Dear Freshers,
Welcome to the St. Andrews bubble! If no one has said it yet, let me be the first: we are so glad you are here! St. Andrews is truly one of the most special places to study. You will meet incredible people, take world-renowned classes, and, perhaps most importantly, learn a lot about yourself. But while the cobbled streets may look like a Pinterest goldmine, I would be lying if I said starting life here was all sunshine and roses… especially with the actual lack of sunlight.
I still remember hugging my dad goodbye outside my first-year hall, when reality sank in. This new chapter of my life had officially begun, and for better or for worse, I was on my own. What made it even scarier was that no author was telling me where to go next or what to do. No handbook. No instructions. Just me, figuring it out as I went.
Now, three years and countless late-night chats, pub crawls, and thousands of coffees later, I often wish I could take 18-year-old me aside, buy her a pint, and whisper a few words of wisdom. Since I cannot do that, the next best thing is sharing them with you! Here are ten things I wish I had known before starting university.
- The 2 A.M. Snack Crisis is Real and Tesco can’t always save you.
If you know me, you know I am a snacker who hates buying snacks. Freshers week, I convinced myself I wouldn’t be hungry or that I could just fall asleep and forget about it till the morning. This lasted about two weeks. After a few desperate, hungry phone calls to my mom, I realized stocking up is essential. In a land without 24 grocery store,s you need to make sure you have at least some snacks to stash for those post-night-out cravings or long library sessions. Although I love a good halloumi shawarma wrap a bit too much than I care to admit, especially on those cold rainy nights, having crackers or rice cakes to hold you over can be the difference between a good night’s rest versus a long night staring at the clock, counting down the hours until Tesco opens. Trust me, those grapes will feel like fruit from the gods.
- Don’t judge or measure your grades by your high school standards.
If you’re used to chasing perfect marks, uni can feel like a rude awakening. I still remember staring at my first essay grade and thinking, “Did I suddenly forget how to write?” Spoiler: I didn’t. The truth is, university is just different, and there is an inevitable learning curve you will need to tackle. This adjustment period can feel discouraging, but it is also where some of the most important lessons can be learned.
One of the most essential pieces of advice I can give you is to shift your mindset early on. You are not in high school anymore. University is an entirely different ball park that comes with its own rules and rewards. It took me a while to realise that the learning process itself matters more than the number on the page. Once you stop comparing every mark to high school, you can actually start enjoying the growth that comes with challenges. Uni is trying to teach you things high school wouldn’t even think of, and to help you improve in these areas, they need to increase the standard of grading to ensure that you feel pressured to adapt and change.
Pressure is not a bad thing; it means that you are doing something that matters. But if you spend your time evaluating your achievements based on a high school standard, you are not acknowledging the actual growth you have made because you are playing by an entirely different set of rules. You can’t play chess on a Monopoly board. So, do yourself a favor: throw away old grading scales and personal expectations, and take the time to truly understand what success means for you on the St Andrews game board and how you will achieve it, and reward yourself when you do.
- Office hours: Your secret weapon, not a bonus.
As I mentioned earlier, everyone’s academic journey and learning curve will be different. Still, if I could offer any general advice, it would be that attending office hours was the one thing that really helped me achieve both personal and academic improvement. After my first semester of uni, I began to treat office hours as my third required class hour. Although I initially worried that I was taking up too much of my tutor’s time, I quickly realised that tutors don’t just offer office hours as a formality; they want you to come. Some of my biggest academic breakthroughs happened in those one-on-one chats, and they also made me feel less like a random face they see once a week at your 9 a.m.
Going to office hours helped me ask questions about essay requirements, because believe me, each tutor has their own style and preference, as well as discuss the essay question, lecture material, or academic stresses in general. Remember, these people are also academics who love learning and teaching. When I reframed my approach to office hours as a discussion rather than a lecture, they became significantly less daunting, and the return on that 30-minute investment was exponential. Don’t be afraid to show up with half-formed thoughts or questions you think sound silly. Trust me, personally, office hours weren’t optional; they’ve become my secret ingredient to actually thriving academically.
- Umbrellas? Overrated. Embrace the wind and rain.
