'You're going to Cambridge - now what?': Advice from Team Peterhouse

Please explain how wifi calling works!

Please explain how wifi calling works!

Thank you @Doones and @ProudPops for the explanation! I had it explained to me by an IT manager a couple of years ago and have used it when my signal has been weak. I've not had any problems with signal outside, but I've lived in a couple of buildings in Cambridge with thick concrete walls and wifi calling has been very useful!

Wifi Calling is clever technology that allows you to use your call minutes to make or receive a call when you have no actual phone network signal. Minutes used come from your allowance, but it allows you to use the phone as a phone when there is no signal BUT there is wifi. You have to select this as a setting in the phones menu.

@Peterhouse Admissions
Received the registration email today, but when I try to create a new account it says "unable to verify data you have entered against data in database". Anyone else got this issue?? I've heard engineering students were able to register first (I'm doing chemical engineering via NatSci)

Yes, lots of people, if not everyone! The Student Registry are working on it!

Hello all,

I am a student due to start at Robinson in October to read geography. With the possibility of a major second wave of COVID-19 getting more and more plausible every day, in the last week I have found myself seriously considering a gap year so that I can start university when life is (hopefully) back to normal.

Now usually, there would be no chance of deferring at this time of year. However, I understand that the situation this year may be a little different due to the enlarged intake that most colleges are experiencing and that, in some cases, volunteers for deferral are being actively thought.

Has anyone had any experience with dealing with deferral requests in the last few days? Is it worth even calling my college to ask them if it's possible?

Hello all,

I am a student due to start at Robinson in October to read geography. With the possibility of a major second wave of COVID-19 getting more and more plausible every day, in the last week I have found myself seriously considering a gap year so that I can start university when life is (hopefully) back to normal.

Now usually, there would be no chance of deferring at this time of year. However, I understand that the situation this year may be a little different due to the enlarged intake that most colleges are experiencing and that, in some cases, volunteers for deferral are being actively thought.

Has anyone had any experience with dealing with deferral requests in the last few days? Is it worth even calling my college to ask them if it's possible?

Hi, sorry if this is a strange question to ask -

I'm currently learning driving and (I believe) we're over halfway through the progress. However it looks like that we can't finish it before October so is it possible to find another instructor at cam and do the test there (or is this the most sensible thing to do?)
P.S. Since I did my theory a lot earlier it's going to expire if I don't do the test soon... (Certainly should be more organized )


Any advice would be very appreciated. Thanks!

Cambridge certainly has driving instructors, yes. However, students can't usually keep cars in Cambridge, so you wouldn't be able to keep practiced, and it's a pretty diabolical place to drive (see previous posts about cyclists and pedestrians and add to that one-way systems). Depends whether home is busier or quieter than Cam, could you cram everything into the Christmas break at home?

Thanks for the advice! Yeah from the previous posts it does sound like a nightmare to drive in cam... Doing it over Christmas is actually a good idea!

@Peterhouse Admissions, Thank you so much for helping us with this.

You wrote "Freshers' Week will begin on 28th September." but my accommodation starts on 3rd October. Should I ask my college if I can come on 28th September?

No, don't worry. Peterhouse's Freshers Week starts then, and when I wrote this post, i assumed that was universal. I am now aware that it is not, so I will amend my original post.