University of Cambridge

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Peterhouse (Cambridge) Students and Applicants

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brunswick

If that was meant to be patronising, I will smite you.

I said no, because there are no phones in your room unless you get one and put it in, which is true. Seeing as most people at Peterhouse don't do this, most people use Hermes/mobiles to get in touch.

Wasn't meant to be patronising at all, just stating how the replies could be consistent. I can't find any mention of the availability of phone points in your room in your (at least initial) post.

Mobiles have their use, and some people are outside their room so much that they wouldn't use the phone in their room much - you certainly can't rely on a landline to get hold of someone else compared to a mobile, and NTL to mobile call costs are on par with Mobile to Mobile. But if you are going to make/recieve any long calls to/from landlines, and don't spend enough money on calls to make a mobile contract viable, then the landline is worth it.

Tisch, so the answer to your phone question is yes. I'll leave the gown to someone else, since I was silly enough to buy from the Porters. Finally, don't worry about lack of communication from college, although annoying, it is sadly normal.

University of Cambridge

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Reply 101

JennyST

Gowns: Porters recommend Ede & Ravenscroft. They are more expensive, but some people claim they're better quality. I can't tell the difference. Ryde & Amies are cheaper (£30 as opposed to £45), as are A E Clothier. You can order online from R&A, or over the phone from the porters, or buy as soon as you arrive - you need it for Tuesday 3rd Oct.

Phones - most people use mobiles, but some use the phone point in their rooms if they want to call home a lot.

Jenny

Reply 102

Gary2688

Should we have received any kind of freshers pack in the post yet? I know the freshers' guide is online, but I haven't received anything. And is this http://www.ryderamies.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RA&Product_Code=GUG&Category_Code=Academic the robe we need? If so is it just as easy to get it now and bring it with us to save queues etc? :biggrin:

Reply 103

Captain Crash

Gary2688

Yep thats the gown you need. I can't see any reason why you shouldn't buy early....

As for the fresher's pack, I wouldn't worry about it just yet. You'll prob get it next week or so. If i remember rightly it was only a small booklet anyway....

Reply 104

Trundle

Gary2688

Should we have received any kind of freshers pack in the post yet? I know the freshers' guide is online, but I haven't received anything.

Don't worry, I have not received anything either!

Reply 105

Gary2688

Glad I'm not the only one then! Leaving it a bit on the late side though. I'm still trying to think of homely things to fill my room up, seeing as it will be like one big empty lonely space to start with. Like the idea of a door stop to be nosey though.

Reply 106

JennyST

Door stops are very useful. I couldn't find anywhere in town that sells them, so had to cycle all the way out to Homebase, which is no fun.

As far as admin goes, Peterhouse are often slightly disorganised, and almost always late to send freshers stuff. Don't worry too much about it. When you get your bill at the end of term, check for mistakes. They're pretty good about fixing it when they do go wrong.

And if you have any more questions, do ask. If MSN would be easier than posting on here, just PM me for my address.

As for homely things, a lot of people had fairy lights around their notice boards, which worked well. Posters are also good. There are picture hooks in your rooms, and you can always ask for them to put more up. Don't forget drawing pins for your notice board.

Jenny

Reply 107

Gary2688

I didn't think of drawing pins - I'll bring all of these things, then forget my toothbrush, sods law. Happy about Peterhouse being disorganised though, something tells me I've chosen the right college for me...

Reply 108

rec53

One other bit of advice that I think has been missed, is:

DON'T PANIC!

If you forget to bring your Underwater Basket Weaving kit, you can probably buy one at Cambridge. :smile:

I think Jenny's door stop journey is a bit extreme. CUSU sent a nice "CUSU Diary" which served me well. :smile:

Edit: the reference to Underwater basket weaving relates to a joke from lectures for the History of Maths course, which *everyone*, mathmo and non-mathmo should attend.

Reply 109

Captain Crash

JennyST

]As for homely things, a lot of people had fairy lights around their notice boards, which worked well.

- This might be ok for girls but guys, don't do this. Ever.

