[faik_kheft]

Bear in mind that university is not like school or sixth form. There are enough people around that whatever happens you will find friendly people that you like and get on with, and people are generally mature enough (and as threeportdrift says, too busy having a life!!) to not be bitchy. In all honesty, bitchiness is something that I have not come across in any form at Cambridge. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I'd like to think that there just isn't much of it around.

[Gnoes]

I applied to Selwyn to read Economics..
As I am an international student, I didn't have the chance to visit to the college myself. I made my decision based on what my seniors told me and the information from the website.

I heard that Selwn has really nice gardens.. What else is Selwyn famous for??

[Hel]

This is all good stuff to know! Thanks, I'm feeling a lot more confident about Selwyn now. Though I wish it was closer to the swimming pool... that's the only sport I really want to get involved in...

[threeportdrift]

Hmmm, I'm not sure about this, but I think that the Uni swimming club do most of their training at the Leys School pool, which must be about a 7 minute bicycle ride away. Even if they train at Parkside, it is still only a 10 minute cycle ride away - so neither journey would count as a warm up!

[Hel]

Hmm, that doesn't sound too bad. Is Parkside the pool that's right by Downing? I was talking to a friend of mine and he said that for me it'd be about a 35-minute walk. (I haven't cycled in years, lol.)

[threeportdrift]

Parkside is the pool beside Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre and Hughes Hall, it's past Downing College from a Selwyn direction. Still, I wouldn't have thought it would take you more than 20 minutes to walk to.

[faik_kheft]

Loads of people haven't cycled in years before they come to Cambridge (including me!!! I've brought a bike with me this year and am a wee bit scared...).

[Hel]

I'm not all that fit and have very short legs. Maybe he was overcompensating in his estimate... *shrug*

Haha, I know how you feel, faik! Although the other day I did have a random urge to go on a bike ride. However, since I no longer have a bike...

[faik_kheft]

(Original post by Gnoes)
I applied to Selwyn to read Economics..
As I am an international student, I didn't have the chance to visit to the college myself. I made my decision based on what my seniors told me and the information from the website.

I heard that Selwn has really nice gardens.. What else is Selwyn famous for??

Selwyn isn't a particularly famous college, and it doesn't really have anything specific that it's renowned for - but the gardens are really nice!!! It has a few famous alumni...the only one I can think of at the moment is Hugh Laurie, the comedian.

[faik_kheft]

(Original post by Hel)
I'm not all that fit and have very short legs. Maybe he was overcompensating in his estimate... *shrug*

Haha, I know how you feel, faik! Although the other day I did have a random urge to go on a bike ride. However, since I no longer have a bike...

...it must have been a very interesting bike ride!!
I bought myself a helmet yesterday, so now I have no excuses to not use the bike. I'm trying to psyche myself up for it, though till term starts I don't actually have anywhere I need to go!!

[Hel]

(Original post by faik_kheft)
...it must have been a very interesting bike ride!!
I bought myself a helmet yesterday, so now I have no excuses to not use the bike. I'm trying to psyche myself up for it, though till term starts I don't actually have anywhere I need to go!!

LOL! Good luck with that! I feel like that as well, kinda - if it's not a utilitarian journey, it's difficult to be motivated enough to do it! That's why I like having a dog: walking him gives me an excuse to get out there and exercise a bit!

[threeportdrift]

I hadn't ridden a bike for about 20 years before I came up to Cam! It was a bit of an adventure at first, the main problem being that my (also short) legs appeared to cycle much faster than my head was really brave enough to deal with. However, I'd now firmly recommend having a bike up here, it really does make life much easier when getting around town. Plus you soon learn the short-cuts and cycle friendly routes so it's not really the traffic nightmare some people think.

Oh, and I just timed myself walking at a 'dawdle with shopping' pace back from town and I reckon that it might take 25-30 minutes to walk to the Parkside Pool, 12-15 to get to Leys

[Hel]

Awesome, thank you!

I'm sure I will get a bike (assuming I get in, haha)... I'm just a bit worried about it, since I haven't cycled in soooo long. It's reassuring to see most other people were in the same boat!

So, what subjects are you all doing? I'm applying for English (can't remember if I already said that).

[threeportdrift]

PhD Politics and Philosophy

[Hel]

Ooh, awesome. Two things I like a lot - although obviously not quite enough to study.

[Hel]

(I say 'awesome' far too much. :/ Must work on that in time for my interview. I picked it up by spending too much time on an American forum, haha.)

[threeportdrift]

(Original post by Hel)
Ooh, awesome. Two things I like a lot - although obviously not quite enough to study.

Be careful, these things creep up on you all unexpectedly! I'm a geographer really, there's nothing better than a map and a big set of coloured pencils

As for awesome - awesome and cool seem pretty common currency around here - even I can use them! Someone used the word 'rad' in a note to me the other day though - still not sure about that!

[Fracture]

Applying here to do History; anything that I should know?

[threeportdrift]

There seem to be lots of historians here already, particularly postgrads and Fellows.

[Jxhn]

(Original post by Fracture)
Applying here to do History; anything that I should know?

Im applying for History too, looks great at selwyn, plus, late wake-up due to proximity to faculty!