Editor's Note - This post was originally posted to the newsgroup alt.uk.a-levels.
I returned home today from a week in Cambridgeshire, the intention of which was to visit Cambridge,
look round the colleges and attend an open day at Emmanuel. Having thought it over thoroughly, I've
finally whittled down my shortlist of colleges to two, though not the two I had in mind when I first
arrived in Cam. Well, one of them is the same. But I digress: as quite a few people here seem to go
to Cambridge, or are applying, or have some interest in it, I thought that this newsgroup would be
as good a place as any to post some of my musings on the town and its colleges. Heaven knows, my
parents are fed up of hearing them by now.
EMMANUEL: Where I had my open day. In hindsight the people there (teachers, students, other
sixth-formers at the open day) were as exactly as nice as I'd hoped, though going on my own when it
seemed everyone else was part of a large group was never going to be the most fun thing I'd ever
done. I appreciated all the greenery, and the fact that YOU COULD WALK ON THE GRASS at some points
(wow!), and some of the architecture was rather delightful - the chapel, for example, was almost as
beautiful in its minimalist, Protestant-y way as King's chapel was magnificent. In the end I didn't
decide to apply here as we were told by the ATs that it was the most popular and over-subscribed
college, and the entrance also seemed opposite a rather busy road that I didn't fancy having to
cross regularly. I have to say though, that the presence of the ducks will be my greatest memory of
Emmanuel! Especially when a troop of ducklings ascended the raised front lawn, and found they
couldn't get down again, looking forlornly over the edge and tweeting sadly (aaaaaaah!).
TRINITY: I wasn't really impressed by Trinity that much. The roses around the fountain were a quite
delightful touch, but the architecture didn't interest me, nor the supposed grandeur of it all. Also
I only managed to get to Trinity at 12:05pm, and though I don't suppose they would have let me try
and run around the perimeter of the courtyard, still...
TRINITY HALL: Odd one this. I went on the Tuesday and wasn't particularly impressed by this one
either. It had a nice, cottage-y sense to it but little else. Then, after my open day ended on
Thursday I decided to revisit Trinity Hall and was very impressed indeed. I don't really know what
made the difference. It could have been that my sinuses had cleared and I could smell the flowers.
It could be that, having now seen so much more of the city and realised how big it is, Trinity Hall
didn't seem in the middle of nowhere as it had first done, but rather perfectly situated. It could
have been because the second time around I was allowed to go through onto the back part of the
college, the bit that faces the river. I don't really know at all, it's just that the first time I
went there it didn't seem 'Cambridge' at all, and the second time it did. The grounds seemed a bit
limited, but that was more than made up for. If anyone here goes there - are you allowed to walk on
the grass at the back (the bit with the big tree)?
PEMBROKE: Described on Tuesday by my mother as "the grotty college". Having an hour to kill on
Thursday lunchtime, and being on my own, I decided to pop in and have a look at Pembroke, having
read part of a biography of Ted Hughes before I left for Cam. Wow. Is Pembroke one of the largest
colleges? Lots of huge, impressive buildings surrounded by lovely parkland. Not my cup of tea, for
some indefinable reason, but rather excellent all the same. Unfortunately a black mark was struck
against it as, upon leaving the grounds through the entrance facing Mill Lane, I tripped over one of
those canal-things between the road and the pavement, scraped my left hand and bloodied my right
knee. It later occured to me that if completely sober I couldn't manage to get out of Pembroke
without falling over and hurting myself, I had little chance of surviving after a few drinks in the
college bar.
JESUS: One of my shortlisted colleges based on what I'd read alone, I decided Jesus wasn't the place
for me after walking around the grounds. It just seemed, in my opinion, quite grim.
KINGS: It was only really a passing fancy to look round Kings, but it was the best decision I made
in that week. I never really liked the very large colleges, but I really liked Kings. The chapel
must be one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been in, but the whole college just radiated
a sense of dignified scholasticism. Perhaps that was because at the moment I'm reading the book
Wittgenstein's Poker, which concerns events that took place in the Gibb's building at King's (room
H3, if anyone is fortunate enough to have access).
CLARE: Clare was alright. I only just popped in, but it didn't jump out at me, so I wandered around
a bit, regretted not having my camera with me upon seeing the view from the bridge, and wandered
out again.
PETERHOUSE: Nice, but a bit enclosed - no wide, sweeping vistas of dreaming spires, Cambridgeshire
landscape and drunken students in punts.
Hmm... where else... no, I think that was it. Overall, I thought Cambridge was fantastic. Much more
a city than I thought it would be, but with the wonderful ability (that Oxford sorely lacks, as far
as I can remember) to pass through a college's gates and suddenly find yourself in the countryside.
The architecture is wonderful, it's easy to find your way around and there were some rather good
bookshops indeed. I was tempted for a while to put down Anglia Poly on my UCAS list so I'd get to
live there regardless of how well I did in the Cambridge interview/A-levels...
So in conclusion, my trip to Cambridge was a total success and not in the slightest bit
disappointing. Before I was worried about having to go from living near a large city like Manchester
(not that I regularly go clubbing or anything!) to living in the countryside, but not anymore. Now I
only need to decide between Trinity Hall and Kings, impress the interviewer with my charm and
knowledge of Terrence *****' Doctor Who novelisations and get straight As at A-level and I can rest
secure in the knowledge that the next three years might not be so bad after all.
Rich