The majority of trainees who take up a position as a graduate trainee will be new to Cambridge. Moving to a new area can be extremely daunting and stressful especially if you don't know anyone, and, if you are taking up a traineeship you will probably only live in Cambridge for a year. This means that you need to find your feet fast. The following sections hope to remove some of the mystery with personal experiences of finding accommodation, an exhaustive list of things to do, good pubs, restaurants, and recreational activities. In addition there is a section on the University which explains the somewhat confusing organisation of colleges, faculties and the university itself. Hopefully this section will prove to be informative and make the move here slightly less daunting.
The Property News for the Cambridge area comes out on a Thursday and is also available online while the Cambridge Evening News has a small property section every day.
As a member of University Staff, you are entitled to use the University Accommodation Service for free. The first step is to register your details on their website or you can do this in person when you come to Cambridge. Once you have registered with them on-line you can login and search their listings yourself. This will give you a good idea about what's available but you'll need to come to Cambridge to find somewhere because landlords want to meet you and properties can go quickly. The easiest thing to do is normally to come to Cambridge for a few days and arrange viewings ready for when you are here. The Colleges are quite helpful in providing a room, or if necessary there are plenty of B&B's around. The accommodation service office at Kellet Lodge, Tennis Court Road provides printouts of suitable properties for a basic fee, or you can look on their website.
Even if you don't decide to use the service yourself, their website offers very useful, general advice for anyone moving to Cambridge. This includes: a guide to rent costs, types of property available, household costs, cost of living, public transport etc. They can even provide you with a list of doctors, dentists etc. in your area.
Renting in Cambridge is expensive, and properties tend to get snapped up very quickly. It's easy to miss out on properties because they go before you have a chance to view them. If you do decide that you want to rent privately then the best advice is to see properties you like the sound of early in the day, be the first of the day to see it if possible, and if it is right for you then go for it.
Generally the letting agencies ask for a high deposit and a month's rent in advance. Some agencies and landlords ask for references, so it may be a good idea to have these ready in advance. It can take up to two weeks from the initial viewing and acceptance until you move in, so it's much easier if you have someone in Cambridge ready to sign contracts etc. Some of the colleges may offer you a room while you are house hunting, and this is obviously cheaper and more convenient than paying for temporary accommodation.
Considering the effort of finding reasonably priced accommodation in Cambridge, it is no surprise that many trainees during the years have decided to share a house or a flat.
If you are interested in sharing a house with a friend or another trainee, the advice is again to move fast - places go very quickly, especially the good ones, and not all agents bother to tell you that a house is let before you turn up for a viewing. However, don't settle for something terrible - there are some real horrors around! The University Accommodation Service can be helpful though they don't always have a huge range of places suitable for shared accommodation. Another useful site is Cambridge Lettings, which has a list of many of the agents based in Cambridge and links to their websites. Be aware that some agents update their listings very regularly, but some do not!
Generally you will get much better booking viewings at specific houses, and little response to general enquiries of the 'three beds, central and cheap as possible' type. While the Brett Ward site has a good range of private lets this obviously means a varying level of service. But persevere! One last tip, especially if more than one person is looking. Keep a list of everywhere you see or reject and who you contacted - many houses will be advertised in more than one place and don't tend to put the address on the advert. Previous trainees have had a few 'funny, we had another three librarians asking about that house' moments!
As well as the options listed above, the trainee at New Hall will also have the possibility of living in very attractively priced college accommodation.
To anyone not from Cambridge, Durham or Oxford the idea of belonging to a college and a University can be a little strange; it is a bit like supporting a football club and your national squad! Rivalry between colleges is strong, especially on the sports field but all the Colleges unite in University-wide sports (everything from Rowing to Tiddlywinks), especially against Oxford.
