Our son will begin his masters at Cambridge in Michaelmas term 2018. He’ll be in Fitzwilliam College. The CC community has been of great help to us in the past, so I’m turning to you once again. What are the things we need to know (the stuff that isn’t in the official Cambridge publications and webpages). I’m sure you have lots of tips and lessons learned that you can share…thanks in advance!
He’ll need a bike. What subject? West Cambridge site isn’t too far, but the rest of the departments aren’t within walking distance and a lot of the activities are in town.
One of the key things to think about as a grad student is how much you center your social life around the college vs the department. For an undergrad it’s always college centered but for a grad it can go either way. Probably best to keep a balance IMO.
Sport is a good way to make friends in his college when he won’t have lots of people doing the same course within his college. Rowing is one of the most social college sports and a good way to make friends in the first term if you can stand getting up at 6am. Rugby is also a very social college sport. No prior experience is required for either. But most of the participants will be undergrads.
Go to the fair where all the University wide clubs look for members. More obscure sports and activities recruit there. Things like hillwalking, climbing and caving are worth considering as they offer a way to get out of Cambridge on organized weekend trips. He’ll probably have a bit more time for that as a graduate student.
The college will have a BA Society for graduate students that organizes some activities too. And the Union Society has debates and shows films but is quite expensive if he’ll only be there one year (it’s a fixed rate for “life” membership).
Thank you, @Twoin18 ! He’ll be getting his MMus in choral studies. We definitely have a bike on the list. Hope to go ahead and buy one before he goes over. Will look into the sports and activity clubs, too.
Suggest you don’t buy one before you go! There are lots of places to buy bikes locally- new & second hand. There is a lively market in bikes (a good locking mechanism is essential…), and he can sell it on when he leaves.