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!

Only if they are American! We are absolutely NOT invited to the ball, but DH has a wedding party for work colleagues between St A and Edinburgh and I am going to see an old friend in Edinburgh so that we can all travel back down together.

Accommodation was booked up really early, it is worth getting a cancellable booking in early, I booked in September and there was not that much available. I also booked a restaurant then. When the graduation emails came out they had links for booking accom in halls - McIntosh, ABH or DRA all have plenty of availability.

Omg they so will….

when did you get a date for the ceremony? Or did you guess?

Well done to your DS @Monkey2001 , a first is impressive! I am glad to hear that the graduating class has had their work marked snd they are graduating with grades in hand. Apparently, this is not the case everywhere.

St A hasn’t marked my dd exams (3/4 year). She does have a certain head of dept tho who isn’t known for his devotion to students

I’m sorry to hear that @Newgirls . I hope this doesn’t get in the way of any opportunities for her.

Thanks stock

the strikes won’t work until we get a new government so it’s all pointless and upsetting. Hopefully it won’t hold the students back

Last year Dd was put out in Dundee accn. When I was picking her up a few weeks ago, I managed to bag myself a parking ticket whilst going up the stairs to collect her boxes!

Absolutely fuming😩

That does add insult to injury @NadiSel

What year is she? Does she have something better now?

@Stockpot she found accom in St A town about 15 mins walk to Uni, a house for 4. As a group they seem to be well organised, now looking at Utility companies, and how they are going to keep costs down. A bummer that they have to start paying rent for it from July yet start term in Sept but hey ho!

What do people have in the way of tips:
what’s the best utility company - Octopus? Is it best to go dual fuel and 12 month tariff? Are airfryers as good as what they are rated to be?

I am glad your DD found a place in town where she can feel more part of all the spontaneous fun. No tips here, DD’s utilities are rolled into the rent fee.

@NadiSel well done to your DD for finding a place in town for next year. DS and house had very low bills - I think they did not turn the heating on! Yes, air fryers are brilliant for heating a much smaller space than an oven, but it may depend on what you are cooking. For example, cooking chips costs 10p in air fryer v 29p in oven.

@Monkey2001 How did they manage keeping the heating costs under control? Did they make a written agreement? I just have visions of everyone freezing their backsides off whilst one person has a secret heater on 24/7 in their room and sleeping with the window open in the dead of winter😀 And did they have any of the group leave part way through the year meaning the others then had to cover that rent?

The current group who are in the house have shared their expenditure on fuel. The group are so good. I was never this organised at Uni! They have kept track of their bills over the past year. It shows just how shockingly the price of gas and electricity has climbed in 12 months.

@NadiSel my DS was in a modern house, so well insulated and 4 sharing. Electricity/gas was £180/month for the house, but they were getting the govt support for energy bills last year, so it worked out at £27/month each. I don't know how they negotiated how to control energy bills, but they are all bright kids, and all keen to keep costs down, which helped. I think it might be trickier if you have an old property and some flatmates who are not worried about bills!

How was graduation Monkey? I saw a few pics on Fb from the uni - blue skies, cloaks of various colours, a piper. Looks fab!

Thanks @Newgirls it was indeed wonderful!
Honorary graduands included Kirsty Wark and a climate change scientist. Excellent speeches from Kirsty and Sally. Sally's theme was "to boldly go....." and the organist played them out with the Star Trek theme, which was great. Worth a listen if you like that sort of thing - we do! https://www.youtube.com/live/Hy2YSjOMUrM?feature=share

Beautiful weather, loved the boat we stayed on. Underwhelmed by the graduation meal at The Bothy (ex Doll's House). Tea party was a bit of a non event for DS as our poor Covid crew did not make many course friends. Catering was by Fisher and Donaldson though 🥞

I went to the end of the video to listen to the organ! Fabulous!

summary makes perfect sense. I imagine medics know more than most - I remember when I graduated years ago it felt weird as none of my best friends were there. It felt slightly removed from actual uni life.

I will look up the boat accom!

I will miss you here monkey - pls do pop in with tips if you ever feel like it!

@Newgirls I want to stay and follow the progress of the rest of our cohort! A friend of DS is performing in something in Edinburgh at the moment - is your DD involved in that?

Oh do stay!!

not going to Edin this year as has a job here and various festivals planned. She loved the festival last year! Still v heavily involved in drama up in st a - a source of fun and friendship

So pleased to har that stockpot

Thanks @Reusername ! How is your DS’s summer going?

I found #pedantle #400 in 31 guesses!
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cemantle.certitudes.org/pedantle

Sorry, wrong thread.

@Stockpot well he came home, went to get his DofE Gold from Prince Edward and then shot off to America to see his girlfriend (yep the one he met on day one) and stay with her family.😄Returned now and found a good local job for the rest of the summer. Thinking of swapping one of his electives next year. How about your DD? Still happy at Sandys?

That sounds great! A summer job is such a good thing. DD has tried 0 hours catering gigs, but cant get many hours. She is now doing a trial shift at a pub. We’ll see.

She is thinking of changing majors and defo changing some of her electives! It’s so lucky that Sandys gives them room to explore.

She is a loooong way from her DoE gold. She was supposed to learn to drive. 🙈

@stockpot sounds like DD has a lot of her plate - no rush though!! I agree about Sandys - DS now talking about doing at least a joint or maybe switching major😬Shame you aren't down here in the West Country - so many summer jobs going. DS was spoilt for choice but has fallen on his feet with professional office job although he now says he definitely doesn't want to work in an office which rather scuppers the office based careers he had in mind. 😂