Cambridge consists of 31 colleges: three are specifically for women (New Hall, Newnham and Lucy Cavendish) and a few are for graduates. Once you matriculate - this consists of a gowned ceremony where you sign the university and your college's register - you are a member of that college. Each college has its own special atmosphere and it really is worth having a look round to appreciate them. The older colleges tend to have impressive chapels, stained glass and winding staircases; the redbricks enjoy quiet gardens a little further out of town and the modern colleges have striking architecture and often hidden gems - the Barbara Hepworth sculpture at New Hall for example. Each college is an independent entity with its own rules and statutes, it interviews and arranges teaching (in conjunction with faculties) for its own students and it provides accommodation and entertainment - essentially it forms an undergraduate's family for the three or four years they are here. The university itself is a union of Colleges, Faculties and Departments and works efficiently with surprisingly small amounts of centralised administration.
Despite the foundation of Girton College in 1869, women only became full members of the university in 1947. Until full degrees were awarded to them, Cambridge women students were awarded the much hated BA (Tit.) degrees. Even today, the university is achieving an even balance between men and women at undergraduate level only with the weighting of the female colleges. However, the university is working hard to combat female underachievement and encourage more women to take their abilities further.
The University operates a complicated system of awards, known as Blues, to sportsmen and women who represent the University. More prestigious sports (rugby, cricket, rowing etc) are awarded Full Blues, Half Blues are given to chess and ice hockey amongst others. Tiddlywinks, which has been played in the University since 1955, holds a Quarter Blue status. University Tiddlywinkers hold world rankings.
The serious business of rowing is best known in the boat race but races are held throughout the year. Bumps races are held in Lent and Easter term. Boats are released along the same course at different times and the idea is to overtake the boat in front of you, giving it a 'gentle' bump on the way past. The more teams you bump, the further up the division you go. The team to win division one is named head of the river and carry their boat through town.
Cambridge terms are named as Michaelmas, Lent and Easter and University teaching weeks begin on a Thursday and end on a Wednesday. (Unless you are an Art Historian whose weeks curiously run Monday to Friday.) To add further confusion, May week, an annual student festivity, is held in June. And, contrary to the geography of anyone North of the Midlands, coming to Cambridge is known as coming up, returning home as going down. The colour known as Cambridge Blue would be identified by most as light green.
Some of the Colleges have their own nicknames: Catz (St Catherine's), Fitz (Fitzwilliam) and Emma (Emmanuel). Caius is pronounced 'keys' and Magdalene 'maudlin'. Mathematicians are known as Mathmos, Computer Scientists as Compscis. Natural Scientists are Natscis (pronouced Natski) and come in two varieties - Physical and Biological - they do not specialise until later. Tripos is the name of all examinations sat and subjects read. It is divided into two parts and is rumoured to be named after the three legged stools used in exams. Tripos results are classed but degrees are not. Technically a Cambridge degree comes without a grade, but you may wish to show off your exam results if you get a first. The student who finishes first in the Mathematical Tripos is known as the Senior Wrangler. In 1892 a woman, Philippa Fawcett of Newnham College, achieved the highest grade to the shock of the entire University in a time when women were thought physically unsuited to Higher Education. Accordingly, her achievement was promptly ignored and the Senior Wrangler title went to the best male student. Academic excellency aside, the unfortunate maths candidate who finishes last is awarded a wooden spoon.
Words often heard inside a College are P'lodge (Porters' Lodge) and JCR (Junior Combination Room), a place where undergraduates or junior members combine and watch television. JCR also stands for the Student Union, although Peterhouse College call theirs 'The Sex Club'. The Fellows have their own SCR. Colleges are run by Presidents, Masters, Prinicpals and in one case a Mistress. Senior members often have brightly coloured gowns and hoods (scarlets) but most undergraduates have plain black gowns with holes in the sleeves. The holes are to pop arms through when eating to avoid spilling the main course over your gown. Gowns for higher degrees do not have this useful feature - Fellows are obviously much more careful.
If you are moving to Cambridge for the first time it can take some time to figure out what is available entertainment wise. The internet is a good starting point for locating cinemas and restaurants and you can ask your colleagues about College fitness centres and nearby swimming pools. Look to local FE Colleges and the University's Adult Continuing Education Department for a variety of evening classes and explore the city centre for a range of bars and pubs. However, to save you spending any unnecessary nights-in wondering what Cambridge has to offer, we have provided some more detailed information to help you get your social life started. Have fun!
