Dating back to 1413, Raisin Monday has evolved into a very messy and fun affair for freshers
Students in St Andrews have celebrated Raisin Monday with the annual foam fight taking over part of the town as the new term gets underway.
Hundreds of first year students took to St Salvator’s Quad to take part in the messy ceremony for the traditional celebration to welcome freshers.
Students Daisy, Lilliana, Bee, and Charlotte said they took part in the foam fight “for the memories”.
“It’s so much fun. It’s a huge tradition here. We didn’t want to miss out,” the group said.
Raisin Monday is a tradition where older students adopt first-year students as “children” and help guide them through mentoring.
The tradition is intended to help freshers meet new people and settle in.
The mentoring originally started in Raisin Weekend, when “children” were entertained by their “parents” and are encouraged to play pranks and silly games.
The unusual tradition is believed to date back to the university’s founding in 1413.
On Monday, third-year students lined the foaming arena to cheer on their “children”, often dressed up the same to signify their “family” ties.
Chloe, 17, and Anais, 18, explained that each “family” is supposed to choose a theme and dress the “children” up so each group can recognise each other.
“Our family chose to do face paints,” Anais said.
“We woke up at three, and then we just all got ready together at one of our academic parents’ places, and obviously there’s a foam fight now, and it’s been really, really fun. And what’s really good is that we had to give food donations as well before we came in.”
Misha Bahlaj, 18, and Dakota Flaget, 21, first year students who were dressed as smurfs for the foam fight, agreed that the tradition had been “so fun”.
Misha, who had shaving foam completely covering her ears and face, said: “I can barely see, I can barely hear, but I’m enjoying myself.”
First year student Adam Gibb said he did not know what to expect coming into the day, but he said he was having a great time.
“I didn’t really know (what to expect) to be honest, but this is really fun. This has exceeded my expectations, whatever they were,” he said.
“It has been a very good welcome to the uni.”
Another group of students, dressed as fairies from Barbie: Fairytopia, called the foam fight tradition “amazing” and said they were having an “incredible amount of fun”.
1. Raisin Monday 2026
The historic and eccentric student gathering takes place at St Andrews University every October | Getty Images
2. Raisin Monday 2026
Hundreds of first-year students took to St Salvator’s Quad to take part in the messy ceremony | Getty Images
3. Raisin Monday 2026
Raisin Monday is a tradition where older students adopt first-year students as “children” and help guide them through mentoring. | Getty Images
4. Raisin Monday 2026
Students were kept stocked up on shaving foam for the fight | Getty Images