EDIT - you may want to bring a laundry bag too. You know, for laundry.

Reply 110

Gary2688

I have a sneaky feeling I may be too busy to go to history of maths lectures, having spent the last two years not exactly loving maths, but I may give it a go. Be it on your head if I start crying at horrible maths memories. And I wasn't intending to put up fairy lights either. Which may come as some relief. I looked round a room at York and this girl had literally covered her room in them. And they were all pink. It looked truly shocking.

Reply 111

JennyST

I didn't mean pink ones.

And yes, posters are generally better than fairy lights for guys. I'm sure Captain Crash would recommend a row of JD bottles along the mantlepiece. Grandpa Craig prefers port. Ed had a very large poster of Bushisms. Phil had a lot of tea.

Laundry bag is indeed useful.

Don't forget clothes suitable for sport if you might want to try a new sport, and bring any musical instrument you play, since the college orchestra is fun and accepts musicians of all standards.

Jenny

PS- Rob, if you can tell me anywhere nearer than Homebase which sells door stops, do say.

PPS-Don't panic is indeed good advice. Also don't forget your towel.

Reply 112

rec53

Gary2688

I have a sneaky feeling I may be too busy to go to history of maths lectures

These are optional lectures aimed at mathematicians, but they aren't very mathematical in nature and the lecturer is quite laid back - a course you could just pop into a random lecture of. Might as well say Wednesdays+Fridays 4pm, MR9, CMS (maths dept.) at this point anyway, unless the head of department (all bow in his presence, etc, etc.) decides to be amazingly radical.

Reply 113

Gary2688

Might be worth a look in at some point then maybe. I was only joking about bringing pink fairy lights as well. That would be massively stupid. I will bring a big bag of my sports kit though, I need sport! What's the sport like anyway? (ed: within Peterhouse I mean, I don't think I'm extreme enough for trying to get a blue)

Reply 114

Gary2688

Also, the pages are p on the Peterhouse website as well now, so I'll be trawling through those...

Reply 115

Captain Crash

Because we're so small, the competition for sports teams isn't particularly high. The only teams with a slight element of competition are the badminton, basketball, football, cricket, and rugby. Any other team, if you want to play, chances are you'll get the opportunity.

This doesn't mean we're no good (we're undisputed champions in Basketball) but we usually get relient on the small harem of brilliant sports players at the college. If you're even half decent at sport you'll be welcomed with open arms.

For more info see http://www.srcf.ucam.org/petamals/

EDIT - Actually there's no team quite as competitive as the Peterhouse pool team...

Reply 116

Trundle

Gary2688

Also, the pages are p on the Peterhouse website as well now, so I'll be trawling through those...

Wow! It seems a bit intimidating; all of these things to learn about the college. I am sure with time that things will just become second nature. With regard to the certificates, I didn't think that the exam boards had yet printed the A-level certificates for 2006? It does say that you can opt to send results slips instead but surely everybody will end up doing this? My old college usually give certificates out at a presentation ceremony in November time. However, if they already have them, I could just ask for them now.

With regard to the language options, are you allowed to study for a diploma in a language which you have never studied before? I got an A in A-level French but for some reason they are not offering either a "ceritificate" or a "diploma" in that subject this year :frown:

. I quite fancy either German or Russian. To what level roughly does a diploma equate? I.e. Is it higher than an A-level? Sorry if that sounds a really stupid question but I am trying to comprehend the standards necessary, given that I can find such little information about it. Anybody else going to take up a language? Clearly I won't be a historian in bed at 2pm everyday :p:

Reply 117

Trundle

Captain Crash

Do you tend to find it is just sports enthusiasts who participate or does everybody join in? (By everybody, I mean those who show no sporting ability whatsoever!).

Reply 118

Gary2688

I think the language thing might be a bit OTT, they said you have to join in MML tripos classes, which is a bit extreme for a bit of fun on the side. Yeh, those pages are a bit intense, I get a worrying feeling reading them that if I do anything wrong, it's the last thing I'll ever do. Are you going on the saturday Trundle?