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Higher education

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Original poster

Does anyone from down south go to St Andrews university? I didn't realise it was 50 miles away from Edinburgh?

254 replies

UlezSchmulez · 10/09/2023 17:14

Why do they call it At Andrews university Edinburgh when it's nowhere near Edinburgh!

It's 50 miles, 1 hour and 40 minutes by train.
If you're from Southern England do you just accept that you don't return for any weekend during term time.

Just thinking of booking an open day there but wondering if it's just too far?
Which is a shame as it's very highly rated for maths which my son wants to study.
Any thoughts?

OP posts:
Cascais6 · 15/09/2023 18:23

You made me laugh thaegumathteth. I just think London is far enough north as it is. There is not much further north than St Andrews - it's basically Aberdeen, Inverness, Shetland, Arctic.

TragicMuse · 15/09/2023 18:39

Wait until you find out about these things called 'maps'. It will blow your mind...

SaffronSpice · 15/09/2023 18:48

Cascais6 · 15/09/2023 18:15

It is very far north and remote. There is a reason they sent Prince William there. No train station. In London terms, it's almost halfway to the Arctic Circle. It is an isolated place and very grey. The wind can be something else. It's the same latitude as southern Sweden. The bleak weather and isolation can play havoc with mental health, unless you're someone who is used to it - eg. someone from the Hebrides or Shetland etc. Don't forget, you would be 4 years there. That's a looooong time.

😂😂😂😂😂

Half an hour south of one large city and and hour and a bit north of another is hardly isolated. You don’t have to walk to Leuchars; it is 20 minutes by bus. Half of London is at least 20 minutes by bus from a mainline train station!

HermioneWeasley · 15/09/2023 18:54

It is very inconsiderate of St Andrews to be so far from Southern England when Op’s son is interested in going there

Wbeezer · 15/09/2023 18:59

I agree @SaffronSpice the exaggeration of remoteness is ludicrous! It's not on the motorway network but it's in Fife which is not exactly the frozen North. I've lived in London, SE London, I used to spend longer on the bus chugging along Walworth rd to get into town than it takes to get from Dundee or Edinburgh to St Andrews on the train and I lived in zone 2! I also used to commute from London to Edinburgh on the train to teach one day a week so not that difficult to go home for the weekend especially if you can tack on an extra day.
To be honest, I found London remote in a way as it took so long to escape it's urban sprawl if you wanted to drive anywhere.

thaegumathteth · 15/09/2023 19:04

HermioneWeasley · 15/09/2023 18:54

It is very inconsiderate of St Andrews to be so far from Southern England when Op’s son is interested in going there

Think I might launch a revolution. I've had my eyes opened on this thread and find it wholly unacceptable that I don't live within spitting distance of Oxford street. Living in Scotland shouldn't be a barrier to that surely?

Wbeezer · 15/09/2023 19:05

@Cascais6 St Andrews is one of the driest and sunniest places in Scotland, the wind off the North Sea can be very cold in the Winter, but snow is very rare and generally the weather is pleasant in summer hence the reason people go there for seaside day trips and golf holidays.

Baldieheid · 15/09/2023 19:07

thaegumathteth · 15/09/2023 18:16

Jesus. Hang on whilst I crawl out my ice cave to reply.....

Show quote history

No, no, no.....ssshhhhhhhhh

We don't want all them coming up here and scoffing our rhubarb pies and janettas ice cream.

Sssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

thaegumathteth · 15/09/2023 19:09

I wasn't joking @Baldieheid I'm writing this by candlelight (outside of the ice obviously fallen foul of that mistake before)

Baldieheid · 15/09/2023 20:56

Hmmmm, well I am sitting under a fleece blanket.......not turning the bloody heating on yet!

RomaniIteDomum · 15/09/2023 20:57

@thaegumathteth don't you know they filmed Against the Ice in StAs?

DrMaryMalone · 15/09/2023 21:23

Well this was derailed by F&Ds chat! I'm lucky enough to be 10 minutes from the St Andrews one and drive past the newer Cupar one daily, which I hate to admit I find slightly superior because it's where everything is baked AND they make the cafe hot chocolate with the same chocolate they use for their confectionery, melted with hot milk. Might go get a fudge donut for breakfast now!