Cambridge is a traditional English city, a bustling market town where you could expect to find a plethora of tiny oak beamed pubs, where you can enjoy a pint of Real Ale and a ploughman's lunch. But look beyond this and you will find a surprising array of food and drink from all over the world.
The local breweries here are Greene King, based in Bury St Edmunds and Adnams of Southwold. Just about every traditional pub will stock one or the other. A local microbrewery - City of Cambridge - can be found in the odd outlet and most off licences, and their Hobson's Choice is well worth a sample. A beer festival is held each May on Jesus Green featuring a wide selection of ales, ciders, wines, continental lagers and cheese.
For those who prefer something a bit more trendy, Cambridge is home to your standard chains: All Bar One, Slug and Lettuce and Po Na Na. B bar on Market Passage has a good selection of wines, bottled lagers, draught beers and delicious things to nibble. Cambridge pubs not to be missed include The Eagle in Bene't St, one of Watson and Crick's favourite haunts, and the location they chose to announce their discovery of DNA - probably over a pint of IPA. The Mill is another Cambridge legend. Winter time sees it toasty enough to steam up your specs and in summer it enjoys the biggest beer garden in the city when town and gown alike relax with a quiet pint to watch the sunset on the Fen. The Regal on St Andrew's Street, a JD Wetherspoon pub, used to be the largest public house in Britain and is so spacious that it holds its own mini beer fest. On a similar vein, The Free Press on Prospect Row was Cambridge's smallest pub until a few years ago, when they added a much-needed but still rather tiny extension. The pub also has a policy against using mobile phones on the premises and a very friendly atmosphere, so well worth a visit - if you can fit in!
Expect London prices with beers averaging £2.20- £3.00 per pint, while glasses of wine are often priced at what seems reasonable for a bottle! If you want to save a bit of cash, most College bars have entertainments on weekends- usually called bops. Don't be put off by the silly names, they're lots of fun, very cheap and every College has them. Another excellent place for cheap drinks is the Granta Bar at the University Centre, next to the Mill pub, which often has excellent drinks promotions and reasonably priced food and drink for members of the university and staff.
As nightlife goes Cambridge can be a bit on the quiet side. The main clubs are Life, Soul Tree and Ballare - still known affectionately as Cindy's by every student in town. They all specialise in cheese and commercial dance with the odd hip-hop night thrown in. Kambar is the best of a bad lot for metal and goth fans, while Monday nights at The Fez provide funk and soul grooves.The Junction is a larger venue and the closest Cambridge comes to a 'real' club, but is located out beyond the railway station. Dot Cotton, their predominantly gay and lesbian night, is famous for its party atmosphere and and takes place on the last Saturday of every month. Other things to do include Clowns (King Street) a late night Italian where the waiters call everyone my darling and the hot chocolate flows beyond eleven, and The Man on the Moon, a pub on Norfolk Street, which is also a live music venue.
You certainly won't go hungry in Cambridge!
Starting with the traditional grub, Sunday lunch is to be found almost everywhere. A good recommendation is the Red Bull in Newnham Village, just behind the College, or anywhere in Grantchester (The Orchard with their delicious cakes and afternoon tea is not to be missed). The jacket potato stall on the Market is good as is the Sausage Man - you'll see him on stalls throughout the city. Ask nicely and he might give you a loyalty card.
There are plenty of good and affordable Italian restaurants in the City ranging from Bella Italia (at the Mill Pond and Cambridge Leisure) through a multitude of Pizza Expresses and Huts to some very nice places - Trattoria Pasta Fresca (66 Mill Road) and La Margherita (15 Magdalene Street) being perhaps the best. Lovers of curry will also find their needs well catered for. The best restaurants are the more out-of-town ones, and it is usually prudent to avoid being in any restaurant that is holding a sports team dinner - unless you want to join in with the drinking games!
There are a huge number of oriental eateries in Cambridge. For Thai my money is on Sala Thong (Mill Pond), Cambridge's first Thai restaurant. They do cheaper meals before 7pm and the atmosphere is great. Also good is The Hopbine (Fair Street) which is a nice but pricey pub / restaurant. Dojo noodle bar (1-2 Millers Yard, Mill Lane) is a Cambridge legend and offers huge dishes of Oriental fusion cooking at student-friendly prices.
