Little break from my intense studying to give you some news about the events of the last 24h in St Andrews. Last night was the Gaudie. It is a tradition at the university that there is every year a procession in honour of a student of the university, John Honey, who saved 5 sailors in January of 1800 by diving in the sea repeatedly to save the sailors but unfortunately dying when the mast fell on him. So in his honour there is a procession on the last day of April that goes from the (usually) the Castle ruins (this year it was Younger Hall for some reason) down to the pier, there are torches as well to make it more fun.
Et ce matin, a l'aube c'etait May Dip! Il y a une tradition a St Andrews que le premier jour du mois de mai, a l'aube, les etudiants courent dans la mer du nord. C'est suppose t'aider a te nettoyer de tes peches haha c'est aussi suppose eliminer la malediction du PH. C'est une merveilleuse tradition! Beaucoup - la majorite - des etudiants ne dorment pas, ils passent la nuit debout, souvent a boire. Et pour avoir dormi et pas bu du tout, je comprends pourquoi les gens le font. Se reveiller a 4h du matin etait horrible (surtout que je me suis couchee vers 12:30-1h du matin). Et se deshabillee pour courir dans l'eau horriblement froide de la mer du nord semble aussi une idee ridicule lorsqu'on est sobre. Je n'etais pas certaine si j'allais le faire, mais en me reveillant j'ai mis mon maillot de bain au cas ou et la temperature n'etait pas si froide donc je me suis decidee que j'allais le faire, que je n'allais pas manquer cette experience! Donc je me suis deshabillee et couru (apres beaucoup d'hesitation et de grelottements) dans la mer. C'etait horrible! Oh my god, je n'ai jamais eu aussi froid..en sortant je ne sentait plus le bas de mon corps, mais je m'etais bien equipe et ma coloc m'attendait avec mes 2 grandes serviettes et ma doudou. J'ai rapidement mis deux paires de bas (plein de sable, mais a ce moment la c'etait le dernier de mes soucis), mes bottes de pluie et ca allait beaucoup mieux! Donc c'etait un peu une idee terrible, mais il fallait le faire! :)
And this morning, it was May Dip! It is another of St Andrews' quirky traditions that everyone loves (for some reason that escapes me this instant). So on the first of May, at dawn, students run into the North Sea. It is supposed to wash you of your sins or something and it is also supposed to wash away the curse of the PH, but mainly it's a great tradition. The majority of students do not sleep at all between the Gaudie and the May Dip, which is understandable because there is about 4-5h of difference between the two. And also, they usually drink, all night. I understand it now because running into the north sea at dawn is a crazy idea when you are sober! So I woke up at about 4 in the morning (slept about 3h) to head down to the East Sands with Chiara. I wasn't sure if I was going to dip or not, so I put my bikini on just in case. The temperature wasn't too cold so I decided to do it! So got undressed and ran (after much hesitation and shivering) into the sea. It was horrible! Oh god, I couldn't believe how cold it was! I couldn't feel my bottom half when I walked (ran) out of the water. I couldn't get out of it quick enough! My amazing flatmate was waiting for me with my towels and blanket so I grabbed them like someone in desperate need of drugs, it might have been a bit violent (i'm sorry!), but the cold was so harsh! I quickly put on two pairs of socks (full of sands, but I couldn't care less at that moment) and my wellies and it was starting to be better. The hot shower at home could not come quick enough! So to conclude, it was a terrible idea, and yet a must! Had to do it and experience it!
