Wouldn't you lather be in lectures? Freshers lock lips during massive foam fight in bizarre tradition at St Andrews University
- Hundreds of students gather for massive foam fight as part of traditional welcome to St Andrews
- Many were left covered head-to-toe in the foam, which is the messy end to the university's annual 'raisin' weekend
- The Raisin Monday weekend is designed to help new students integrate more easily into life at the university
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Hundreds of freshers got into a lather when they took part in a massive foam fight to mark the traditional student welcome at Scotland's oldest university.
The students pelted each other with shaving foam at St Salvator's Quad in the University of St Andrews, the messy end to the university's annual 'raisin' weekend.
Students were left covered head-to-toe in the foam, which was so thick some were even able to style their hair using it.
Romance: A couple lock lips as hundreds of
freshers take part in a massive foam fight to mark the traditional
student welcome at Scotland's oldest university
Style: The foam was so thick some students were able to style their hair with it
Honour: Students from St Andrews indulge in a tradition of covering themselves with foam to honor the 'academic family'
Hair 'raisin': A student styles his hair into a 'mohican', added by the foam from the massive foam fight
Others meanwhile found the time to make a romantic gesture amid the madness, with some couples kissing while covered in the foam.
Raisin Monday weekend is designed to help new students integrate more easily into life at the university, whose alumni include the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
It comes from the time when freshers were 'adopted' by senior students and even now each first year student is invited to join a 'family' of senior students.
The tradition dates back to the early days of the university when new students would give senior students - known as 'guardians' - a pound of raisins in gratitude for their help in adapting to university life, in exchange for a receipt written in Latin.
Custom: The students appear to be having a whale of a time as they take part in the foam fight
Annual event: The 'raisin' weekend comes from
the time when freshers were 'adopted' by senior students and even now
each first year student is invited to join a 'family' of senior students
Freshers: Students covered in shaving foam take part in the annual university welcome
Party: A lone student sits in a cardboard box surrounded by empty cans of shaving foam following the annual event
Welcome: Students enjoy the annual foam party,
part of a traditional weekend designed to make them feel more at home at
the university
Standing out from the crowd: Students sit on their friends' shoulders to get a better view of the event
Failure to produce such a receipt could result in a dousing in the local fountain.
Nowadays, the raisins have been replaced with a bottle of wine and the dousing with foam.
In a break with tradition, the new students sometimes present a gift to older students in exchange for the receipt.
Famous tradition: The annual event is one of the most famous university traditions in Scotland
Foam fight: Raisin Monday weekend is designed to help new students integrate more easily into life at the university
Fun times: The students threw shaving foam at each other in St Salvator's Quad at the University of St Andrews
History: Alumni of the university, which was founded in 1413, includes the the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Young love: A couple kiss as they take part in the celebrations
Guardians have been known to present large items such as canoes, brass beds and once a bath tub as receipts in return.
The custom ends the following day with a procession and foam fight in the heart of the campus of the university, which was founded in 1413.
Students were warned this year that any illegal or disruptive behaviour would put the future of the tradition at stake.
Foam face: Some of the students went to the event in fancy dress
Clean up: Students begin the long process of clearing all of the foam off themselves
Quick kiss: Another couple enjoy a moment of romance among the madness of the foam fight
Tradition: The foam fight is the messy end to the university's annual 'raisin' weekend
Warning: Students were warned this year that any illegal or disruptive behaviour would put the future of the tradition at stake
Covered: Students were left covered head-to-toe in the foam following the event
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