We asked some first-year undergraduates to tell us about their first few terms at Cambridge. Here you can read what they had to say about Cambridge life in their own words.
Aiden Cope |
Aiden Cope is studying PPS (Politics, Psychology and Sociology) at Wolfson College. He’s a mature student, who was financially independent from the age of 16, and qualifies for maximum support from Student Finance and from Cambridge. He’s found this helpful in making a new life and getting to grips with some big challenges academically.
Aiden Cope, 25, is studying Politics, Psychology and Sociology (PPS) at Wolfson College. He left school after GCSEs and took a series of badly paid jobs before setting up his own business. His passion for politics prompted him to return to full-time education three years ago when he signed up for A-levels at Nelson and Colne College in Lancashire.
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Kat Suddaby |
Kat Suddaby went to a comprehensive in Yorkshire and is studying Natural Sciences at Pembroke College. She started rowing in her first few weeks at Cambridge and is now rowing in Pembroke’s women’s first boat. Intensive training means getting up early. Meanwhile there’s no escaping the reality of impending exams.
Kat Suddaby, 20, is studying Natural Sciences at Pembroke College. She was brought up near Leeds and went to Boston Spa School. She wasn’t at all sure about applying to Cambridge – but is now taking advantage of everything that Cambridge has to offer.
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Robin Irvine |
Robin Irvine is studying Archaeology and Anthropology at Corpus Christi College. It’s a wide-ranging course that brings together many different aspects of the study of humanity. Once exams are over, he’s plotting an escape to the furthest reaches of Mongolia to take part in anthropological fieldwork - and get in some adventurous riding.
Robin Irvine, 22, is studying archaeology and anthropology at Corpus Christi College. He was brought up in Scotland where he went to both independent and state schools. Here he describes how a single gap year turned into three as he wrestled with the tricky problem of where his real interests lay. |
Phoebe Pluckrose-Oliver |
Phoebe Pluckrose-Oliver is in her first year at Homerton College, studying English and Drama with Education. She was brought up in Essex. In her second diary she describes how she’s combining her academic work with producing a new piece of theatre, while enjoying a busy social life.
Phoebe Pluckrose-Oliver, 19, is at Homerton College studying English and Drama with Education. She was brought up in Essex and went to Hockerill Anglo-European College, a state-funded school in Bishop’s Stortford where she took the IB (International Baccalaureate). She’s been passionate about drama ever since she can remember.
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Michael Kitromilidis |
Michael Kitromilidis comes from Athens and is studying maths at Trinity College. He’s determined to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible during his time at Cambridge. This includes going into a local primary school to help children with Year 3 science lessons.
Michael Kitromilidis, 18, is studying maths at Trinity College. He’s Greek and went to Athens College School, where he enjoyed all his subjects but especially maths and science, languages and music. When he was 15 he decided that he wanted to study maths at Cambridge.
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Zoah Hedges-Stocks |
Zoah Hedges-Stocks is studying history at Murray Edwards College, one of Cambridge’s three all-female colleges. She was brought up close to the Suffolk coast where she went to Leiston High School. In her second diary, she tells of getting to grips with the supervision system and how Cambridge has crept up on her during her short time here - bringing opportunity with it.
Zoah Hedges-Stocks, 19, is studying history at Murray Edwards College. She was brought up in Suffolk and took her A-levels at Leiston High School. For generations her family have been travelling showmen, taking fun fairs round the East of England. Zoah decided she wanted to study at Cambridge when she was at primary school and her ambition has never wavered.
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Stephen Massiah |
Stephen Massiah, who’s studying architecture at St Edmund’s, did a degree in law and had a successful career in the City. Three years ago, after taking some time off to travel, he decided to retrain as an architect. He has found his first term at Cambridge both demanding and rewarding.
Stephen Massiah is in his first term studying architecture at St Edmund's College. He took his A-levels at Bedford School, an independent school, and then did a degree in law. After working for a number of years for a corporate law firm in the City, he decided to have a career change and take a completely new direction. |
Anne Pacita Boulton |
Anne Pacita Boulton is in her first term at King’s College studying medicine. Already she’s getting a taste of what it will be like to be a doctor and that makes all the hard work worthwhile. She’s also learning how to cox a rowing eight on the river (often horribly early in the morning) and contributing to services in one of the world’s most famous chapels.
Anne Pacita Boulton, 19, comes from Southampton. She took her GCSEs at St Anne's Catholic School and then won a scholarship to do her A-levels at King Edward VI School. She spent a gap year working and travelling, and is now studying medicine at King's College. |
Dinesh Hansla |
Dinesh Hansla is studying engineering at Christ's College. In the second instalment of his diary, he describes combining a challenging workload with having fun and making friends from all over the world. He also looks back on his Cambridge interview.
Dinesh Hansla, 18, is studying engineering at Christ's College. He was brought up in West London where he went to Heston Community School, moving to The Heathland School to take his A Levels. In the future he hopes to "go into the energy sector and make a real difference". |
Meera Ragha |
In the last of our series for the academic year, Meera describes the exhilaration of having survived her first set of Cambridge exams. Amid the tension of revision, an over-the-top Indian wedding came as a welcome break - and gave her a chance to show off her dancing skills. As the sun comes out, she looks forward to several weeks of unadulterated fun in Cambridge.
