Somebody help plz!

[Cora]

Can anyone spare a few moments and help me plz plz plz plz plz, i'm in desperate need of help from people who have already been to or are still going to St Andrews. I really appreciate your help!!!!!!!!!!

I'm coming to St Andrews in about 3 weeks time, but I havent had anything from the uni about where i'm staying yet, from what i've seen from the message boards, it seems that every1 knows where they're staying already. (I'm sure that they've got my application form for accomodation)
Could someone plz give me some advice on what to bring or what not to bring to St Andrews plz? I'm about to bring my whole bedroom with me if the uni still dont give me a packing list. Shall I bring my own bedsheets, my own frying pan even if i've applied for catered halls??? And what about printer and scanner? I'm gonna study Italian and modern history, will i need to print loads of stuff? Or will the uni allow me to print a certain amount free using the uni printers? And one quite silly question, what do u wear after a shower, did anyone bring their bath robe with them? I mean, do people wear their bath robe from the shower unit back to their rooms?

Thank you very much for any help...........i guess u understand my situation as u've once been there yourself.

From a very appreciative Cora

[RainbowPixie]

Bed sheets are provided, however as I always seem to get linen in brown or beige I bring my own duvet cover to brighten up the room. Even if you’re in a catered hall I’m pretty sure you’ll have to fend for yourself in the evenings on weekends so it might be an idea to bring that frying pan. I took my dressing gown with me and wear it to the shower, I think a fair few do, however there seem to be equal numbers wandering around in towels. And finally, when I started I got 30ish free printing pages from the university. Hope that helps.

[gingerbeer]

First of all, don't worry about not having your hall contract yet, if you had a conditional offer it might not come through until as late as a week before you start.

It would probably be a good idea to take some cooking equipment with you if you're in catered halls because you'll have to cook your dinner at weekends and you won't be provided with things like saucepans and plates.

We do get about 30 pages of free printing, but you can buy more when you run out. However, there can be a long queues in the computer rooms at certain times, so if you intend on printing things off at the last minute, your own printer might be handy. The scanner may not be so useful though, I've got one but have barely used it.

Don't buy your books before you get here, they're heavy and take up a lot of space and you probably won't get round to starting them before the beginning of term. You could probably get them second hand in St Andrews anyway and save yourself a bit of money.

What else to pack is a personal thing, although you should bring things to make your room seem more homely, as the rooms aren't exactly inspiring to begin with. There's a simple rule that I've always used when packing: pack all the things you know you can't live without, then prioritize things you'd like to take and keep packing until (a) there's no room left in the car or (b) your parents complain that you're going to damage the suspension. If you find out later that you really should have taken something, you can ask for it to be posted to you or get it if you go home for reading week, but remember that it's all got to be moved out in May, so don't accumulate too much stuff over the year.

[hr]It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.
-Terry Pratchett

[hoo]

hi..I'm going to St Andrews this sep too..I'm an oversea student.

I refer back to the other messagers in the sinner and I found that current students don't encourge us to bring printer.

regarding accommodation...I think it's better u call up resbus. This is because, I've submited my application on July but I didn't hear from them...last week, the director of studies emailed me regarding accommodation, I told him about my situation...and the news shocked me to death---Resbus didn't receive my application form...that's why I didn't hear from them! Luckily I appealed and got a room yesterday....so i think it's better if u call them up..don't bother to email....u'll receive an automatic on vacation reply.


gtg.....hope this helps....see u in st andrews!

[Cora]

thanks u all very kind ppl, what u've said really helped.

Cheers! & c u in Sept

[Cora]

Thank you for answering questions from this annoying fresher :P hope u dun mind me asking even more questions! Thx 4 telling me about printing at the uni, if they only give u a credit of 30 odd pages a month then how much do they charge u if u go over? (I'm still 'trying' to work out whether its worth bringing my printer, since its pretty heavy)

I've just looked at the number of holidays we get for xmas---only 2.5 weeks!!! And we have to come bac to do exams? Are they just for Year 2 or above, cos i mean it seems quite harsh to year 1s to have to have exams that soon? If I'm studying modern history and italian, do they have exams that soon? If they dont then can I extend my holiday till the end of January? Or do I have to be at the uni during the exam period? Do people normally leave on the 1st day of their holiday? or do they leave a few days earlier?

And do people normally buy their student insurance before they go or after? and which company is more value for money?

Did anyone bring a lamp with them? Are the lighting in the room strong enough? cos i prefer working under those big long white light tubes then yellow light bulbs >.<

I've heard that there's a phone in every room, and the number starts with 08745 xxx xxx.....or something like that, how much does it cost to dial out? does it work in the same way as BT land lines? or are they as expensive as using ur mobile phones?

thank you very much for your time!
Cora

[Thackary]

The number you have been given is 0870 xxx xxxx, but you can actually use 01334 42xxxx (the last four digits of the number you've been given).

If your friends are calling you from further than 50 miles or so away, then it makes no difference to their calling price (from a landline), but if people are calling from mobiles or from St Andrews, they would be better off using the 01334 number.



01334 - landline. Free from some mobiles, and cheaper (local call rate) from landlines.

0870 - National call rate. Usually not free from any mobiles, and charged at national rate from landlines

[C]

Cora!
You do ask a lot of questions!
Don't worry too much about it, half the excitement is finding out if you have normal light bulbs or the long ones!!!
The 30 odd pages is all you get, its not per month. I think the printing and photocopying is really cheap anyway, about 5 or 6p a page.
YES first years get exams, I know its unfair but tough, like the rest of us, you get tests.
To put your mind at rest, you do get the long light bulbs (in most halls so don't hold me to it) and you get provided with a desk lamp for your desk.
I also thought you can start your phone number off as 0870 333 **** and your extension number but Thackery is right, the 01334 42 **** number is the most used and the cheapest.
Hope it helps!
Can't wait for Freshers week-oooh the fun!!!
C xx

[Okocim]

Yes, first years do have exams in Janurary. Don't worry - they're usually quite easy. All that is required of you in first year is that you pass. I really wouldn't worry about them:)

[Precious]

As for your question about going home, catered halls do have a certain time by which you must leave (this is going to be in your contract) but you can leave earlier as long as you sign out (in case of fire alarms so you are accounted for.) You also have a date when hall opens after the holidays but are under no obligation to return on that date, if it is easier for you to return later feel free to do so. With self catered accommodation your travel dates are entirely up to you - there is no chuck out time.

[Aer]

[s]Thackary wrote on 01:42, 2nd Sep 2003:
The number you have been given is 0870 xxx xxxx, but you can actually use 01334 42xxxx (the last four digits of the number you've been given).

If your friends are calling you from further than 50 miles or so away, then it makes no difference to their calling price (from a landline), but if people are calling from mobiles or from St Andrews, they would be better off using the 01334 number.



01334 - landline. Free from some mobiles, and cheaper (local call rate) from landlines.

0870 - National call rate. Usually not free from any mobiles, and charged at national rate from landlines


actually, on 1 bt package, it can be 25% cheaper.


[hr]
Always remember, no matter how drunk you are, that tomorrow you will be sober. and probably will have one biiiig hangover.