In St. Andrews, umbrellas are synonymous with disposable. When I first came to uni, I had invested in a nice “durable” umbrella, marketed as ideally suited to defend against high winds and rain. Surely whoever was in charge of marketing has never been to Scotland. Two weeks later, it was bent sideways and buried in the bin after losing its battle with a 40 mph gust. Here’s the truth: St Andrews weather doesn’t respect umbrellas. Instead, invest in a good waterproof jacket and a sense of humor. Rain is a fact of life here, so you might as well laugh when you show up to class looking like you’ve just swum there.
- Years One and Two = Your Golden Travel Window. Use It!
By the time honours years roll around, you’ll be buried in dissertations, job apps, and endless deadlines with the dreaded grade classification forever looming. The earlier years? That’s your time to explore. Grab cheap flights to Europe, hop on trains across the UK, and wander the stunning Scottish streets. Early on, I had a misconception that traveling had to be expensive and super well planned, but as I met more people and became more comfortable at uni, I found that traveling didn’t have to be stressful, but a fantastic perk of the St Andrew’s experience. Traveling in the early years gave me some of my favorite memories, and it’s so much harder to do once your schedule fills up. Don’t wait for the “perfect time”.The perfect time is now.
- Winter is coming… so enjoy the sun while it lasts.
The Scottish sun is rare and precious. When it shines, seize the moment! Go for a walk along the pier, sit on the beach, eat lunch on the grass or even take your work to St. Mary’s quad. Because when winter arrives, it arrives and you will regret missing out on that vitamin D while you could. Short days, cold winds, endless rain. But if you take advantage of the light while it lasts, you’ll find the darker months so much easier to handle.
- Social Butterfly or Burnout? Make sure to find your balance.
Take this from the extrovert in my friend group: prioritize balance! Freshers’ Week makes it feel like you have to be everywhere, meet everyone, and say yes to every invitation. And while it’s fun, it’s also exhausting. And although some of that pressure was relieved after Freshers Week, the social life of St Andrews can be non-stop. This is a double-edged sword. I find that hanging out with friends or going to the pub is nice and a wonderful distraction. However, I also learned the hard way that burning out by mid-semester is not a good look. Being social is important, but so is rest, so is alone time, so is saying “no.” The friendships that matter won’t disappear if you skip one night out. Uni is a marathon, not a sprint; find your balance early and you’ll thank yourself later.
- Take advantage of the upperclassmen you know.
Some of the best advice I ever got came from students a year or two ahead of me. Which honours classes to take, what societies are actually worth joining, and which cafés have the best Wi-Fi. These are things you won’t find in your orientation module. Don’t be shy about asking them questions, whether it’s about academics or how to survive deadline week. Upperclassmen were once in your shoes, and most are more than happy to pass along their hard-earned wisdom; sometimes over a pint. Don’t be afraid to ask!
- Change isn’t scary, it’s growth (embrace it!)
Whether you choose to learn this or it is thrust upon you, change is a necessary condition of university. Whether academically, socially, or personally, know that by the time you take your dissertation and leave our three streets, you will be walking out a new person. Change can be stressful, but it can also be an amazing time for self-reflection and really discovering what you want in your life. Since starting university, I have discovered new career paths, places to live, political and academic viewpoints, and ways of thinking. At first, that can feel unsettling, like you’re losing the old you. But I’ve learned it’s not about losing, it’s about evolving. Lean into it. The girl who starts uni isn’t supposed to be the same girl who finishes. Change is proof that you’re growing, learning, and becoming more of who you are, and I think that is a beautiful thing!
- The Years Fly By. Don’t forget to enjoy the ride.
Here’s the part everyone tells you, but it is hard to believe: it goes by fast. Faster than you think. One day you’re unpacking in halls, and the next you’re brainstorming your dissertation topics. Between the essays, the late nights, and the endless cups of coffee, don’t forget to pause and live! Take photos, attend balls, and laugh until your stomach hurts. Because these years are not just about a degree, they are about the memories and chapters you will carry and re-read long after you have left our bubble.
As you step into this new chapter, remember that there’s no “right” way to do university; only your way. Some days will feel like a dream, others like a challenge, but each one is shaping you into the person you’re becoming. Lean on your friends, learn from your mistakes, laugh at the chaos, and celebrate the small wins. If I could tell my 18-year-old self anything, it would be this: you are braver than you think, and you are exactly where you’re meant to be. So take a deep breath, embrace the adventure, and enjoy every second because this bubble is about to give you more than you ever imagined.
With love,
Julianna