From the day they met as toddlers at nursery school, fate seems to have a hand in ensuring the lives of Carly McLaren and Andrew McMaster have followed remarkably similar paths.
The best friends from Broughty Ferry were in the same classes right through their school days at Eastern Primary and Grove Academy and, after spending four years as students at the University of Dundee, they will graduate together tomorrow, July 11, with the same degrees.
Carly and Andrew, both 22, have just completed Honours degrees in Contemporary European Studies, a course which looks at modern issues affecting European countries and can involve studying a language, in their case, German.
Carly said, "Andrew and I have always found ourselves in the same classes and during University, especially in our German classes, we have been a great support to one another. I hope Andrew feels I have been as much of a support to him as he has been to me."
Andrew added, "I knew Carly was planning to study an Arts and Social Science course at the University of Dundee but I was pleased to find on matriculation day that we had both signed up for the same course. "I'm sure we helped each other pass."
Following graduation, Carly and Andrew are going their separate ways for a while - Carly into retails and Andrew on a round the world trip. But they may soon find themselves working together again as both are considering applying for placements in the European Parliament.
By Jane Smernicki, Press Officer 01382 344768 j.m.smernicki@dundee.ac.uk