As we know, academic families are one of St Andrew’s longest-standing and most beloved traditions. This is mainly due to the renowned Raisin Weekend, in which parents “initiate” their children by traipsing them around the town blindfolded, parading them in ridiculous costumes to perform absurd dares, and sending them off into the ice-cold ocean before the sun has risen.
However, after the excitement and most definite hangover from Raisin wears off, what happens to your academic family? Many of my friends experienced what I would refer to as the fade-out of the family, where they might see their parents and siblings every once in a while post-raisin. Still, it eventually fades into a casual wave and smile-in-the-street kind of relationship.
This can be frustrating, because ultimately the original purpose of an academic family was to create a support system for the first years, for them to receive advice and guidance from older students, in addition to meeting other people in their year.
So, how do you stay close to your academic family after raisin? I have been lucky enough to remain close to my own family and see them fairly often, and one of the main reasons for this is that we have almost monthly family dinners. At first, these dinners were solely hosted by my academic dad (as the rest of us were living in halls in first year), but this year, it has been so much fun to switch off who hosts now that we all have our own flats! I love my monthly family dinners because they are a great way to check in and see what everybody has been up to while also being a welcome escape from schoolwork! I hosted the most recent dinner, and it was so enjoyable (and a tad stressful) to bring everyone together in my home and cook for them all. To make it less overwhelming for whoever is hosting, our dinners are always more of a potluck style where everyone brings something to contribute. A fun way to spice it up could be to make the dinners themed each month and have everyone dress up, as well as bring food that correlates to the theme.
Another way I remain close to my academic family is by scheduling coffee with my academic parents or siblings. It is both an easy and casual way to catch up and stay connected, and it is always nice to hear about everything going on in their lives, especially if you don’t see them very often! Plus coffee can make a nice change of pace from the traditionally alcohol-fuelled events. Coffee mornings can be easily hosted in groups at someone’s house or one-on-one for a more intimate feel, helping maintain more personal connections between family members.
My biggest piece of advice, however, is to not be afraid to reach out to your academic parents. As a first-year, the thought of initiating conversation and getting in touch with older students can be daunting, but just remember that they have been in exactly the same position you are now.
It’s remember, it’s never too late to reconnect with your academic family!