Does anyone from down south go to St Andrews university? I didn't realise it was 50 miles away from Edinburgh?
YupIKnow · 15/09/2023 21:33

Cascais6 · 15/09/2023 18:15

It is very far north and remote. There is a reason they sent Prince William there. No train station. In London terms, it's almost halfway to the Arctic Circle. It is an isolated place and very grey. The wind can be something else. It's the same latitude as southern Sweden. The bleak weather and isolation can play havoc with mental health, unless you're someone who is used to it - eg. someone from the Hebrides or Shetland etc. Don't forget, you would be 4 years there. That's a looooong time.

You do know that latitude isn't the only thing that affects the climate of a place, don't you? Funnily enough the medics that were at St Andrews with me LOVED the cold clear blue skies weather that St Andrews often gets as opposed to the grey skies of Manchester. Here's the new students less than a week ago!

DinnaeFashYersel · 15/09/2023 21:37

Cascais6 · 15/09/2023 18:15

It is very far north and remote. There is a reason they sent Prince William there. No train station. In London terms, it's almost halfway to the Arctic Circle. It is an isolated place and very grey. The wind can be something else. It's the same latitude as southern Sweden. The bleak weather and isolation can play havoc with mental health, unless you're someone who is used to it - eg. someone from the Hebrides or Shetland etc. Don't forget, you would be 4 years there. That's a looooong time.

This is just hilarious from start to finish.

😂😂😂

What a muppet.

SlipSlidinAway · 15/09/2023 21:41

Is the bus service from Leuchars still only hourly and timed to depart 5 minutes before the London train arrives?

When I went there - many moons ago, I had friends from the South West - train to London then sleeper.

YupIKnow · 15/09/2023 21:42

Who the heck are these students who want to go home when at Uni? 😂

sep135 · 15/09/2023 21:48

This is just hilarious from start to finish.

My mother comes out with this type of thing with regularity. Places she has written off because it rained include Edinburgh, Paris, Jersey and many others. She simply will not return on that reason alone.

I live about 5 minutes from my parents in a warm corner of outer NW London. Honestly, she couldn't sleep for three months when we offered on our current house because 'nothing will grow in the frost pocket'. We live in the same village, it's not Narnia.

SaffronSpice · 15/09/2023 21:58

It's the same latitude as southern Sweden.

Southern Sweden

Does anyone from down south go to St Andrews university? I didn't realise it was 50 miles away from Edinburgh?
thaegumathteth · 15/09/2023 22:11

@YupIKnow tbf that does make it look a bit Gilead-esque

😂

windywalk · 15/09/2023 22:19

Daisyislazy · 10/09/2023 19:20

Omg those coffee towers < totally missed point of thread>

I'm near Aberdeen.
Considering a road trip tomorrow.
I need a coffee tower or 3 !!

thaegumathteth · 15/09/2023 22:22

Aberdeen @windywalk - isn't that even further North????? Surely not inhabited.

windywalk · 15/09/2023 22:23

RomaniIteDomum · 14/09/2023 17:26

Bridies you mean?
No, that would be Sadlers of Forfar.

Are you the OPs geography teacher by any chance?

This is making me starving now.

windywalk · 15/09/2023 22:27

thaegumathteth · 15/09/2023 22:22

Aberdeen @windywalk - isn't that even further North????? Surely not inhabited.

It's practically the North Pole!

Back of beyond.

SaffronSpice · 15/09/2023 22:47

thaegumathteth · 15/09/2023 22:22

Aberdeen @windywalk - isn't that even further North????? Surely not inhabited.

Only those born on Svalbard can survive the dark, biting, northern latitudes of Aberdeen. The isolation is so extreme it takes 90 minutes to fly to London - once you have navigated the seven mile trudge from the city centre to the airport set in the frozen tundra north of the city. The difficulty hostile forces and paparazzi face in transversing the bleak windswept landscape is why the Royal family maintain a retreat set deep in the desolate mountains miles inland from Aberdeen.

LetMeEnfoldYou · 15/09/2023 23:58

I live there and I've still got sunburned shoulders from last weekend.

It's fine. Step away from the greatcoat.

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