Cambridge University: Christ's

What's it like as a place to live? Christ's College is a beautiful place to live and study. The college is composed of three courts with old college rooms, with New Court at the back of the college being the more modern accommodation block (refurbished this past year). The expansive Fellows' Garden is perfect in the summer, either for exam revision or relaxation in the sunshine.

How's the student accommodation? Most of the student accommodation is located in college. Almost all of these rooms are extremely nice and a lot are surprisingly spacious. Although the rooms in the newly-renovated New Court are smaller than most of the others in college, they are all ensuite.

What's the student population like? Christ's students are very welcoming. Due to the college's small community, students in all years mix together and get to know one another. Students tend to come from all over the country, and there is a distinct international community as well.

How do students and locals get on? Students and locals don't tend to mix very much because they go out on different nights. Cambridge students tend to go out on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays, whilst the locals will go out on Fridays and Saturdays. There isn't very much interaction between the two groups.

What's it like as a place to study? Cambridge terms are very intense because a lot of work, lectures and supervisions are included in the course of eight weeks. The amount of lectures/supervisions per course varies, although scientists tend to have more rigid schedules than art students because they often have lab work and practicals to do. The library facilities in Cambridge are great - Christ's has its own library which has most books you would need, whilst the University Library has absolutely everything and your individual faculty library will have more specialised books. There are also a variety of bookstores in the town centre which have useful resources. 

What are the teaching staff like? The amazing thing about studying at Cambridge is getting the chance to be supervised by academics who are experts in their field. The majority of the time these individuals are truly interested in students' work and opinions, and will commit time and effort to ensuring that supervisions are productive and that students get extensive feedback on their work.

What are student societies like? There are many student societies within Christ's - all of them are open to any student who would like to join, regardless of experience. These societies range from sporting societies (football, rugby, basketball, badminton, netball - all with men's and women's teams, whilst there are some mixed teams as well) to academic and special interest groups (Darwin Soc, English Soc, Christ's Amateur Dramatics Society, Christ's Shakespeare Company, Christ's Film Soc, etc). Students do tend to get involved in these societies because they don't require huge time commitments or previous experience. Most societies also plan social events.

What's a typical night out? Wednesday and Sunday are the biggest nights - students will sometimes go on Formal Hall swaps (dinners together) with other college societies before going out to one of the four major clubs in Cambridge. The main club on Wednesday has massive queues until about midnight, so it's best to get there early (around 9.30; gets busy around 10.30). The music here is usually cheese. There are a few other club options in Cambridge which offer a bit greater variety in terms of music.

And how much does it cost? About £3-£4 for the entrance fee - drinks inside range from £1.50.

How can you get home safely? Christ's is about a two minute walk from the four major clubs in Cambridge, so it's not a dangerous walk at all (since these clubs are in the city centre, in well-lit areas). However, you can always take a taxi home if you live farther away - many taxis stand opposite Christ's.

Is it an expensive place to live? Yes, Cambridge is a very expensive place to live, but you can make it significantly cheaper if you eat all of your meals in college and limit your spending otherwise. 

Average price of a pint? About £2.50.

And the price of a takeaway? Depends on what you get - probably around £3-£4.

What's the part-time work situation? You aren't technically allowed to have a job during term-time.

What's the best feature about the place? The beautiful city (especially the fact that it's student-orientated) and the people. Not to mention the incredible, albeit demanding, academics.

And the worst? Probably the intensity of the terms (although this isn't as bad as it sounds, but can get stressful). Also, it gets very cold and windy in the winter.

And to sum it all up? Cambridge is an incredible experience - it is unlike anything I have ever been a part of, and I feel so lucky to be here. Christ's has been a wonderful home for the past 2+ years, and I know I will be extremely sad and nostalgic when it all comes to an end.

John Milton, Charles Darwin, Lord Mountbatten, C P Snow, David Mellor, Richard Whiteley (Countdown), Ali G (Sacha Baron-Cohen), Lord Irvine of Lairg, the Lord Chancellor, Kieran West (Olympic gold medallist for rowing).

Write JCR President at the college, telephone 01223 334900 and ask for JCR President, or email jcr@christs.cam.ac.uk.