Annie Smith

20, second-year student studying English and Spanish at the University of St Andrews, aspiring journalist, Deputy Editor of The Saint, Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Scholar.

The Saint / thesaint-online.com

Editor-in-Chief (April 2019-present)

Deputy Editor (Nov 2018-April 2019)

News Editor (Nov 2017 - Nov 2018)

Deputy News Editor (Sept 2017 - Nov 2017)

The Saint •

Joint Councils decline to support UCU strikes

The Joint Councils of the Students’ Association have voted down a motion in support of the UCU strikes, during their last meeting of the semester on Tuesday 19 November. “Motion to call on the SRC to offer support to University of St Andrews staff in taking strike action for 8 days from November 25th” was proposed by Peter Beckett and seconded by Ashab Ahmad, noting that the Joint Councils unanimously passed a similar motion in February 2018 to support the UCU strikes.
The Saint •

Police Scotland cannot afford to ignore St Andrews attacks

In this issue’s news section, The Saint covers recent verbal and physical attacks by younger students in town towards University of St Andrews students. While the article itself gives a detailed history of the events and speaks to victims, one of the incidents may already be familiar to our audience, as student Chris Pringle’s Facebook post detailing his experience being jumped went viral on Facebook, with over 256 reactions and 101 shares. With this, rumours of local school-kids attacking St
The Saint •

St Andrews professor, Dr Valerie Smith, passes away

Principal Sally Mapstone announced today the death of Dr Valerie Smith, known as Val, who passed away on Thursday 2 May after battling cancer. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced soon by the University of St Andrews Chaplaincy. Dr Smith worked as an academic in the School of Biology and had gained international recognition for her work with comparative immunology, with a particular passion for crustaceans, finfish, and micro-algae.
The Saint •

A guide to playing Pokemon Go in St Andrews

Most people remember Pokémon Go for the second-half of summer 2016, when it launched in early July and it seemed as if everyone and their mother was out in the park enjoying the sunshine and catching Magikarps or Pidgeys. As such, many would assume that as they stopped playing Pokémon Go after that fateful summer, so did the rest of the world. However, according to Superdata, more people played Pokémon Go in May 2018 than at any time since the app launched in summer 2016, and its player numbers
The Saint •

Papa John's Pizza opens in St Andrews

Papa John’s Pizza, an American pizza franchise, has come to St Andrews. The Fife location opened on Saturday 13 April and began taking online orders on Tuesday 16 April at their website, papajohns.co.uk. The new restaurant is located in St Andrews Holiday Park, near Albany Park and about a 30-minute walk from the Main Library on North Street. Employees had begun to be hired in March 2019 for training. Papa John’s Pizza in St Andrews is open from 11:00 to 23:00 every day.
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Society19UK / society19.com/uk

Writing Intern (May 2019 - August 2019)

Society19 UK •

How To Survive A Long Layover - And Make The Most Out Of It

When you’re stuck in the airport for a long layover, it’s easy to feel bored, lonely, and even helpless when you’re on your own and can’t sleep without the fear of missing your flight. However, there are a number of ways to not only survive hours in an airport but also make the most of it, learned from years of experience with long layovers. If you’re struggling with how to survive your long layover, these are seven tips to optimise your experience and your trip.
Society19 UK •

Your Career All The Way Up: The Beginner’s Guide To Networking

Nowadays, any job or internship application is practically pointless without networking for it as well. However, networking is an intimidating word and it’s difficult to know how to get started. Whether you’re a high school student or late in your career, introvert or extrovert, looking for a long-term job or summer internship, networking will do wonders for helping you achieve what you want career-wise. These are our 12 tips to help you get started with networking.
Society19 UK •

Shopping-In-Your-Wardrobe: A Trend You Need To Support Now

With the recent news about the environmental impact of fast fashion brands, many people are searching for a new trend to dress well while not harming the planet. However, one of the best places to shop that goes unnoticed by most is your own wardrobe. You may feel like you have nothing to wear, but chances are you’ll actually luck out if you follow these steps and adhere to this new trend. These are our tips for maximising what you already own and avoid spending more money on clothes.
Society19 UK •

The Best Places To Study Abroad According To Instagram

With the world at your fingertips for study abroad, it can be difficult to narrow down where you’d like to set down your temporary home. Especially if you’ve never visited any of your options before. For those who look to Instagram for inspiration, wanderlust, or an escape from their everyday life, these are the best places to study abroad according to Instagram! South Africa is sure to be unlike any place you’ve visited before. Not only is it one of the safest African countries to visit, but S
Society19 UK •

7 TV Shows To Binge If You're Missing Game Of Thrones

In the aftermath of eight seasons of Game of Thrones, many people are wanting the same thing: Shows to binge will the void of their favourite one ending. While it’s difficult to capture the cinematic brilliance and legacy that is Game of Thrones, these are seven shows to binge with similar setting, Emmy potential, and lengthy episodes. Chernobyl has been all the buzz in the media after breaking IMDB records, including those set by Game of Thrones, for the highest-rated television program in his
Society19 UK •

