Find Your New Favorite DRA Route
“Good luck back on the long, yellow brick road to DRA,” said my friend, who, of course, lives in Sallies, as I prepared for my 25-minute hike back. After rolling my eyes at her, I laughed because she was right; for what some may call the “unlucky” residents of David Russell Apartments, getting back from town can feel like the yellow brick road to the Emerald City. How do the people of DRA survive such an exhilarating journey, and what are the best walking paths?
Younger Hall/Buchanan Building: If you are trying to get to classes in the morning in town at Younger Hall or the Buchanan Building, there is a consensus on the quickest way. Bee and Daisy, two residents of DRA, give themselves both thirty minutes in the morning to get into town, leaving enough room so they don’t have to speed walk. Daisy claims that within twenty-five minutes she can get to her classes at Younger Hall by walking down the hill near the Sports Centre and in front of the Gateway Building. Once past the science buildings, this path brings you up a set of stairs through a scenic path of trees that can make the route feel quicker, as you arrive near the bus station. From this point on, it still can take ten minutes to get to lectures in Younger Hall, but they believe this is one of the most efficient routes.
Market Street: Some have tried countless routes and feel like they have a “love-hate relationship” with the walk, especially as Annie describes, “when I have to bring back groceries it can be annoying.” Her love for the walk appears when she realizes that it allows her to “take advantage of seeing other parts of St Andrews.” Annie believes that the quickest way to get to Market Street within twenty-five minutes (with a pep in your step) is going through University Hall. This route takes you past Madras College, towards the Sports Centre, and finally down through Uni Hall, conveniently leaving you fifteen minutes for a straight shot into town, ending on Market Street.
Scenic Route onto South Street: The Lade Braes is a lesser-known way to enter South Street but takes you on a beautiful journey past M&S and right along the Kinness Burn. This way is one of the longest ways to get into town, as it does take a total of thirty minutes. Even with this journey, students enjoy it because it is a beautiful trail, especially when they have extra time on their hands. This is not the recommended path to get to morning lectures unless you want to wake up extra early, but if you enjoy a nice midday walk and need to get some groceries on your way home, this route could be perfect for you.
Getting Home on a Night Out: The infamous night bus is an option, but many students don't take it because “the times aren’t great and they don’t always open the doors” (Daisy). So instead, they are compelled to walk yet again. However, on a night out, walking with friends actually makes the journey much quicker. Bee, Charlotte, and Daisy make a game out of it and count the fields for checkpoints to see how close they are. Others run home and find it “is a good time to sober up” (Anna). These students normally take either the basic route to DRA reception, or the route past the bus station toward ABH, battling the hill to the Sports Centre, then on past Madras College. Estimating travel times on a night out is difficult to say exactly, as time can feel more like a construct after the Union, but typically they take longer, between 25-30 minutes. However, with friends, it could feel like twenty.
There is no “right way” to get into town from DRA, but there are many ways to explore. Once you begin these explorations, you can, as put by Annie, “take advantage of seeing the other parts of St Andrews." Since so many DRA students get the chance to do so, they actually begin enjoying the “long yellow brick road,” as Anna says, “the walk is my favorite part of DRA.” Though some, as noted by Daisy, “wish there was a golf cart." Whether you are walking or yearning for another mode of transport, with all the different routes, it can begin to feel less like the strenuous trek to Emerald City and more like an exciting adventure.
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