Cambridge 2011 Freshers Chat Thread

Is she a first year or second year? From what im hearing, medicine at Cambridge just seems like an absolute mission.

Im looking forward to it, but at the same time im bricking it

I seriously think the way to deal with worrying about it is to pretend that everyone who mentions the workload is lying.
It means no worrying about after you get there and you can just worry about exams instead. That being said a girl from my school who went a few years ago was told by her supervisor that she would have time for physics or time for a boyfriend but she wouldn't have both.

I don't have exams to worry about since I've already got my A Levels. Hence me worrying about it now

I hope my college hasn't sent it out yet! I haven't officially confirmed yet, and it would make me really nervous to know that everyone else could pick accomodation before me and I'm left with whatever nobody wants!

I seriously think the way to deal with worrying about it is to pretend that everyone who mentions the workload is lying.
It means no worrying about after you get there and you can just worry about exams instead. That being said a girl from my school who went a few years ago was told by her supervisor that she would have time for physics or time for a boyfriend but she wouldn't have both.

Did she manage it then? :')

Is anyone else really paranoid that they won't be good enough for cambridge? Does anyone actually get accepted and then fail when they get there? Or am I just going to have to start the precedent...

Is anyone else really paranoid that they won't be good enough for cambridge? Does anyone actually get accepted and then fail when they get there? Or am I just going to have to start the precedent...

Is anyone else really paranoid that they won't be good enough for cambridge? Does anyone actually get accepted and then fail when they get there? Or am I just going to have to start the precedent...

It is extremely rare that people fail, so stop worrying There is only one person I know who genuinely did fail and had to leave, but there was a myriad of reasons as to why that happened and she essentially had completely given up on her work by Christmas so it wasn't a big surprise. You will all most likely be fine, and even if you discover that your course doesn't suit you there are so many other options open to you - Cambridge have picked you and they absolutely don't want you to leave. Plus it really is extremely hard to actually fail...

I have heard quite a few stories about failing vet med... Do you think they're true? Ta for the help

It's likely that there are people who have failed, but I personally don't know any vet meds who have. I think there is more talk of failure among medics (I don't know if this is true for vet med as well) because there are those exams that are externally controlled and therefore a certain percentage of people have to fail them every time. Usually failing those doesn't matter as long as you do well in Cambridge's own exams.

And when I say it's very difficult to actually truly fail I really do mean it. The girl I mentioned who left was completely not cut out for her course or for Cambridge at all, but she also did NO work whatsoever. She used to sleep through all of her lectures and half of her supervisions and when she managed to get any supervision work in at all she was thrilled to bits with herself. So there may be true stories about failing vet med, but generally the failing will be something that the student has allowed to happen to themselves because they've given up. There really is a very good support network at Cambridge, you will usually have numerous ports of call if you are struggling and your work is monitored much more closely than at other universities (termly reports and meetings) so if something is going wrong then it will most likely be fixed. And they tend to be quite understanding of extenuating circumstances too - I know someone else who left after first year because she didn't show up to any of her exams, and even then they were willing to help her work through her problems and have her back the next year. I really wouldn't worry about not being good enough and certainly not about failing at this point. Chances are that if you were selected you are good enough and the possibility of you failing is very small. And even if you feel like you don't deserve it - they've taken you now, so you might as well work as hard as you can and live up to the challenge! Don't be scared, Cambridge is amazingly hard but it's also amazingly fun

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that, feel much better now. I think I am clever enough to be there (sounds big headed but I'm not worried because I don't geel up for the challenge if you get my drift), and definitely love my subject enough so I am going for it, people keep trying to put me off you see Thanks so much, I met the director of studies and thought to myself there is no way he would let us fail. Knowing they do support us a lot is a good feeling! Excited now!!!! Thanks

That being said a girl from my school who went a few years ago was told by her supervisor that she would have time for physics or time for a boyfriend but she wouldn't have both.

...

I think that you're one of my favourite CamChatters 'cos you're so helpful!

Now for my query: Everybody always goes on about how easy it is to fall behind when you're ill in Cambridge. What if you get ill really easily?

I'm one of those people that gets ill if I get too stressed/pressurised- maybe applying to Cambridge wasn't the best idea - and I'd hate for me to get ill and then fall behind just because of the heavy workload.