St Andrews into 2021 (new thread)

[Newgirls]

Ok can’t think of a catchier title! If anyone can send the other thread over here pls do!

Prospective and existing parents etc all welcome here. Transport, accom, cloaks, choirs, beaches and more to be discussed. Next year will be better surely!

He's doing a BSc in Geography - I think the plan is at the moment to go crack of dawn on Friday to get there for lunch, then there's a university-organised walking tour at 3pm. Stay somewhere nice, then spend the next day wandering around getting a feel for it and come home on Saturday afternoon. It'll just be him and his dad, sadly as I need to stay home with the siblings.

I'm thinking that's enough time but what do you think? What would be the best way of getting a feel for student life? Forgans looks perfect for the carnivorous men in the family, thank you.

Ps I really appreciate your help

Ha, we are going to Forgans in a few weeks to celebrate DS's 21st.

The Cheesy Toastie shack is more my usual style - the decadence of sitting on a bench with that view and a deliciously unhealthy toastie! Both Indian restaurant's excellent too.

I think 1 night is fine, St Andrews is tiny!

@Valleyofthedollymix there is a reading week towards the end of February, so there may be less students around than normal.
Agree Forgans is lovely for a meal and we also like Little Italy.
Hope your son enjoys the trip, take plenty of warm clothes as it gets a bit chilly!!

Good point re. the reading week. How atypical would that make it? They could do it the following week but this is good because he won't be missing any school (exam week but he doesn't have any on the Friday).

God I love a toastie. But Mac and cheese toastie?

Your enthusiasm for St Andrews is really infectious.

My dd is in her 2nd year too- opted to return to ABH for another year but is trying to get private accommodation now for next year. Flats are so expensive compared to other places - if she gets the one she is looking at now (basic 3 bed about 10 mins from town) we will pay around £ 200 more per month than we are currently paying for ds's luxury flat in Aberdeen! ABH is mostly catered en-suite. DD has managed to make a few good friends in halls but in ABH it does depend on how sociable your kitchen is - hers have not been particularly sociable either last year or this. It also does not appear to have the hall organised social life that seems to be found in some of the other halls. Her social life revolves around the Union and also a couple of pubs that have good 'club' like nights. Has also ventured into Dundee for nightclubs a couple of times.

@Valleyofthedollymix don't knock the mac and cheese toastie til yo try it!! Absolutely delicious!
I am not sure how reading week will affect student numbers as this is the first time it has happened in Feb. Previously they had a 2 week spring break in March and most went home/ travel etc. ( We visited then when DS got his offer as didn't realise and it was so quiet.)
I think when you are going will be fine, if not quite as busy as usual.

@Valleyofthedollymix

Good point re. the reading week. How atypical would that make it? They could do it the following week but this is good because he won't be missing any school (exam week but he doesn't have any on the Friday).

God I love a toastie. But Mac and cheese toastie?

Your enthusiasm for St Andrews is really infectious.

They can visit the Union building.

St Salvatores quad. St Mary’s Quad. If they wander down to the music dept they will see some halls on their way. The sports centre is near Uni hall so they could do both of those. Beach, castle, Janettas ice cream. Just wander around really.

@Valleyofthedollymix how did you find the university lead walking tour? (When I looked, it appeared that all offer holder events were purely digital. The walking tour sounds like a great idea!)

I’m listening in on all your suggestions for Valley. We want to take DD up too.

You can do your own walking tour if you need to. Print out a map and of you go. Pretty much everyone you meet will be a student or works for the uni. If you have an offer the dept might set you up with a student too I believe.

@Stockpot it's here:

www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/meet-us/walking-tour/

Every Tuesday and Friday but you have to book. I'm sure others are right that it's not entirely necessary but it felt like quite a useful hook for a visit.

Agree! The student giving the tour is a big part of the draw…hearing their thoughts and opinions is really useful.

@Valleyofthedollymix your DS will get used to the weather. DD hasn’t said much about the rain (we’re from Manchester, so used to that), but has said how windy it gets. But I think she’s noticed it more this year as she’s living right be by the beach.
The cheese toasty shack is definitely worth a visit
(And yes ids is definitely a twat, but sadly I can’t think of any of the current cabinet who aren’t!)

Hello, any of you still here? DS still hasn't found anywhere to live for next year, wondering what he ettf fee any of yours in same boat. He is looking in a group of 4.

Hi, @Monkey2001. Poor things. It's completely insane that accommodation is this hard. DD is officially done with St Andrews now - celebrations tinged with much sadness I think, although she's very happy to be done with studying until September. She's done nothing about accommodation for Manchester yet, other than finding a group of potential flatmates, so I'm really hoping it won't be like the crazy competitive St Andrews housing market. Good luck to your DS!