Meera Ragha, 19, is studying theology at St John’s College. She was brought up in East London and went to Chigwell School. Convinced she wouldn’t get a place, Meera kept her Cambridge application secret from everyone apart from her immediate family. Here she describes how she planned to “give Cambridge a go for a year” and then transfer somewhere else. Luckily she changed her mind - or she would never have met Amitabh Bachchan, the King of Bollywood. |
Greg Styger |
In the throes of first-year exams, Greg Styger's initial feelings of panic have evaporated and he’s managed to combine plenty of socialising with his revision. He’s looking forward to relaxing with friends once the exams are over – and he has exciting plans for the summer.
Greg Styger, 18, is studying Geography at Sidney Sussex College. He was brought up in Manchester and went to Altrincham Grammar School for Boys. He viewed Cambridge as a place for “southerners and geniuses” until a group of Cambridge undergraduates came to talk at his school and changed his mind. Here he describes how quickly he found his feet at Cambridge and how much he’s enjoying student life – despite the lack of big clubs. |
Hana Ahmad-Ghazali |
Hana Ahmad-Ghazali, 19, is an international student studying maths at Newnham College. She’s found her first year at Cambridge a real challenge workwise – but says she would not swap it for anything. Below she explains how she counteracts exam stress – with chocolate, yoga, partying and yet more chocolate.
Hana Ahmad-Ghazali, 19, is an international student studying maths at Newnham College. She got a scholarship to take her A-levels in Cambridge and now has a bursary from the Bank of Malaysia. Here she describes how she rediscovers Cambridge after the holidays, spends dreamy afternoons punting on the river with friends (and failing to revise), and gets unexpectedly hooked on fluid dynamics.
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David Foster |
David Foster looks back at his admissions interviews – and the process that set him on track to becoming a lawyer. Studying at Cambridge, he says, is an experience he wouldn't swap for the world.
David Foster is in his first year at Corpus Christi College, studying Law. He’s from Northern Ireland and went to Banbridge Academy in County Down. As a sixth former, he took part in the annual residential summer school run by Corpus Christi for students from Northern Ireland. Here, he describes the experience of re-entering the Cambridge “time warp”.
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Mohammad Razai |
Mohammad describes how he’s benefiting from the wealth of experiences that Cambridge offers and taking up new challenges that reflect his passion for cross-cultural exchange. However, there’s no escape from the looming exams…
Mohammad Razai, 23, is in his first year studying Medicine at St Edmund’s College, one of Cambridge’s four colleges for mature students. Born and brought up in Kabul, Mohammad came to the UK when he was 15. He took his A Levels at Uxbridge College in west London and went on to UCL to study Anatomy & Developmental Biology. He tells us about Latin graces, learning to row and discovering a passion for poetry.
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Emily Darley |
Emily describes a high point when the Cambridge girls’ swimming team beats Oxford in the Varsity match. She’s busy planning a trip to the Ukraine to polish up her Russian, organising next year’s accommodation and researching a switch from MML to Linguistics for her third year. On top of all that she’s expecting a visit from her younger sister.
Nineteen-year-old Emily Darley is in her second term at Girton College, studying Modern and Medieval Languages (Russian and Spanish). She went to Benton Park School in Leeds and applied to Cambridge after experiencing life here on summer schools run by Selwyn College and the Sutton Trust. Here, Emily describes how she’s learning Russian from scratch, preparing for the Varsity swimming match, and relishing her new-found independence.
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Vicky Wilson |
In the second instalment of her diary, Vicky describes how life as a Cambridge student is far more demanding, and rewarding, than she ever imagined.
Vicky Wilson is studying History at Lucy Cavendish College. She gives a uniquely local perspective as she grew up in Cambridge, did GCSEs at a local comprehensive, and then started an art course – a direction that turned out to be the wrong choice for her. After working for ten years, mostly in office jobs, she went to Cambridge Regional College to take an Access course. She applied to Cambridge after attending a talk about studying here as a mature student.
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Matthew Green |
Matthew's working hard to keep up with his assignments but he’s determined to have some fun too. In this update of the diary he wrote three weeks ago, he describes how he’s keeping a balance between studying and partying – and how he’s resorting to caffeine to keep the brain cells buzzing.
Matthew Green, 21, is studying English at Wolfson College. He left school three years ago, after taking A Levels at The Hollyfield School in Surbiton. Matthew was brought up by his father, a single parent, in South West London. Here, he describes settling into his new life as Cambridge student.
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Richard Wayoe |
Three weeks ago Richard Wayoe wrote about arriving in Cambridge for the start of his first term as a medical student at Trinity Hall. What was punting, what was formal hall – and, most importantly, would he keep up with the workload? Below he answers these questions and describes how he’s embraced the first step along the road to becoming a doctor.
Richard Wayoe, 20, who's studying Medicine at Trinity Hall, kicks off with an account of his first three weeks. Richard was brought up in North London but spent three years living in Ghana while in his teens. He took his A-levels at Highgate Wood School, Haringey. Richard and his brothers live with their grandmother. |
