Don’t get me wrong, I love the new semester schedule. A Christmas free of exam stress sounds like heaven after two guilt ridden holiday breaks in a row. But sometimes the bubble starts to feel a little bit claustrophobic, and the loss of reading week makes day trips a very attractive option.
Thanks to the wonderful network of public transportation in Scotland, you can go many places for the day, or for a night or two. Some of my favorites are Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dundee. All of these are easily accssible by bus or train, and with student railcards and other discounts they are affordable as well.
Glasgow is great for shopping, and all the best bands stop off at the SECC on tour. All the main shops are close to the Central Station, and are located on a long pedestrian only street. Plan to make it an overnight stay if you are going for a concert. Late night trains are the worst!
Edinburgh is easily done in a day and is accessible by train or bus. Play tourist and visit the castle and wander the Royal Mile. Or you can get cultural at the National Galleries of Scotland. Follow that with shopping and lunch at one of the many amazing restaurants the city has to offer.
Dundee is great when you just need to get out of St Andrews for the afternoon. The Overgate Mall has all of your favourite shops, and you can be sure that they have more of a selection than Market Street. Grab lunch at your fast food restaurant of choice, stop by M&S for your Percy Pig fix, and enjoy not seeing everyone you know.