for the immediate future, Matthew is staying in St Andrews for spring break and taking the opportunity to catch up on his work, in an effort to focus himself, yet plans to visit relatives in New York this summer. He also talked of how he thought it would be cool to do a mission in Africa, but followed this with, “It’s something you’ve got to do because you think you can actually help people, rather than going over to feel good about yourself.” A statement with which I couldn’t agree more.
Rapid fire round:
Favourite place to go for a drink?
“The Central’s quite nice, or any nice pub really.” Matthew then told me that he likes to watch the rugby, especially when the Six Nations is on, and that he’s feeling confident in England’s chance of victory.
Favourite place to eat out in St Andrews?
“Subway,” he tells me without hesitation. The sportsman in him values the large portion size, and the student in him values the price! He recently went for a meal at Forgans and was disappointed at having finished the plate in less than five minutes: “When you pay that much you want good value for money.”
A little known fact about yourself?
“I like eating lemons, whole, including the pith.” Apparently he peels it like an orange, or slices it up, adding, “I deal with sour.”
If you could invite anyone to dinner, who would you choose?
Although pointing out the potential awkwardness of a dinner party full of celebrities, he answered, “Probably C.S. Lewis; it seems amazing how many people have come to faith from reading his writing and there’s a real maturity to his argument.” He also suggested Tolkien and his late grandfather, prompted by a desire to see how the two would get on.
Quirky and funny in equal measure, Matthew is the type of guy that constantly surprises. At points incredibly sincere in his answers, he drops in a joke without warning, catching you off guard and coming across all the funnier for it. You can see how, in a house of pranksters, Matthew is more than able to hold his own.