“More Than a Summer Class” – Rosemary’s summer experience in St Andrews
Rosemary is a student from the University of Missouri who studied Scotland’s History: Kingdom, Nation, People as part of St Andrews Summer Study 2025. Read some of her experiences as a Summer Study student in St Andrews.
“It was far more than just a summer class, it was valuable life lessons, an outstanding education, genuine friendships, and irreplaceable memories”.
Going into my class at St Andrews, I had little expectations for what it would be like. I was simply overcome with excitement about travelling to Europe for the first time, and I could not wait to meet my classmates and professors. Every ounce of joy I felt was met with equally incredible experiences in the three weeks I spent there. Something I found very unique about this program was our small class size, which was only eleven students. This allowed us to truly get to know each other as well as our professors, on a meaningful level. We spent each day eating breakfast together, walking to class, participating in lectures, then spending the rest of the day exploring St Andrews or visiting neighbouring towns. Throughout our coursework, we learned about the rich history of St Andrews and the United Kingdom. Everything we learned was relevant to the places we visited, which made our trips even more engaging. Getting to see real places where these historic events occurred was amazing in itself, but having our professors who were so incredibly knowledgeable about these topics was what made these trips so educational.
Aside from lectures, we were given a plethora of free time to explore. One weekend, some of my classmates and I decided to fly to Dublin, Ireland for a day trip. We got to explore historic locations such as Trinity College and St Patrick’s Cathedral, as well as touring the city and exploring a different culture. We also visited other cities in Scotland such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Falkland, Dundee, and more. Many days were spent strolling along the Old Course watching people play golf, or challenging each other to see who could last the longest in the icy waters at the beach, or trying out all the local pubs and restaurants – mostly frequenting Fisher & Donaldson to get yet another fudge doughnut.
“Something I found very unique about this program was our small class size, which allowed us to truly get to know each other as well as our professors, on a meaningful level”.
The amount I gained during my time at St Andrews is truly remarkable. It was far more than just a summer class, it was valuable life lessons, an outstanding education, genuine friendships, and irreplaceable memories. I would strongly recommend this program to any college student seeking a unique opportunity to live in this beautiful town and learn an outstanding amount about Scotland as well as grow personally. I am eternally grateful for my time in St Andrews, and I cannot wait to return someday.
Thank you to Rosemary for sharing her experiences. More information on our courses and how to apply can be found on the St Andrews Summer Study webpages or you can contact the team at [email protected].