The Cambridge Chat Thread - it&#x27;s over 90,000!

Original post by Craghyrax

I was thinking something along these lines.
But in fairness, whenever I discuss Cambridge to prospective applicants I pretty much say straight off 'don't come to Cambridge if you're keen on nightlife'.

I liked the Cambridge nightlife!
But then, compared to home it was a bustling metropolis :p:

Reply 9082

Original post by Slumpy

I liked the Cambridge nightlife!
But then, compared to home it was a bustling metropolis :p:

I like bars, pubs, formals and dinner parties. So for me Cambridge was perfect. I hate clubs, and Soul Tree and Fez did absolutely nothing to change that :yucky:

Reply 9083

Slumpy

Original post by Craghyrax

I like bars, pubs, formals and dinner parties. So for me Cambridge was perfect. I hate clubs, and Soul Tree and Fez did absolutely nothing to change that :yucky:

Shoulda gone to cindies :wink:

Reply 9084

lp386

Original post by Mr Dactyl

Just putting it out there, but while most of us don't spend all their time working, most of us are, in one way or another, pretty weird geeky people. I mean, in some respects I suspect being weird and geeky is a pretty good marker for enjoying your time in Cambridge. Isn't Gilbert and Sullivan our biggest society? don't thousands of us pay more than £100 to watch people debate? At Liverpool, for example, they struggle to get people to go for free! Don't all our clubs close at about three? Let's not fight it, there's enough universities for the normals ; )

Original post by Craghyrax

I was thinking something along these lines.
But in fairness, whenever I discuss Cambridge to prospective applicants I pretty much say straight off 'don't come to Cambridge if you're keen on nightlife'.

But there are weird geeky people in Cambridge who also enjoy occasionally going out to clubs, or to pubs, and occasionally discussing something that isn't hard culture or high science, and watching The X Factor, etc. etc. ad nauseum.

And when you get a group of students coming back to talk to you and all of them give the impression that they don't really have a life outside work, even the ones with weird geeky interests think "Stuff that for a game of toy soldiers" and apply to UCL instead. And it's most likely to put off the people who aren't used to spending their time around a load of people at the top end of the academic spectrum - and they're the people we already have the most trouble targeting.

I don't think we need to give the impression that Cambridge is some kind of party town and the academic veneer is just a total lie, but we do need to accurately tell people that whatever your inclination to be social, whether it be clubbing, quiet drinks with friends or tea and Doctor Who, they will fit in.

(I also worry that a sample of people who spend a hot summer evening on an internet forum may not be the most representative sample, even among Cambridge students, but that's beside the point.)

(I say this as someone who doesn't do loud noises, big crowds, and socialising with people he doesn't know)

(In fact, last weekend I was at a wedding and I hid behind a hedge for 90 minutes to avoid being forced into dancing :getmecoat:

)

(And I've never been to Cindies, so :tongue:

)

Reply 9085

Tortious

Original post by Slumpy

Shoulda gone to cindies :wink:

I've been when it was literally empty once - only about four other people (in addition to our group of eight). There was that much space that we posed for photos! :proud:

Reply 9086

lp386

Original post by Craghyrax

I was thinking something along these lines.
But in fairness, whenever I discuss Cambridge to prospective applicants I pretty much say straight off 'don't come to Cambridge if you're keen on nightlife'.

This, though, I think is entirely fair - if your first priority is "the clubbing scene", Cambridge is very much not for you.

In fact, if the clubbing scene is your first priority for choosing a university: your mother was a Oxonian and your father smelt like he'd been thrown in the Cam. The Corpus grasshopper demonically glares in your general direction.

Reply 9087

Slumpy

Original post by Tortious

I've been when it was literally empty once - only about four other people (in addition to our group of eight). There was that much space that we posed for photos! :proud:

Yeah, I did that in exam term shortly before most exams started. So few people there, it was bizarre. I'm not sure what one does in a club when there's actually the space to dance...