Everything You Need To Help Prepare For Your First Semester At Uni

From making friends to getting registered at a local hospital, first years could spend months preparing for their first semester at uni and still probably forget some things. Starting university is daunting in so many ways, but it can also be some of the best years of your life. To avoid some of the stresses about preparing, these are 10 things you absolutely need to do or pack in order to prepare for your semester at uni.
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The Lodge / gryphonlodge.com

Staff Writer (2014), Copy Editor / Sports Editor (2014-2015), Editor-in-Chief (2015-2017)

Paper Awards:

Best Newspaper/Newsmagazine by THSPA Awards in 2016, 2017

Second Place for Best Website by THSPA Awards in 2016

Best Website by THSPA Awards in 2017

Personal Awards: 

Honorable Mention for Best Column in 2015 ("Victim blaming must stop")

3rd place for Best Sports Story in 2016 ("The early bird gets the worm")

3rd place for Best Features Story in 2017 ("Money on their minds")

The Lodge •

Making melodies

After months of anticipation, the day finally arrives: you head into Tom Lee Park, which seems to have transformed overnight into a carnival for music, you pass funnel cake stations and local artist booths and make your way to the stages. From hip hop to reggae, alternative rock to pop, you know that this weekend will be filled with countless performances by bands and singers you have heard on the radio. As the lights dim and the music begins, you yell out in excitement, ready for a weekend you
The Lodge •

Know, feel and imagine

What you know, what you feel and what you can imagine: Contrary to the popular argument where students and adults alike insist they have nothing to write about, author Deborah Wiles reminded students that stories come from these three places, reminding them they all have stories deep inside of them. Ms. Wiles has been teaching writing in schools across the country for the last 20 years, and, personally, she has written fiction and nonfiction books, many of which appear in libraries on all three
The Lodge •

Hate speech is free speech, too

Who do you think supports free speech more, Democrats or Republicans? While Republicans are viewed as supporters of economic freedom, it’s often Democrats who have the reputation as defenders of civil rights. So why is it that Republicans seem to be more in favor of protecting the freedom of speech than Democrats? In their 2016 party platform, the Republican National Committee stated that we should not infringe on freedom of speech in the name of political correctness and that “limits on polit
The Lodge •

Money on their minds

When listening to senior Noah Pope speak about Cutco, one could be forgiven if for thinking he was describing Stratton Oakmont from “The Wolf of Wall Street.” “If you walk into a Cutco meeting and you’re sitting there, there’s tons of screaming, tons of cheering loud. It’s controlled chaos,” Pope said. Like Stratton Oakmont, Cutco can sound like a nonstop fraternity party: men are screaming exclamations of joy and motivation, the atmosphere is loud and chaotic, and they all have money on their
The Lodge •

Welcome to 30A!

On Thursday, May 19, St. George’s seniors transformed the St. George’s Collierville campus into Seaside, Flor., as they brought students and teachers to 30A with the annual senior prank. Seniors had been planning the prank for about two weeks and decided on the 30A theme because of its tie to St. George’s. “Coming up with the idea was a relatively long process, and we finally arrived at the idea of a beach theme after exploring numerous other options,” senior Jake Lindow said. “It was a really
The Lodge •

The Birds and The Bees

It’s hot. The sun is shining, and I can hear the wind in the grass and birds chirping around me. Instead of walking through busy hallways and making my way through the noisy crowds, I am surrounded by nothing but nature: the yellow flowers ahead of me, the hoophouse harvesting new vegetables on my right and the newly-built treehouse across the pond. I’m at peace. In the midst of the serenity, junior Channell Cole and Dr. Rusty Horton, father to junior Shane Horton, clumsily put on their beekeep
The Lodge •

Prayer isn’t the only way to find meaning

If you look around in a chapel service, you will be able to quickly identify the students who are not saying the prayers. Some of them may be Jewish or Buddhist, others may be atheist or agnostic may even be Christian. However, since people don’t wear signs around their necks stating what they believe, everyone is left to make assumptions, leaving those who aren’t praying in a vulnerable position. I personally dislike organized religion, and after labeling myself as atheist, Buddhist and unive
The Lodge •

(Rock)ing in Memphis

The lineup for the 2016 Beale Street Music Festival was released early Wednesday morning via its website and social media. BSMF, or Music Fest as it is more commonly known, will take place on Friday, April 29, through Sunday, May 1, at Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis. Headliners for Music Fest include Neil Young, Weezer and Train on Friday, Meghan Trainor, Modest Mouse and Jason Derulo on Saturday, and Beck, Paul Simon and Zedd on Sunday. Other acts include Panic! at the Disco, Young the Giant
The Lodge •

This is HUGE!

All Syrian refugees are apart of ISIS, all Mexicans are rapists and Muslims need to be banned from the country, according to Donald Drumpf. The best part? He’s in line to be the next president of the United States of America. Drumpf seems to have offended almost every group imaginable, including, but not limited to journalists, people with disabilities, African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, women, fellow candidates and war veterans, as well as the aforementioned Muslims, Mexicans and Syr
The Lodge •

We Want You!

