Raisin

 Yes, I have been absent for a month and a half. No, there's no excuse.

I return with more of a typical blog post, where I talk about an event in my life instead off just asking lots of questions and theorising about things..... Don't worry, more of that soon.

Over 3 weeks ago now (wow!) was probably my favourite weekend of University so far. I spent the Friday night and Saturday in Edinburgh at the Scottish Universities Folk Festival (SUFF) with my buddies from the Folk&Trad Society and stayed over at a school friend's flats which was a nice catch-up, but the element I especially want to talk about is a little St. Andrews University tradition: Raisin Weekend.

I'm not sure if I ever actually announced it on my blog, but the university I decided to study at is University of St. Andrews. I've been here for over 9 weeks and I love it. We all have good and bad days, but overall I definitely so far feel that I made the best possible decision for me.



My Academic Dad, siblings and I!

One rather unique thing about SAU is vast number of strange traditions, dating back many many years. One of the most exciting of these, especially for freshers, is Raisin Weekend.

In St. Andrews, we have academic families. During the first few weeks, first years are 'adopted' by 3rd years, until you have an academic mum, dad and often many brothers and sisters. On Raisin Sunday, you go to your academic mum's house in the morning for  'tea party' and games and then to your dad's in the evening for another party. And then on Raisin
 Monday you report to your mum's to be dressed up in whatever weird and wonderful costume she decides, and then to your dad's to receive your 'raisin receipt', which is most often an awkward-to-carry objects which you and your siblings transport to the Quad, where all the first years have the world's largest shaving foam fight! It's kinda mad but loads of fun!


Scavenger hunt with my sisters!

I'll admit, Raisin was something I was really quite nervous about, because, while it Amy sound all nice nicey, a fair amount of alcohol and drinking games is involved. I must clarify, it IS NOT a stipulation to drink, and you can still have loads of fun without drinking, but playing drinking games and getting a bit tipsy has become a large part of the tradition. Some academic parents can be more adventurous and mean than others, and of course you only hear the worst stories (mostly only rumours!)




Scavenger hunt fun with the fam (and some strangers haha)

But my raisin was soooo much fun. I was woken by my mum's with a tequila shot at 08:45- and I won't go on and on and list lots of drinks (and can I just confirm that I was very sensible about not getting really drunk or making myself ill!) but it's fair to say that my morning welcome set up pretty much what the day would be like! My mum's were very inventive, getting us to play drinking versions of popular children's party games: musical statues, pass the parcel, Jenga and many more! I found myself wheeling a shopping trolley around my accommodation block, playing water balloon cricket on the grass and running around town on a scavenger hunt, carrying out tasks such as the chariots of fire routine on the beach and imitating a lizard- all while attached to 3 of my siblings by string! I then proceeded to my dad's to play Weetabix dodgeball and eat lots of pizza!
All in all, it was a really funny exciting day and I urge anyone who chooses to study St. Andrews to really get themselves involved with the traditions because its something you'll remember for your whole academic career and beyond.


The raisin Monday foam fight was really very random! Myself and my siblings were dressed as Harry Potter, butt then of course we arrived at different our dad's houses, so we all met our other set of siblings and carried our raisin receipts to the quad (mine was a rather large flag!)  where there were lots of official people and police- I hadn't relished how organised and formal the foam fight was! So basically we all had this slightly hangover foam fight where we lost all our siblings and friends are were suddenly surrounded by strangers! Eventually I found some of playmates and friends and, when it was all over, we headed back, freezing cold, to get showered- there was nothing to do but to walk straight into the shower, fully clothed! The looks we got from tourists and passers by as we trudged home were hilarious!




My 2 academic mum's and all the Harry Potter's!!



Covered in foam!



All in different costumes with our raisin receipt!

I think Raisin is something which is, and should be, fun. Stay safe, give everything (within reason) a go and just enjoy. I had an essay due on the Monday so made sure I handed it in there Friday before which was the best decision ever because you just want to be able to relax and have a great time. As I said, Raisin is a memory forever and a definite selling point of St. A's haha!





To the quad we go!!

But even if you go to a different unit or just in life in general, I hope you take from this an idea of some of the strange traditions at SAU and an open mind towards trying new things and letting your hair down (I promise, I'm the worst for being negative, and the socialising of things like Raisin can seem haunting, but uni is about meeting new people and what better chance?!)

Catriona xxx