How International Students Navigate University Abroad
For many of us, going abroad for University is the first time we fly the nest, leaving our home comforts and familiar traditions behind. It can feel both daunting and exciting to have the opportunity to step out of our comfort zones and discover a new country and its culture.
St Andrews Traditions
St Andrews is a peculiar University in terms of its traditions. Starting off strong during Freshers Week, the mention of ‘Academic Families‘ is slightly confusing at first. Even throughout your degree, you will hear people talking about being engaged, married, and having children (often dropping the word ‘academic’ from the title) without batting an eyelid. From an outsider’s perspective, St. Andrews may appear overrun with young people in love. In reality, the idea of academic families can be a great opportunity to meet new people, ask older students for their tips and tricks about this University, and just be a good way to fill your weekends as a fresher.
Academic families obviously tie into the celebration of Raisin; another wonderful St Andrews tradition that begins at the crack of dawn and ends with a concerning amount of shaving foam. Another early-morning tradition is, of course, May Dip, probably the most aesthetically pleasing of them all: running into the sea at sunrise to cleanse yourself of academic sin in preparation for upcoming exams.
Scottish Traditions
Outside of University, a great way to get involved in Scottish culture is to join a Ceilidh dance. Some of the most fun and memorable times I share with my friends are from dancing at Saturday night ceilidhs in Market Street’s Forgan’s. Yes, some of the dances are advanced, and you will confuse your left and right, but with the right group of people, it can be a great way to spend the evening, as well as being a nice change of scenery from the local Saturday evening pub trip.
Staying Connected
While it is fun to explore new places, sometimes homesickness hits, maybe not necessarily for home, but for the comfort of what is easy and known. A good way to find the peaceful feeling of home in St Andrews is to join societies. In many countries and cultures, there is a society full of people who may feel the same way. Take my experience for example: despite how much I hated studying German in school, sometimes I miss speaking it, and when that happens, I know I can go to the next Swiss society event and chit-chat in a language I otherwise wouldn’t have much opportunity to use in Scotland. Another great way to combat the feeling of homesickness is to stay in touch with family and friends from back home, schedule some time to catch up with all the local gossip from your high school, trust me, there is always a way to beat a dead horse.