Hamish McHamish

St Andrews is home to a nomadic ginger cat named Hamish McHamish. He wanders about the town at his own leisure, and has become something of the town mascot. He's become quite the staple on South Street and in his honor a statue was erected this year in his honor. 

Revision Week Study Break

Classes ended a week and a half ago, and the last two weeks are designed for students here at St Andrews to curl into the fetal position and cry, or study, I'm not sure which as I've seen a great deal of both. Either way, panic and despair are in the air! Naturally, to combat tiresome hours of pouring over notes and books again and again, we took the day off and headed for some fresh air. 

A view of St Andrews from the Fife Coastal Path

Yesterday was supposed to be absolutely miserable out, but that didn't stop us from meandering down the Fife Coastal Path in the light rain. But when we got to the "Secret Beach" the skies opened up and the sunshine streamed down and the afternoon was delightful. 

Perched on one of the more climbable rocks with my friend Jack

Hanging out with a number of guys usually ensures that some sort of organized stupidity ensues and yesterday was no different. The boys decided they would climb up the face of a rock which they have christened "Janky Rock."

Hunter led Jack and David up the face of "Janky Rock"

Being of the fairer (and far more intelligent) sex, I opted to keep both feet on the ground at the ready to document this silly behavior (or dial 999 in case of an emergency). Luckily they made it to the top of the rock with little injury.

Smiles all around

Later on in the afternoon we were joined by more friends that came to enjoy the beautiful weather and fresh air away from the library. Some even opted for a dip in the North Sea. With only a few short weeks left in Scotland, it was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

Hunter climbed "Janky Rock" no less than four times yesterday

May Dip

May Dip is a tradition at St Andrews that honors John Honey who was a student in 1800 when a small ship the Janet of Macduff ran aground east of the harbor. Heroically, he stripped off his clothes and stormed into the sea and saved the lives of five of the men trapped aboard. Now, we stay up until dawn at various parties and run into the sea at dawn. 

The seen this morning at dawn

May Dip cleanses students of their academic sins. Sins that can be washed a way by a dip in the North Sea at dawn, include academic incest or stepping on the PH stone. Traditionally in the fall semester, third year students become academic parents to new first years and serve as mentors and friends, sometimes romantic relationships ensue and to atone for their sins academic parents and academic children partake in May Dip. 

The PH stone outside St Salvators Chapel

The PH stone, refers to stones outside of St Salvators Chapel, where Protestant Reformer Patrick Hamilton was martyred in 1528. Stepping on the stone is terribly unlucky and you will often see people jumping out of the way to avoid it. Legend has it if you step on the stone you'll fail your degree. So the superstitious, too, take to the sea to ensure the exams they are about to sit will be curse-free.

Despite the rainy weather and the blistering winds hundreds of students still managed to stay up the entire night to make it into the sea this morning. The temperature in the water was around 40ºF and the temperature outside was somewhere in the 30s. But with a little bit of liquid courage, anything is possible. And it doesn't hurt when you can no longer feel your hands and toes!

Bundled up after taking a dip in the North Sea

Undergraduate Gowns

Like many universities in the United Kingdom, St Andrews has a distinctive traditional type of student dress. While everyday use has long gone out of fashion, the red undergraduate gowns are still used on a number of occasions throughout the academic year, and almost weekly at Pier Walks.

On the left is a graduate gown, on the right is an undergraduate gown

Gowns are never buckled at the neck as it has long been considered cursed, owing to a story in centuries passed about a unfortunate student who ventured into the sea in his gown buttoned at the neck to assist those that had shipwrecked off shore and inadvertently drowned himself no thanks to his gown. 

In a gown during the Easter Pier Walk

Gowns are now worn in a fashion that can only be described as an "academic striptease." First years firmly wear the gown on their shoulders, while second years have their gowns just off the shoulders. Third years wear in completely off a single shoulder, students in the Arts wear it off the left shoulder and students in Sciences wear it off the right, as they are "always right." And finally students in their final year, wear the gown hanging at their elbows, ready to shed themselves of the undergraduate garb.

As Kathy and I prove, the gowns also make for excellent fun

Easter Sunday in the Sun

Perhaps shockingly, I made it to church on Sunday morning. I even had time to stop for coffee in town beforehand. And I was still early enough to get a seat in the front of the church. Be proud of me mom! I figured it might be a great cultural experience to attend Easter services in a church built in 1450. The church was filled to capacity with a number of people being seated on the floor up at the altar. The student choir sang beautifully. 

After church, we partook in the usual Pier Walk. Pier Walks in St Andrews are one of the many school traditions. Following services in St Salvator's Chapel, students in their red undergraduate gowns walk down to the pier and walk along the old stone surface. If you fall to your death as a student, you automatically receive a degree with first class honors. 

Students in their gowns on the Pier, in the distance you can see the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral and Castle 

After services we grabbed lunch at the Vic, and then to Tesco to pick up a few bottles of wine to enjoy as we sat out to enjoy the beautiful weather. We headed for West Sands and just missed a polo match that was happening on the sand, but heard that a number of our friends were celebrating the beautiful weather by hanging out in the courtyard in from of St Salvator's Hall (where Prince William lived his first year).