The Cambridge Leisure Park on Clifton Way is home to several restaurants including Nando's, Outback Steakhouse, Pizza Hut, Frankie & Benny's and Bella Italia.
An important thing to mention is cheese. Cambridge is home to more cheese shops than you'd think normal. The Cambridge Cheese Company is located in All Saints' Passage and there are good stalls on the market - do try it! Its traditional partner in crime: wine, can be purchased in a number of lovely shops. Good places to start are the Cambridge Wine Company (Magdalene Bridge) and the shop with no name on King's Parade near the fudge shop.
A little about student grub as undergraduate habits are hard to shake... Some Colleges offer free or reduced priced meals to trainees, the quality of food ranges from College to College but the fare is usually of the basic filling sort, often accompanied by custard. The University Library tearoom also provides cheap but arguably more inventive meals and a real Cambridge standard in its cheese scones. Another undergraduate favourite, the kebab, is usually found in the Market Square from either the Van of Life or of Death - don't be afraid of the names, they are fairly safe.
To keep things cheap it is worth registering with Local Secrets who will shower you with great offers and free food on your birthday, they also do excellent reviews of pubs and restaurants in the area. For negotiating your way between pubs try the University Map
Cambridge has a number of cinema venues to offer:
Vue Cinema: Located in The Grafton Centre this cinema shows most mainsteam films.
Cineworld: Part of the Cambridge Leisure Park on Clifton Way, this new cinema shows most current films and benefits from very comfy seats!
The Arts Picture House: Located on St Andrew's Street The Arts Picture House offers more alternative and foreign films alongside some mainstream titles.
It also worth asking in your College, as many show a selection of films throughout the term.
Cambridge also offers a range of theatre and concert venues, most of which are walkable from the city centre:
ADC Theatre: The ADC Theatre is the oldest University Playhouse and its stage has been graced by figures such as Emma Thompson and Stephen Fry.The ADC is owned by the Amateur Dramatic Club and managed by the University of Cambridge.
Cambridge Arts Theatre: Located on Peas Hill off Market Square, The Cambridge Arts Theatre is a popular drama, dance and music venue, staging a variety of productions including those fresh from the West End.
The Corn Exchange: The Corn Exchange is a popular music and comedy venue located on Wheeler Street in the City Centre.
Mumford Theatre: The Mumford Theatre is APU's Campus theatre. It stages a variety of professional and student productions.
The Junction: The Junction is a bit further out of the city centre than most of the other venues listed but it stages gigs, comedy sets and drama productions and is committed to showing new artists and talent.
Cambridge has a recently opened bowling alley, Tenpin, which is located in the Cambridge Leisure Park.
Cambridge University's Institute of Continuing Education run a range of evening classes offered at a discount price for University staff and students. Classes available range from creative writing to astronomy, and genetics to botanical illustration.
Or, for the more active amongst you, why not try Yoga Classes as a way of winding down after a stressful day at work?
From the list of University Societies you can find a suitable society to join, whether you like ballet or spelunking, or would like to practise your German in conversation evenings. Perhaps you would like to join The English Society on one of their theatre trips. Or this could be an exciting opportunity to try something completely new!
There are various public lectures held thoughout the year by the University of Cambridge. A free and up-to-date programme can be picked up from the Cambridge University Press Bookshop on Trinity Street. Bibliographical lectures include the yearly Sandars Lectures (in 2004 these were on Sir Sydney Cockerell), Cambridge History of the Book Seminars (topics in 2003-2004 ranged from fifteenth century commercial scribes to nineteenth century journalism), and lectures organised by the Cambridge Bibliographical Society. Further information on all of the above lectures and seminars can be found in the Cambridge University Reporter and Union Catalogue News pages during term time.
While you are working in Cambridge you can always sign up on a Cambridge University Language Programme (CULP) in the Language Centre. Once you have a University Card, you can register with them and learn a new language or refresh your skills by making use of the extensive learning support materials provided. These range from books and CD-ROMS to satellite T.V. in thirteen different languages. During term time they are open 9am-6pm and during vacation the opening times are 10am-4pm. You can find them in the Old Music School site, in Downing Place.