This article has previously appeared in the Collierville Herald on Thursday, Nov. 17. This winter, students in eleventh grade at St. George’s Independent School in Collierville, Tenn., are launching a research project to learn about the town of Collierville during World War II. The goal is to document how the people of Collierville contributed to the war effort and were affected by the war. As Collierville was a small town at the time with a population of about 1,000 residents, the town serves
The Lodge •

Taking the wagon wheel all the way to state

On the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 2, the varsity football team departed for their state championship game in Cookeville, Tenn. The game will take place at 3pm against Northpoint Christian School. To send off the football players before they departed from school, hundreds of middle and upper school students, as well as parents of football players, created a fan tunnel for the football team. Students cheered with pom-poms and signs for specific players and high-fived the boys as they walked throu
The Lodge •

True colors

“I feel like I’m supported,” he said. “No one says anything to me or looks at me weird. If they do, they keep it to themselves.” Within the last several months, the United States has rapidly changed as groundbreaking stories made news, including Bruce Jenner transitioning to Caitlyn Jenner and Pope Francis’s comments on gay marriage. “There are still those people who don’t really accept [gay marriage], but I feel like it’s just a better time for children to grow up now than it was back then,”
The Lodge •

Gold and red go head-to-head

In place of a homecoming pep rally, the Upper School held its first annual field day in place of a homecoming pep rally on Friday, Oct. 23, led and organized by Dean of Students Mrs. Kalyn Underwood. Grade-level advisories worked together and represented one of two overarching teams, with the red team consisting of freshmen and juniors and the gold team of sophomores and seniors. “It was just all-around, good family fun,” junior Mason Walker said. Walker added that the battle balls were his fa
The Lodge •

Make new friends, but keep the old

What do you think of when you hear Quaker? Your mind may jump to the Amish community and you may assume it is a rather conservative and traditionalist form of Christianity, or you may know about their universalist methods and assume it’s a hippie religion. Regardless of your prior knowledge of the Quaker religion, nothing can prepare you for experiencing an actual service. In order to receive participation credit in the upper school religious studies class this year, which is taught by Mr. Kyle
The Lodge •

New faculty brings St. George’s to new heights

More than 18 new faculty members joined the St. George’s staff this fall, many of whom are new faces representing entire departments. Because of this, many branches of St. George’s, including college guidance, theater, citizenship and science, now appear brand-new to returning students. After the departure of theater director Mr. Marques Brown and the decision of choir director Mr. Dennis Darling to go part-time, the theater and choir department shifted greatly, welcoming three new faculty memb
The Lodge •

“Be curious about stuff”

In what ranged from a book signing to a five-second cartooning lesson, the Germantown and Memphis campuses welcomed two authors, Margaret Peterson Haddix and Kevin Sylvester, on Tuesday, Sept. 15. The visit was led by librarians Mrs. Jennifer Winstead at the Germantown campus and Mrs. Catherine Denman at the Memphis campus. Before the presentations by the authors, both Haddix and Sylvester signed students’ books and talked with them one-on-one. Haddix worked as a newspaper reporter and copy ed
The Lodge •

Seniors transform Collierville campus into “St. George’s International Airport”

On Thursday, May 14, the senior class of 2015 transformed the St. George’s Collierville campus into “St. George’s International Airport” for their senior prank, focusing specifically on the lobby, specific classrooms and outside of the school. When entering from the Houston Levee entrance, students were directed by senior students, who were dressed in orange construction vests, as well as an electronic road sign that read, “Welcome to St. George’s Int’l Airport.” These seniors restricted studen
The Lodge •

Two left feet

As I picture myself walking into St. George’s prom, I am immediately greeted with couples dancing elegantly to music that my great-grandparents most likely listened to at their proms. The twirling and swinging is enough to enchant anyone. Although I never pictured myself being able to pick up a type of dance quickly, seeing everyone swing dancing with ease motivates me to seek it out and learn more so that I can have as great of a time as them. Swing dancing is a style of dance that is quickly
The Lodge •

The early bird gets the worm

Typically, students begin seriously thinking about college during their junior year, as was the way for parents and teachers when they were in high school. However, as the process of applying to college becomes only more difficult and competitive, student athletes interested in continuing on with a sport in college are beginning the college process as early as eighth grade. While committing to a school early relieves athletes of college stress as seniors because they have already decided, in re
The Lodge •

Senior academic all-stars honored at luncheon

On Wednesday, April 29, nine seniors from St. George’s were recognized as academic all-stars at the 2015 Academic All-Star Luncheon for the Memphis area. The event was held at the Hilton in Memphis, Tenn., and was sponsored by Republic Services. Throughout the year, high school seniors were nominated for this title by their teachers and recognized in the weekly spread in the Commercial Appeal. The luncheon was held to recognize the 197 nominees, out of 25 thousand to 30 thousand seniors eligibl
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Other Publications

EF Tours Journalism Intern in Davos, Switzerland (2015)