@Monkey2001 Still here (occasionally!) DS was incredibly lucky and secured halls accommodation as a group for his 3rd year. I really feel for you and your DS - the accommodation situation is shocking - is he on the Get a Room group? I keep an eye on the agents’ pages out of interest and in preparation for next year’s inevitable bun-fight but there just doesn’t seem to be anything coming up. Hopefully after the Open some more will become free? There’s a 2 bed still showing on Studentpad - have you seen that one? Four beds are definitely in short supply. Good luck!

@DoggerelBank accommodation is difficult but not mad in Manchester. A friend who has just moved out of a flat in Chorlton said they had loads of people coming to see it the day it went on the market, but as it is a much bigger city there is a lot of supply and demand. I think places tend to be available instantly rather than 3 months ahead unless you are in a student area. We are buying a place in Manchester (exchanged on Friday) but it already has tenants and isn't where your DD wanted. In another piece of his recent bad luck, DS was allocated to Preston(!), I think there may be more going there than usual because of the Covid bulge. So he will have a 1 hour commute 😥but still wants to live in the centre of Manchester.

@Dahliafairy I think that might be a scam one on Studentpad. There was a post about it on the St Andrews parents FB group. DS's group was allocated a DRA flat in Feb but they turned it down, having no idea that it would be like this. They are still hoping that things will come up, but I think they are close to needing to just get something in Dundee if they can't find anything in St Andrews so they have somewhere to live, or maybe he will have to take our campervan!

Still here! Trying to secure accommodation this year seems a real headache. The open is obviously an issue and hopefully accommodation will become available but it is all very last minute and stressful. Dd and her 2 friends are keeping their flat on and I hope will do for the following year. Heating is a bit of an issue as its old as are the radiators, so I think we will invest in a heated blanket for the winter months.
Dd has finished her exams and looking forward to a month of travel before she starts a paid summer placement. Really hoping the accommodation comes good for all the DC, but Dundee is not a bad shout especially with prices in St Andrews being what they are.

@Monkey2001 I see - I really hope something comes up soon for you. Lots of affordable accommodation in Dundee but I appreciate its not ideal. Aside from that, we live between Manchester and Preston!

Ha @Dahliafairy, small world! I think DS will also be spending time at Chorley hospital, so that must be close to you. Do you think Manchester (Castlefield) to Preston/Chorley hospitals is a manageable commute? I think DS will try it, but if too exhausting might be able to let the flat to some St Andrews students from the year below and rent in Chorley. But that problem is still a year away. I am sure they will all find somewhere to live, but the impact of Covid on all aspects of their lives is so unfair.

Hope you don't mind me crashing in. I've got a DS who looks like he's going to St As this September - still waiting on his final choice to come back. I realise that accommodation is a bit of a mare - hoping he gets in at the cheaper halls this year but a bit head in sand over the years that follow!

Just wanted to ask a question about Dundee. Does St A have official halls there? And if so are they cheaper than the main ones in St A? And if you end up renting privately in Dundee, is there a preferred area - maybe one that's near to/on the bus route to St As?

It's an aspect of St As that I'm trying to ignore at the moment. My DS is going to have to get decently paid part-time work when he's there to help pay towards his rent/living expenses. I hope there's plenty of that?!

Good luck in sorting out accommodation for the next academic year. It sounds quite a white knuckle ride!

@SayYouDontMind the university accom is actually not bad value, DS was in standard catered (Uni Hall) and the rent was based on £4.5k for accom and £2.5k for food, which I think is pretty good value. The bathrooms are cleaned every day and they don't pay for ball tickets and high table nights. The en suites are pricey, but that is true everywhere. Hopefully once the bulge years of 2020 and 2021 are through, the numbers will settle down. I think the halls in Dundee were a temporary measure for the bulge years. DS REALLY wants to be in town for his last year, so we have everything crossed for them!

Well done to your DS for getting an offer, they were very tight on offers this year.

@Monkey2001 We’re nearer Blackburn but central Manchester to Chorley/Preston isn’t unmanageable - a train and bus journey probably about 1.5 hours. Could be tiring on top of medical training though. Lots of cheap student accommodation in Preston if the commute gets too much.

@Dahliafairy thanks. He was planning to drive and ideally find a lift share. I think looking into an AirBnB a couple of nights a week could make sense when he knows his timetable. Apologies to non-medics for taking this off topic!

www.mearsstudentlife.co.uk/locations/the-old-mill#book-a-room-wrapper
I think this was the Halls St Andrews University rented for the overspill. It would usually take University of Dundee and Abertay students. It is very central and quite close to the Tay Bridge to get to St Andrews.
Good places to rent in Dundee are where the University of Dundee students go around the Perth Road/West End. DD1 or DD2.
I know of a student (not from St Andrews) who thought his ensuite studio room in this private hall in Dundee was small and dingy so definitely view before committing: prestigestudentliving.com/student-accommodation/dundee/marketgait-apartments

It is possible for quite a few students to obtain University accommodation for 1st and 2nd Year at St Andrews but unfortunately by the time the results are known, the St Andrews private hall options are already fully booked.