St Andrews

[IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere]

DD has received a very good offer from St Andrews. She loves the look of the course and is very keen to go there. Aside from the course she loves the idea of a small town, has no interest in nightlife as part of the "student experience" and loves the quirky traditions.

Does anyone have any experience of being there and the extra expenses that could be involved such as the extra cost of travel, formal dinners and the like?

We are a low income family in an economically deprived area. She is part of a very small 6th form - 12 in the Upper 6th. Her school is not in special measures but is holding on by the skin of its teeth! They are very keen for her to go to St Andrews but she is not going to be their responsibility!

We will support her as much as we possibly can but I am worried that it will be a lot more expensive than a less elite university.

Any thoughts?

@Monkey2001 he should hear soon hopefully. Ds friend was tested yesterday and result this morning which is negative.

@Alittlewornout was your DS's friend in Uni Hall? DS has found out that the test in his bubble was negative, so all OK.

Well done to your DD, great that she can get some different experiences to compensate in part for all they are losing due to covid. We have to keep the mantra of "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger", encourage them to reach out to anybody who is struggling and try to make it different instead of worse as your DD is doing.

I asked DS if he wishes now that he had accepted his Sheffield offer instead of St Andrews, but he doesn't. In spite of a ready made social life with GF and old schools friends and reduced lock down in Sheffield, he loves the course and place and really likes the new people he has met, so still very positive in spite of everything.

No @Monkey2001 he is a final year student in a rented flat. Hurrah for the negative test and a safe return to St Andrew's for him. I am glad he loves his course and glad he chose ST A. the kids are generally still full of optimism that it will get better. Hopefully the uni will also adapt to things they can put on socially for students, its unchartered waters for them too and must be a logistical nightmare.

That’s so good to hear monkey 👍👍👍👍

It's heartening to see on a few local Facebook groups I belong to that folk are rallying around to make sure that the students here will have what they need just now. Many people are offering help.

Sunrise at St As this morning and a dip in the very cold sea apparently! Our kids are in such a beautiful part of the world so hope this wee photo brightens your Sunday morning.

OH wow! The weather is much brighter up there than down south (I’m tracking on my weather app 😬). Lucky them ☀️

@Newgirls it is beautiful just now, granted not very warm but that doesn't matter especially when you are young. I am hoping the beautiful weather keeps their spirits lifted.

Dd took thermals so I hope is out and about later

Oh to be by the sea - id love that view today!

That's really good to hear Hemlock, thank you. DD actively wanted to be in a small town, but it was disturbing to hear so many stories of the community wanting students to stay away. Even though I can understand why that might have been the case. Will be really good if all can pull together on this whole situation.

Beautiful photo Alittlewornout. That has definitely brightened my Sunday morning compared to the rather grey street outside my window.

Nice, I'm heading over at lunchtime, got to get a coat of paint on my window frames before i head out, the boring bits of life must continue amidst the drama!

Loving the positivity here after an anxious few days.

@Alittlewornout wow! I fear the only way my DS will ever see a sunrise is if he has a very late night, which looks unlikely this year. Brilliant to see your DD enjoying the aspects of St A student Life unaffected by all this mess.

@Monkey2001 I would have said the same about my dd! This may be a plus point of the restrictions that she is having a few earlier nights!

Its great to hear positive stories, theres been a lot of focus on bad behaviour in the press and social media, it creates a false impression of young peoples resilience imo. Not to be unsympathetic to those who are genuinely struggling.
I think it's possible some youngsters have never had to experience long periods of boredom before, something those of us 40+ had more experience of handling from an early age.

What a beautiful view! My DS sent some lovely photos last night from his evening walk with flat mates. There are much worse places to to stranded in!

I wish Mumsnet let us "❤️" posts - it would be a well used feature this morning. Just beautiful @Dahliafairy. I think St A is one of the most photogenic places in the world!

@Dahliafairy just gorgeous! Living in Scotland I know it can be freezing cold but we do get lots of nice crisp sunny winter days so even as the days shorten a daily walk is good for our young peoples mental health. There is nothing to beat a walk along a beautiful beach on a cold day with maybe a wee hot chocolate on the way home.

I’ve told him the fresh North sea air will do wonders!
It was my worry that he’d spend too much time indoors. He’s studying hard but is taking the time to get out and about and enjoyed his first cricket training last night. Whenever we speak he sounds happy and looks well - I don’t think I can ask for any more really. He’s naturally quite reserved but has really pushed himself to make friends and join in and in his words ‘it’s been worth it!’ Xx

Just heard from our spies (grandma and grandad) that they've had a nice, long call from DD, heard all about the friend she's made in her household, the music group she's joined and a whole load of other news that she apparently didn't feel necessary to share with her anxious parents. Seems like she's making the best of things ... and its probably about time I stopped obsessing over the news and trusted her to get on with things in her own way.

@AChickenCalledDaal I’ve been thinking the same - maybe time to stop worrying as much. Seeing them happy, settled and with a new purpose after 6 months at home is the good news I want to concentrate on for now x

Ah that’s nice chicken- can you say what the music group is? Glad to hear those things are happening.

Our dd is now too busy to message us which I think is a good thing?!!

It feels like the longest 3 weeks. I am feeling hopeful today that they are settling into it. I hope no more shock emails for a while.

Newgirls second hand info via grandma, but I think it's a wind band. Don't think they are meeting live yet, but there was talk of music being circulated so that they could learn their parts and have some virtual get-togethers for the time being. Definitely better than moping around at home, and it was good to hear that we didn't transport the rather enormous sax 400 miles for no reason!

Hopefully her neighbours are tolerant - it's not the most peaceful instrument and the rooms are really tiny!

Distinct lack of mesages here too, but she was apparently happily on the phone to grandma for an hour, so I'm going to try and stop assuming that lack of messages signifies some sort of disaster!

We made it a (nominal) condition of the weekly payment into his account that DS had to communicate! Actually he has communicated much more than we had dared to hope - he wanted a video call yesterday because he and GF wanted to see the dog, but she does not react at all to voices or faces on video calls.

Obviously it is actually great news if they are too busy to communicate.

@AChickenCalledDaal there are practice rooms available to book in all the halls if she feels too noisy.

@AChickenCalledDaal so glad your dd is setting in. I too am glad they are away and mixing with other young people ( within the guidelines). Love that they are too busy to message, that is definitely a good sign have to say I do get more from dd than I did from ds. In first year if I messaged to ask how he was doing all I got was K not even an ok!!😂 Glad to report he is a bit more communicative now!