Does the Bubble Burst? Grads on Graduating

Cheryl Cole captured the dizzying effects of fame with the tragic realisation: “Actually, I can’t nip to the garage in me pyjamas anymore for a pint of milk, even if I want to," because the paps were omnipresent and she couldn’t be caught in such a state of public disgrace.

Sometimes, this is how I feel in St Andrews. The town that many of us have nicknamed the bubble – with its windswept beaches, three streets, and four main food shops – can often feel illusory and claustrophobic. Many students feel split between two selves: the one who exists in St Andrews, and the one who exists outside it. This made me wonder, what happens when we graduate: Does the sense of finality mean that the bubble bursts, or does it continue to follow, evolving with us?

Credit: University of St Andrews Website

As I spoke to recent alumni, it became clear that St Andrews leaves a lasting impression, shaped by its friendships and close-knit community: “Being in such a small place meant your experience was entirely shaped by what you put into it, and that brought people closer together."

The town’s size, as a catalyst for social bonds, is also clear in the reflections of Katie White, Class of 2024. She identified St Andrews as the source of some of her "most valuable" friendships and connections, believing they “will last a lifetime”. Others praised the town’s safety, traditions, and comforting familiarity, not to mention the ease of having everything within walking distance.

Yet, as beloved as the bubble was, its propinquity was “at times, its deepest flaw," Katie admitted.

When the town's activities revolve around just three streets, it's easy for minor details to feel like defining moments. Another former student suggested that “the focus on popularity and being invited to certain events […] can distort your view of what is important”. The town was often likened to a “fantasy land” or a “fishbowl”, a place where “everyone knows everything”. Academically, too, “things felt flashier than they were challenging." There was “a big emphasis on sounding smart and showing off in tutorials, but sometimes the substance didn’t match the performance."

Credit: University of St Andrews Website

This led the graduates to consider whether St Andrews could skew perceptions of reality altogether: “Living in a big city has really changed my perspective. At St Andrews, everything felt heightened - drama, friendships, pressure - but now I realise so much of it wasn’t as significant as it seemed at the time”.

Others spoke about the social prestige it fosters, and how that quickly fades beyond its borders, explaining, “The closeness of the community can create a sense of importance or status that doesn’t always translate beyond the town." Despite growing up near a city, one graduate recalled their first visit to London after university and feeling “very overwhelmed by the noises and amount of people," adding that “being in St Andrews for a prolonged period of time made me forget what real life […] is like."

Beyond the fading status-driven culture and shift in perspective, alumni grappled with the adjustment to an entirely new structure. As Katie explained, “At university, even when things felt overwhelming, there was always a rhythm to your days - classes, deadlines, social events, my personal favourite being my daily coffee shop outings. In real life, you suddenly have to build that rhythm from scratch and that can feel really disorienting, there’s no syllabus telling you what to do next.”

Another challenge was learning how much more effort it takes to maintain friendships: “At uni, my closest friends were a five-minute walk away. After uni, everyone’s scattered, busy, and on their own timeline. Keeping in touch feels more intentional, not convenient."

Credit: Expedia

Yet not everyone experienced a seismic shift upon leaving the bubble. For 2020 graduate Sophie Tyrell, the transition felt smooth. “It all felt fine to me,” she said, “not much of an adjustment.” Having grown up in a small town herself, she didn’t feel St Andrews had distorted her perception of life beyond university: “You find a circle no matter where you are, or how big or small [the place is]."

Leaving a place defined by interconnectedness can also bring up unexpected freedoms. Some recalled the newfound luxury of being “anonymous again and not [worrying] about town gossip.” Katie further noted that, “The world doesn’t revolve around your routine, and people aren’t always paying attention. You leave the bubble and realise that real life is messier, but it’s also more freeing and rewarding.”

Despite all the talk of social fishbowls, warped realities and postgrad whiplash, every graduate I spoke to said they were glad they chose St Andrews. Some said they wished they’d known what to expect, “how emotionally intense such a small university environment could be,” and “how much proximity can amplify relationships, drama, self-perception.” Others admitted they had outgrown it by their final year. But no one regretted it.

Credit: X (St Andrews Student Association)

So, the bubble doesn’t last forever and nor should it. St Andrews offers something rare: a tightly woven, beautifully peculiar kind of university life. These graduates show that it’s something to treasure but not to be bound by, or fear leaving behind. In the words of a former student, “The hardest part was realising how small my world had been, but the easiest was growing beyond it."