St Andrews is home to a large number of academic families – a tradition where older students adopt first year students as ‘children’ and help guide them in a system of mentoring. This is a fantastic way for first year students to meet new people, and many of the friendships that begin as part of the academic family tradition continue throughout a student’s time at the University and beyond.

This ‘mentoring’ culminates in Raisin Weekend, when children are entertained by their parents and are encouraged to play pranks and silly games. On Raisin Monday, the children dress in embarrassing, flamboyant costumes, are given strange objects with a traditional Latin inscription, and are let loose on Lower College lawn for an enormous shaving foam fight.