A Year Abroad by the Numbers + Goodbye!

Hello loyal followers of the blog. This is officially my last post for my year abroad. My finals have been taken, my mom has crossed the pond, we have packed up, and I am back in the comfort of my home. Reflecting on all my blog posts I am overwhelmed by feelings of nostalgia and fervent pride. I am so proud that I was given the opportunity to to take part in this amazing experience – an experience I will be for ever grateful that my parents and Holy Cross made available to me. While I will miss Scotland with all my heart, I can’t wait for life to resume back on Long Island and my summer internship at Birchbox in New York City to start. A little part of me was left in St Andrews, and I look forward to the day I touch back down on the soft shore of the East Sands.

I thought it would be fun to reflect on my year not with words, but with numbers. I feel I have used my wordy prose enough over the past blogs. Here are the concrete facts of my year abroad, enjoy!

flights taken: 27 (including the infamous Oslo to Edinburgh cancellation mid-flight)

missed flights: 0 (the statistic I am the most proud of)

finals taken: 5 (3 first semester, 2 second semester)

dervish “chips and cheese” orders: 10 (it could be more but I could only find photographic evidence for 10)

postcards bought/sent: 65/22 (Casey makes fun of me for buying 3 in every city but only sending one… apparently she never has heard of collecting!)

facetimes home: 194 (my phone records only went from March 28th to May 22nd, so just imagine how many it’s been since September :D)

new instagram posts: 27

countries I’ve visited: 11

days that it’s rained: ~175

number of times I was locked out of my room: 5 (all five times being only in the first week!)

slang/british sayings I’ve integrated into my everyday vocab: 3-5 (favorites being: lad(s), proper, and cheers)

shards of seaglass picked up on the East Sands: ~300 (1 large Nutella jar and 2 smaller Nutella jars filled)

hours it took Casey, Taylor and I to hike 7 miles of the Fife Coastal Path: 7 (in our defense, it was the hardest section of the path and it was getting dark…)

10+ hour marathons in the library: 7 

hours on the dance floor at the B2D marathon: 10

trips into Edinburgh: 6

Brunches at Golf Cafe after Sunday mass: 8

balls attended: 4 (Opening Ball, Nobel Ball, SnowBall & Psych Ball)

cleaning inspections passed: 9 (all of them!)

photos in my camera roll from August 31st: 1,228 (60 videos as well!)

days since I left: 2

memories made in my 9 months here: countless!

What a year! Thanks to everyone who made it special and memorable, you know who you are. Special thanks to Mom & Dad, without you I would be nothing! Finally, thanks to the anonymous readers for following this grand adventure. Talk to you soon.

xx,

Bridgette

Pics or it didn’t happen

Ireland saying goodbye in Irish fashion. After a short trip to Dublin, Mom and I were greeted with a rainbow as we boarded our Ryanair flight to Edinburgh

Doing a final pier walk in the traditional St Andrews red gowns.

Goodbye lunch at Forgans with Alicia, Lorna, and Alexa. Alicia and Alexa will be 4th years next semester and Lorna is graduating this year (insert tears). Love these girls!!

I needed a picture on Swilken Bridge with the red gown. Iconic St Andrews stuff

My favorite souvenir from my time at St Andrews, a half zip sweatershirt with my course on it. PsychNeuro forever

Group shot from Lorna’s soaking, a tradition where 4th years are soaked with water and glitter when they exit their last exam.

Another prized pick up before I left: A StABCo tee shirt. Although I never drank the Wee Blond, I did enjoy many Thistly Crosses in the little pub.

My brother John decorated my room before I landed. He’s a great kid. Good to be back!

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