Heirs to the foam

More than a thousand students gathered at the University of St Andrews to take part in the annual Raisin Monday foam fight today (Monday 17 October 2022).

Historically, the event saw students bring their academic parents a special gift. More recently, students have engaged with a more responsible and sustainable Raisin Weekend and this year those taking part donated items to a collection for the Storehouse foodbank in St Andrews. 

After the foam fight, students were hosed down by the University’s Deputy Principal and Master of the United College, Professor Lorna Milne, who will be stepping down at the end of January 2023 to undertake a period of research leave.

Academic families and Raisin Monday

St Andrews is home to a large number of academic families, a spontaneous tradition where older students adopt first year students as ‘children’ and guide them through the first year of University life through a system of mentoring. This is a fantastic way for first year students to meet new people, and many of the friendships that begin as part of the academic family tradition continue throughout a student’s time at the University and beyond.

This ‘mentoring’ culminates in Raisin Weekend when children are entertained by their parents and are encouraged to play pranks and silly games.

On Raisin Monday, the children dress in embarrassing, flamboyant costumes, are given strange objects with a traditional Latin inscription, and are let loose on Lower College lawn for an enormous foam fight.