Raisin: Inside the Freshers Event of the Year
If you were anywhere in St Andrews on 18 October, you will have seen many a perplexed tourist simply trying to enjoy their half-term before being brushed aside by a running banana or Claudia Winkleman. Any St Andrews resident knows what this means… It's Raisin, the freshers’ event that is entirely unique to the Bubble here in St Andrews. But what is Raisin and did the event live up to its reputation?
‘Raisin’ is a tradition that has been upheld in St Andrews for hundreds of years and can be traced back to the university’s beginnings. The tradition stems around an informal mentorship wherein third-year students ‘adopt’ first-years, helping them to make connections and settle into Uni life, whilst bridging gaps between year groups. The event is known as ‘Raisin’ because it refers to the pound of raisins that freshers would traditionally gift to their academic parents as a thank you for introducing them to St Andrews. However, the origins of the weekend’s events seem to have been blurred overtime, with fresher Caitlin noting ‘I think the history has definitely got lost a bit in everything that we do for it now’. But as with all St Andrews traditions, it would be a shame for any willing fresher to miss out.
After accepting their offer at St Andrews many are quick to worry that they will not be able to find a family and that it might be hard to get adopted. Don’t worry! You are not alone; I was there with you. But once you get here, the Bubble works its magic, and you will be getting approached by randoms asking to be your parent everywhere. Raisin Lillian said she met would-be kin at ‘bonfires, clubbing, talking to random people in coffee shops, and from friends who were also adopted.’ After meeting, academic children are invited to numerous boozy events, such as a silent dinner or pub golf, to find the family they gel with most, and to prepare for the big day.
But enough of the preamble. All this is just an appetiser for the famed Raisin Sunday. The night of all nights for any St Andrews fresher. Or should I say the very early morning. Raisins are getting up between three and five a.m. Some are ‘kidnapped’ by their parents, others are sent on wild goose-chases to mysterious coordinates. Then the drinking games begin. Once their kids are adequately sloshed, families make their way to the beach for more games, such as wheelbarrow races and wig snatching, before the ritual sunrise sea dip.
After a well-deserved nap, the scavenger hunt chaos begins. This is when gaggles of academic children are sent off by their parents across the town to complete numerous weird, and sometimes a little freaky, challenges. From ‘return a fish to the sea’ to ‘do a sex position on the Old Course’ there’s truly something for everyone… Lillian said: ‘The scavenger hunt was so fun!! I thought it was so funny. Even though I was yelled at after asking someone to “marry me,” it was otherwise wonderful.’ Then, depending on how fragile you may be feeling from the morning’s activities, fun can continue well on into the night.
But it’s not over yet! Get some sleep because you are up again for the big foam fight on Monday morning. Parents dress their children in ridiculous and often embarrassing group costumes ranging from a group of old grannies chanting ‘you canny shove your granny off a bus’ to a group of Tennent’s cans with yellow and red face paint. The raisin parade storms into lower college lawn and begins showering each other with shaving foam. From your bestie to an unsuspecting tutorial-mate, no one is safe. Then comes the shameful walk home covered in foam and a chance to reminisce over the weekend past… if you can actually remember it.
All the freshers I spoke to said that Raisin Weekend lived up to their expectations, with many saying they would love to keep in contact with their parents and perhaps get revenge on them next year. Sceptical fresher Alexander said: ‘It was a fever dream, I never knew where I was, what time it was, what I was doing. I'm glad I did it but I’m more glad I never have to go through any of it again.’ If that’s not the sign of a great event, I’m not sure what is!
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