Photo courtesy of Jahnavi Pradeep ‘23
Pradeep has been studying English at the University of St Andrews during her semester abroad.
By Jahnavi Pradeep ’23
Contributing Writer
Like clockwork, the seagulls begin their daily chant every morning, perched by my room’s window, roof and any other spot they can bother me from. Their morning alarm sets me off on my daily routine, and I get ready, wrapping myself in layers of scarves and coats to protect me from the chilly seaside air of St Andrews — a quaint town tucked along the coast of Scotland. When I step into the cold, makeshift breakfast with coffee in hand, I walk by the seagulls confidently, masquerading as an unafraid local accustomed to their presence for years and not the visiting study-abroad student who got to this town only in January, a mere three months ago.
Currently a third-year student at Mount Holyoke College, I made the rather last-minute decision to study abroad at the University of St Andrews for a semester. As an English student, studying in the United Kingdom, considered the birthplace of English literature, had always been a desire I’d hoped to fulfill at some point in my academic journey. The study-abroad opportunity in Scotland provided the perfect chance to get a taste of this experience. The crumbling castles and majestic churches at every corner mirror the ones I read about in my classes. In being here, I can physically feel and breathe the space of the things I study.
Coming to St Andrews was what many of my fellow international students jokingly called a “study abroad away from a study abroad.” Originally from India, choosing Mount Holyoke meant a move away from family and the place I called home. However, the U.S. was familiar — having lived here for seven odd years previously and having family and old friends crawling all over Massachusetts, it was a comfortable and familiar new. When I began looking at study-abroad options, my advisor recommended St Andrews. Though it was a landscape I had never visited nor had family in, they promised me the environment — coming from the quiet space of the Pioneer Valley — would feel homely and familiar.
And so, St Andrews has been a concoction of familiar and unfamiliar. While providing a quaint atmosphere that was not too isolating for me, the chance for a new experience in a new place pushed me out of my comfort zone to figure things out on my own.
My classes were the first example of this. I enrolled in two honors modules in the English department, one on Gothic Romanticism and the other on Tragedy in the Age of Shakespeare. The academic structure of these classes called for immense independence in my study habits; They each met only once a week for a two-hour discussion seminar among students, and the rest of the coursework — which included primary and secondary readings along with recorded lectures — had to be done in our own time. What contributed even more to this independent learning was the disruption of classes due to strikes that tutors across Scotland partook in during February and March regarding a pension dispute. Both my tutors were a part of the union striking, and I had classes canceled for three weeks out of an eleven-week term. However, I continued to write on material covered during this time, working long nights and frequenting the library for resources. The system allowed me to think about what I was learning more independently. In taking charge of how I approached things, I found a perfect environment to challenge myself academically.
I have had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people who have contributed to this immersive study-abroad experience. The owner of the tiny bookstore I frequent at the end of the town’s Market Street told me about their favorite Shakespearean plays, pointing me toward illustrated copies the store keeps at the back. When I returned the next time, I was directed to some bound Scottish history books. Slowly, I became an expert on each section of the store.
Most of the other locals I have had a chance to interact with in St Andrews are friendly and welcoming. The students at the coffee shop greet me with wide grins and wave like old friends each time I drop by for my usual order. The Shawarma House owner spends an extra five minutes making conversation whenever I stop by. They tell me about home in Turkey, and I tell them about home in India. Herein, on this one street of St Andrews, I have met and learned about the different experiences and lives of its current locals, and in this way I slowly begin to feel a part of the community and like a local myself. I attend campus and town events, from weekly Ceilidh dancing at the local bar, department wine and cheese nights and student bonfires on the beach.
I am simultaneously aware that I am just a visitor at the moment, and I have tried to take in as much as I can with my resources and time. With access to highly affordable flight tickets, I managed to travel a tiny bit of Western Europe, giving in to both tourist traps must-sees and more local experiences of food markets and aimless exploration. I have seen and learned things about different cultures, religions and languages, among a myriad of other things. Even at St Andrews, the study-abroad program has allowed me to meet people from across the globe.
I am grateful for my experience at St Andrews so far. As I end my days here with routine calls to family and friends from back home and at college, the seagulls make their evening rounds, reminding me how short the days are and how my time left at St Andrews is equally limited. I look forward to returning to Mount Holyoke for my final year this fall, and with my return, I hope to bring with me the things I have learned about my studies, those around me and myself.