Social & Student Life at Cambridge University
“Cambridge? I swear only posh white people go there.” “Yeah, they all just stay in the library, no time to do anything else”. “It’s all a bit dead”. Social and student life at Cambridge University has an unfortunate bad rep. In this post, I’m dispelling some of these misconceptions and answering the questions you guys sent me. Check out the full video here.
Will I fit in?
A worry that may stop some from applying to Oxbridge is this notion of “I won’t fit in”. And tbh, that’s quite natural to feel this way. But the reality is that like every Uni, there are people from all walks of life here. You’re bound to find a group of people you vibe with. Not only that, we grow as people by being exposed to different types of people and ideas, so really I’ve realised it’s a blessing to have such a varied mix of people.
Will I have time to chill, go out, do my hobbies?
The first 3 years as a pre-clinical student, the volume of work is going to keep you very busy. Even if you master time management and productivity, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to spend serious time on more than 1 or 2 hobbies generally speaking. However, things do get better starting from 3rd year and you can slowly expand your interests and hobbies, taking on more extra-curricular challenges. Also, the term times are super short (around 8 weeks), which means your holidays especially the summer ones are very long (almost 4 months). So, it’s not all doom and gloom.
What’s the nightlife like?
It’s not amazing. But, there is something for everyone. There are clubs that hose hip=hop/ grime nights like Fleeky Friday in Cindies or Ballare. Then there are more pop/disco type music available in the same club on days like Tue and Wed, as well as other clubs like Fez and Vinyl (aka Life). So yeah, something for everyone.
What’s there to do for fun?
There are plenty of societies ranging from cultural to sports. You can develop your current skills and passions or even pick up new things. Punting in summer is a favourite thing to do for most, which is essentially going on a boat on the River Cam. There are these massive balls or parties that happen at the end of every year too, called May Balls which are again a highlight of the Oxbridge experience.
Opening Doors
Now I know that we’re trying to figure out if Oxbridge is more than its name. But we can’t ignore it completely. Not only will the Oxbridge name carry weight in your future applications to whatever job or role, but it also enables you to form incredible connections. Oxbridge attracts some of the greatest academics and talents. As a student of Oxbridge, you gain access to this pool of incredible minds and allows you to form very powerful and useful connections. So not only will the Oxbridge name bolster your application, but you are also likely to know someone who is able to support your application meaningfully through a reference etc, or that connection might lead you to further opportunities. These are perks you are likely to get from most unis, but by virtue of the name, Oxbridge just afford you those top connections. This might sound a bit high and mighty, but there’s definitely some truth to this.