The school is in full bloom

We spent the afternoon enjoying the sun, the wine, and the company. We even managed to commandeer a frisbee for a short time.

Andrew, Hunter, Gabby, and Adam

Hunter basking in the sun

St Salvator's Hall

After spending a majority of the afternoon out in the sun, a couple of my friends thought a dip in the North Sea would be ideal. Most of us weren't feeling quite so bold, but we'll take our swim in the North Sea in a week for May Dip. As we waited for the few, the brave to change into swimming attire, the weather changed and the fog rolled in stealing away our lovely sunshine. But that didn't stop our friends from charging into the sea!

Gabby, Hunter, Andrew, and Adam brave the frigid waters

The fog had rolled in so quickly you couldn't even make out the homes just a couple hundred meters away

We finished off the evening with 12 store bought pizzas to warm us up and toasted to a wonderful Easter Sunday! 

Day Trip to Tenstmuir Forest

With the sun still shining on Saturday morning, Aubree, Drew, Jack, and I boarded a bus to nearby Tayport, to go for a walk int Tentsmuir Forest. The Forest runs right up to the edge of the water and it was an important feature of defense during the First World War. 

Tentsmuir Forest

The large stones on the beach prevented aircraft from landing during World War I

Forever unprepared, I thought wearing a pair of Keds was an excellent choice for a walk through the woods. Naturally, I was mistaken. The shoes were just fine until we decided to walk out on the expanse of beach at low tide. Covered in mud and soaking out I eventually carried out the rest of the walk into town barefoot. Perhaps, I should invest in a pair of hiking boots.

We found a suitable place for a midmorning nap and even encountered a few canine friends

Despite a ruined pair of shoes, it was all in all a great way to spend a beautiful Saturday morning! 

Drew, Jack, and I out on the beach

 

Shorts in Scotland

It was absolutely gorgeous out on Friday. It was beautiful the entire weekend actually, but Friday was particularly lovely. The sun was out all day and I could not have been more ecstatic about that. One of my classmates showed up to our tutorial on Friday morning in a pair of shorts and professor took one look at him and said, "It's still too cold for shorts." To which he replied "Not if you're Scottish!"

Looking West on West Sands Friday afternoon

The sun put a smile on my face immediately, I almost overheated on the walk back from class to my dorms so I decided to swap my jeans and wooly jumper for shorts. Now as a child of Southern California, I'm quite used to shorts year round, but that is only if the weather has reached the minimum of 65ºF. Any degree below that and I would be in jeans and sweatshirt. But feeling bold and accustomed to the Scottish weather, I donned the only pair of shorts I brought to Scotland at the breezy temperature of 50ºF. Braving this weather in shorts is not for the faint of heart, but somehow I managed it. Although no pictures exist for I fear my pale skin would frighten my kind readers, although it fits in perfectly here in Scotland!

Looking East on West Sands, you can see the town in the background and if you look closely you can spot a view paddle boarders and swimmers braving the North Sea

Finally was able to snap a nice shot of my apartment complex here

Springtime In St Andrews

Being from Southern California I am used to different seasons, I grew up with it either being Summer or Almost Summer. Any complaining about the weather (and I admit there was quite a lot) stemmed from either not having air conditioning or not owning a raincoat on the handful of days in the year that it drizzled. St Andrews has given me a new appreciation for the weather. The Scots aren't joking when they talk about four seasons in a day. I've seen it go from rain to sun to hail in less than four hours and back again. You can never be too certain that it won't rain. I now own wellies (rain boots) and a rain coat. 

However, it finally seems like we're leaving cold weather behind (fingers crossed), and headed towards Summer. The flowers are in bloom and we've been seen considerably more sunlight than I have in months. The sunrises now at 6am and doesn't set until after 8 in the evening, and the days are only getting longer. And Scotland does Spring well.

Looking across The Old Course at sunset

St Salvadors Quad in bloom

Evening on the Scores

Peeking across at the library

My Immaturity Is Showing

I may have just turned 21, but that does not mean that I have grown out of my sometimes childish sense of humor. St Andrews is full of interesting street names that you just wouldn't find anywhere in the United States. But my favorite street name is located conveniently in the middle of campus. 

Now, I know when this little alleyway was originally named, it was not intended to be reminiscent of flatulence, and that Wynd is pronounced as you would say the wind in a winding road, but I still can't help but giggle every time I take a stroll down Butts Wynd. I also like to imagine the reason the street sign is placed so far above the street is because an untold number of passerby's of the years have found the sign just as funny as me and run off with it.

Uniquely American: Root Beer

I'm a self proclaimed soft drink aficionado, so I was shocked to hear that my two Scottish flatmates had not only never tried root beer, but had never even heard of it. I immediately sought out a way to remedy the conundrum we found ourselves in. Luckily a company that ships within the UK specializes in American soda, and within the week I wash shipped a couple bottles of root beer (thanks dad!).

The test of a good root beer, of course, is how well it holds up in a root beer float. So we broke out the ice cream and crack open the root beer and my Scottish friends got their first taste of freedom, I mean, root beer floats. 

