Rainboots!
It rains…a lot. Not pouring rain, and usually not all day. But this means that often, when in doubt, rainboots are the way to go. The most popular brand is easily the Hunter wellies, which can be bought in St Andrews at one of the many shoe stores. However, there are many more options outside of the town.
http://www.hunter-boot.com/1/
In most of the dining halls, there is a coffee machine that has 9 different options, including black and white coffee, hot chocolate and even café mocha. While mugs are provided at breakfast, it’s nice to take some coffee to your room in the morning, and if you want coffee at lunch or dinner you must BYOM: bring your own mug.
A blanket
The heating at St Andrews is fickle, and different halls have different times the heating turns on and off. Personally, I have been very toasty most of the time, but I’ve had friends use part of their closets as minifridges…successfully. While convenient they don’t have to walk to the dorm refrigerator every time they want a beer, it also means the entire room is a little more than chilly.
Tacks
During the summer, some halls are turned into hotels. This means they are both super nice (ahem, full size beds in New Hall), and also super clean. With a strict nothing on the wall rule, the bulletin boards that are provided become the place to show off your personality. So bring your photos, wall calendars and a flag from your home country, but make sure to also bring something to hold it up.
Ball gown
Surprise! Frat parties have been turned into balls. Instead of Greek life, halls and other organizations often host themed balls once a year. This can mean dressing to the theme (Alice in Wonderland, anyone?) or, for girls, a cocktail or floor length gown. You may be able to do some research on your theme beforehand (each hall has a ball committee), but in case you want to attend other hall’s balls, a nice dress should suffice.
Railcard
Traveling throughout Great Britain can be expensive, but with a railcard only 16 to 25-year-olds (and full time students) can purchase, cardholders get discounts on train tickets, hotels and restaurants. The card itself is £26, but each train ticket is one third off with the card, and often times the savings with only a couple trips add up to the cost.
http://www.16-25railcard.co.