Scotland

Scotland was a breath of fresh air. After a week of big city chaos, the large, open fields, quaint old buildings, and small-town feel was exactly what I needed.

Scotland is filled with so much beauty. I spent the weekend in St. Andrew’s, a small town with a population of about 18,000 compared to the 548,000 that Edinburgh holds. It mainly includes the University of St. Andrew’s, where my friend Isa goes to college.

Visiting Isa was a nice change. It felt familiar to be with a student who lives and is immersed in school there, in comparison to studying abroad. Her friends would come over and hang out with us in the living room and it felt like I was home in Madison.

There are three main roads that are filled with local shops, cafes & restaurants. The town is on the coast of the North Sea and is pretty much made up of college students and retired people.

It is also reputable to be the “birthplace of golf,” and the Royal and Ancient Club, which was created in 1754 and has been the golf headquarters since. It is also where the British Open will be held this year!

When I arrived on Friday, I was so excited to see Isa & meet all her friends! We sat in her room for about an hour or so talking and getting to know each other, and then we got ready for the fashion show we were attending that night. That’s right, a fashion show. While most schools host school sporting events, St. Andrew’s has events like fashion shows and balls. 

We got ready and went to her friend’s house for “pres”, which we call “pregame.” I met most of her friends here, and then we hopped on the bus and went to the fashion show.

The “Don’t Walk” fashion show is an annual, student-run fashion show. It is ironically the place where Kate Middleton caught Prince William’s eye.

The models were fantastic, as were their outfits. All the students were gathered around the runway for the entirety of the show. The venue also had a huge bar, a Mac n’ Cheese stand, a burger stand, and an outdoor setting. It was about 20 minutes away from St. Andrew’s. It worked out perfectly that I came this weekend because this event led me to see what her school functions are like and meet many of her friends at once.

The next day was another stunning, sunny day, so we woke up, and she gave me a little tour of the town and her school. It’s so surreal that she goes to school in such a historic, beautiful place. 

We then made the most of the sunny day in the best way we know how to, a “dirty” on the beach. 

A group of her friends and us bought some drinks, grabbed a table, speaker, & blanket, and then walked 8 minutes to the coast. It was freaking awesome. 

That night we went to ‘Dunny’s’, which is a local golf-themed pub and a favorite spot of her and her friends. We also went to Molly Malones, which felt identical to MacLaren’s in ‘How I Met Your Mother.’

It was such a great weekend in Scotland, and I would totally visit again if it works out. Isa is someone who has been one of my closest friends since I was young enough to remember that it is so fun that I got to live her college life here in Scotland. 

I’m now on the flight back to Florence after my 10-day spring break in London, Dublin, & Scotland! Life on the go has been crazy but worth every minute. 

I’m fully aware that there will be a day when my life will slow down, but I’m so thankful that time is not right now.