Reply 9088

It could be lupus

Original post by lp386

Also, I'm very much in support of people blogging - I'm currently trying to write 40,000 words for charity in 25 days and it's nearly killing me, so it's good to see other people blogging as well!

What charity are you writing for and how is your blogging raising money for them?

Also I think the geekiness of Cambridge is a good thing. I'll probably miss it next year...

Reply 9089

Original post by lp386

I don't think we need to give the impression that Cambridge is some kind of party town and the academic veneer is just a total lie, but we do need to accurately tell people that whatever your inclination to be social, whether it be clubbing, quiet drinks with friends or tea and Doctor Who, they will fit in.

I do

Reply 9090

alex_hk90

19

Original post by Craghyrax

I was thinking something along these lines.
But in fairness, whenever I discuss Cambridge to prospective applicants I pretty much say straight off 'don't come to Cambridge if you're keen on nightlife'.

I preferred Cambridge's nightlife to Beijing's and Shanghai's. :tongue:

Just say that it's "different" and let them find out if and when they make it. :yep:

Reply 9091

Original post by alex_hk90

I preferred Cambridge's nightlife to Beijing's and Shanghai's. :tongue:

Just say that it's "different" and let them find out if and when they make it. :yep:

But you liked Cindies, so we can't take anything you say seriously :erm:

Reply 9092

Melz0r

I never realised Emma had a reputation for extreme geekiness even within Cambridge, until a girl from Newnham I met in France started saying 'That's so Emma...' to excessively geeky things I said and did. Although it turned into a bit of a meme and we just started saying it all the time ('I know this is going to sound a bit Emma, but...')

Reply 9093

It could be lupus

Original post by Melz0r

I never realised Emma had a reputation for extreme geekiness even within Cambridge, until a girl from Newnham I met in France started saying 'That's so Emma...' to excessively geeky things I said and did. Although it turned into a bit of a meme and we just started saying it all the time ('I know this is going to sound a bit Emma, but...')

What? Emma isn't geeky... they should see what Trinity is like :laugh:

Reply 9094

Eugh. I've got a mini-viva tomorrow at 10. Its to assess whether you get to continue the PhD. People don't really fail that often but its still stressful. And it involves an hour or two of people asking you difficult questions and ripping your work to shreds :frown:

And you can't really prepare for it. I mean I know the chapter I submitted so reading it again feels pointless.
I've given up trying to read stuff, and I've already written out possible Q&As. Think I'm just going to go to bed :getmecoat:

Reply 9095

Melz0r

Original post by It could be lupus

What? Emma isn't geeky... they should see what Trinity is like :laugh:

*furtive glance at Tompkins Table* yeah, alright, point taken.

Reply 9096

ukdragon37

14

Original post by Melz0r

I never realised Emma had a reputation for extreme geekiness even within Cambridge, until a girl from Newnham I met in France started saying 'That's so Emma...' to excessively geeky things I said and did. Although it turned into a bit of a meme and we just started saying it all the time ('I know this is going to sound a bit Emma, but...')

I never got that impression, although I'm in a subject that's usually thought to be an epitome of being geeky :unsure:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 9097

If that is true of Emma it explains why I got on so well with people there :p:

Reply 9098

Sockpirate

15

Original post by alex_hk90

I preferred Cambridge's nightlife to Beijing's and Shanghai's. :tongue:

Just say that it's "different" and let them find out if and when they make it. :yep:

I'd agree on that front, although the all you can drink for 30 yuan on a Wednesday at Propaganda Wudaoko was a pretty hilarious night I'm not sure I'll forget any time soon...

Original post by Craghyrax

But you liked Cindies, so we can't take anything you say seriously :erm:

Cindies is GREAT. :woo:

OK, Cambridge nightlife sure isn't the same as big city nightlife, but to be honest it's not worse, just different. It's brilliant fun in its own way, and if you go out wanting to enjoy yourself, you'll have a great time. All my best nights out have been in Cambridge, not in my home city. :smile:

Reply 9099

lp386