The reviews are in, and root beer got a two thumbs up!

A Birthday Abroad

Yesterday I rang in my new year! The legal drinking age in Scotland as with most parts of the world is eighteen, so turning 21 doesn't come with any new privileges. But that does not mean that 21 shouldn't be celebrated!

We headed to our usual stomping grounds in the cellar at Aikman's on Friday night and at the stroke of midnight I got a chorus of "Happy Birthday to You" from half the pub. We've become quite the regulars at Aikman's and have gotten to know some of the barmen and within five minutes of being sung too, Malcolm the bartender brought down a piece of chocolate cake and candle for me. 

It started to melt so my friend Hunter had to prop up the candle

It was a wonderful birthday, although I did miss all my friends and family back home. But I certainly felt loved!

My parents had cupcakes delivered

Some of the cards I received

My flatmates took me out on Saturday night and made sure I another fun night out. Apparently I was quite quotable. Despite being in a new place, my new friends ensured I had a wonderful birthday! 

Spring Break: Edinburgh

The last few days of the trip were spent in Edinburgh. The grand finale of the tour of Castles and Palaces stopped at Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace, the Queens official residence in Edinburgh.

Despite the sun, Edinburgh was still quite cold, although every shop owner and taxi driver thanked my parents for bring the warm California weather with them. We walked the Royal Mile, had tea at a palace (alright I had tea in the cafe next to the palace), and saw plenty of tartan trousers.

An art installation in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh

View from the top of Edinburgh Castle

Holyrood Palace in front of Arthur's Seat

The inside courtyard of Holyrood Palace

Our trip ended with a nice stroll around Arthur's Seat in the sunlight. It's been almost two weeks since I left Edinburgh and I haven't seen the sun since then.

Spring Break: St Andrews

The weather in London was certainly a tease for my parents, they thought the sunshine would last as we got into Scotland. It rained on the drive from the airport in Edinburgh to St Andrews, and in the next four hours it went from rain to sunshine to hail. Welcome to Scotland!

I took my parents around my small little town and made sure they got a little taste of Scotland, which included eating haggis, drinking whisky, and going to a ceilidh! I gave them a tour of the University, saw the ruins of the Cathedral and Castle, and made sure dad saw the Old Course. St Andrews was a nice, relaxing change of pace from the hustle and bustle of London.

Dad atop the pier on our pier walk

Mom was always behind the camera

Inside St Salvators

Spring Break: London

I apologize for my gap in blogging, I was out enjoying my two weeks of spring break (which I will get to in a moment) and then trying to get back into the school grind with lots of reading to do. St Andrews really does it right, two weeks of spring break. Plenty of time to go out and unwind from the term and extra days to recover from all of it. 

My spring break started last on March 15, when I took a 7am train out of Leuchars to start my trip down to London. I arrived in London in early afternoon and met up with my friend Taylor who is in her second semester abroad from UC Santa Barbara at Kings College London. She lives in the cutest little area of London, Hampstead. 

The view from Taylor's room in Hampstead

My parents also flew into London. It was their first time in the United Kingdom. They rented the coolest flat in the West End. We made sure to take in as many sights as possible and the weather in London was absolutely wonderful. We had a leisurely Sunday, as my parents were trying to adjust to the time change. But we had a nice walk seeing Buckingham Palace (the flag was up, so the Queen was in), 10 Downing Street, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye.

Outside Buckingham Palace

Mom and Dad enjoying the nice weather in Westminster 

I spy: the London Eye

Taylor play tour guide for us. She's become quite the Londoner.

The London Eye

On Monday we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum and saw a wide range of art from Japanese Samurai armor to Medieval British Art. We spent hours just trying to take it all in.

Art installation in the entrance of the Victoria and Albert Museum

On Tuesday we got an earlier start on the day and were able to see St Paul's Cathedral, where Diana married Prince Charles, and the Tower of London. Unfortunately, St Paul's doesn't allow photography inside, but Dad and I clamored up some 700 steps to the top of the dome and got some pictures. Luckily, at the top of the stairs, they have a well placed defibrillator. The Cathedral is absolutely massive and beautiful, I would recommend a visit the next time you find yourself in London.

At the top of St Paul's Cathedral

The facade of St Paul's

Next, we rushed over to make it to the Tower of London before it closed. We admired the Crown Jewels and enjoyed seeing the the suits of armor that belonged to Henry VIII as he began to expand.

The Tower of London

Continuing our great tour of castles and palaces, we went to Kensington Palace on Wednesday. Unfortunately, we didn't see Harry, William, Kate or little Prince George, but we saw a very nice display of keepsakes belonging to Queen Victoria and even a fashion exhibit with dresses that belonged to Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales. We took in the sun in the gardens on our  final day in London.

Kensington Palace

The gardens outside Kensington Palace

On our last night, we went to see a West End show. It was my second time seeing Once, which I saw last summer on Broadway, but we all enjoyed it the same. It's based off a 2007 Irish film of the same name, and the music is more folk based. They even invite the audience up on stage for drinks before the show and during intermission!

The next morning we packed up and headed for Scotland!