Whether it’s your first few weeks in St Andrews or you’re entering fourth year, the thought ‘Will I get bored?’ will have definitely crossed your mind. I remember making my pros and cons list when debating between prospective universities and seeing, ‘Is the town too small?’ sitting prominently in the cons column for St Andrews. We’re all aware there’s only three streets but over the last three years I’m yet to be bored. There are constant events happening and so much to get involved in, yet it can become easy to stick to a routine as the weeks fly by. We all love our routines and as social media tells us they’re essential to optimize our time but we’re only young once so surely we should be making the most of small adventures. Going into my fourth year, it’s important to me to make the most of the little time I have left. Beyond doing my favourite things for one last time (HC Halloween crawl, I’m looking at you), this is my last chance to try things I’ve never done in this town and I thought I’d share the list with you hoping they might provide some inspiration.
Join a new society:
There have been many a day where I have sat on the third floor of the library, scouring through essay readings and I’ve looked out the window to see people doing medieval roleplay on the library lawn. In those moments I was insanely jealous that they weren’t stuck under the fluorescent lighting having fought tooth and nail to secure a seat in Main Library. I walk around town seeing life-drawing advertised and I’ve always been put off by the fact that I unfortunately cannot draw to save my life. The thought of watching a movie has always felt like something to do in the comfort of my own room but why not try it at FilmSoc? With a mere 24 weeks of teaching left in this town, any shame and embarrassment of being bad at something has well and truly evaporated, we all have to try somewhere! Who knows by the end of the year I might be an athlete or the next great artist.
Learn more about our local history:
I love a gallery and museum day and whilst I’ve walked the halls of the V&A Dundee countless times, the smaller St Andrews museums have never seen my face and have simply blurred into buildings I walk past on my way to class. We live in a town full of so much history and I think it’s important that before I leave, I should learn more about it. St Andrews Museum and St Andrews Heritage Museum & Garden will definitely be seeing me this year.
Play Golf:
Anytime I tell anyone I go to St Andrews the first follow-up question is about golf. I couldn’t tell you a single rule of the sport and the old course has just been a shortcut to get to Dook quicker. This year, it is my mission to see some of the Alfred Dunhill Links tournament, happening October 1-4th, have a go at the driving range or at least learn the basics about the sport. It’s a rite of passage in a town that lives and breathes the sport!
Celebrate the everyday:
Despite the fact that I want to break free of my everyday routine, there’s also a part of me that wants to relish in it. I love spending time at Castle Sands between lectures, getting pancakes at Northpoint and a coffee and sweet treat from Taste. These everyday rituals are moments I’ll miss when I leave St Andrews and having a regular order at these places was part of the things I was so excited for when I initially moved here. Celebrating the beauty our town has to offer is something I can’t wait to spend a year doing.
Explore Scotland:
Whilst this article celebrates how much there is to do in our town, one of my goals is to see what’s outside of it. Having a YoungScot card is a blessing, and as someone who loves hiking and being in nature I might live in one of the best places on Earth to do this. So this year I want to climb more Munros, explore the Cairngorms and see parts of Scotland that I might never return to.
So whether you’re building your routine for the first time in St Andrews or prepping for your last year, this town has so much to offer. Be open to trying new things and thankful that you get to live and study in a town that has so much to offer and so much beauty to see.