Cambridge University: Gonville & Caius

What's it like as a place to live? Caius has a small, central site so feels very homely – it's impossible to walk through without bumping into someone to say hello to! Everything I need (shops, clubs, doctors' surgery...) is right on Caius' doorstep.

How's the student accommodation? Caius guarantees accommodation for all years of study but this can vary from a plush, brand-spanking-new, key-card access room with ensuite to a quaint, fifteenth century "set" with views across the famous Caius courts. In second year, most students live in college-owned houses about a 15 minute walk from the main site so you get the independence of "living out" but only have to pay termly rent, which covers all electricity/water/internet etc without the hassle of dealing with a miserable landlord!

What's the student population like? I assumed Cambridge would be full of Eton stereotypes but I haven't met a single "toff" at Caius. Everyone's reassuringly normal and it's far less competitive than I imagined – everyone assumes you've made it to Cambridge because you're enthusiastic and can think for yourself, so I've rarely been asked what my exam results were or been pestered for working too hard/not hard enough(!)

How do students and locals get on? Student nights tend to take place during the week so few Cambridge students go to non-university events on a Friday or Saturday night. There is a legend of a "Town vs. Gown" divide and, although I have never experienced any rowdiness because of this, I do not know many students that mix with the locals. During the week with the constant rush of bikes between lectures and libraries, it can feel like everyone in Cambridge is a student giving quite a campus feel.

What's it like as a place to study? Caius is known for having one of the prettiest libraries and stocks an amazing collection of books, particularly for history and medicine. The library becomes a very social place to work with your friends but every room has a desk too. There's also college computing and printing facilities and you never have to pay for internet.

What are the teaching staff like? The academic staff across Cambridge are second to none. I still can't get over the fact that I get taught one-on-one by the person whose book has shaped our entire interpretation of a historical period. Academics can be very generous with their time and experts/politicians/actors from across the world come to Cambridge purely to give a talk to share their wisdom with students. Initially I was intimidated by all of this, but soon realised the professors were pretty normal people – being able to call them by their first name or bumping into them choosing cereal in Sainsbury's definitely helps this!

What are student societies like? By far my favourite thing about Cambridge is the opportunities right on your doorstep. You can literally do anything and everything from competing in top-level sport, debating with politicians at the Union, participating in world-famous comedy and drama performances or writing for a newspaper that even the national press steal their own stories from! Caius is no exception to offer a wide variety of societies so everyone is involved in something. The collegiate system means that it's possible to do things at a lower commitment level too – I didn't feel confident enough to trial for University netball but play every weekend for the college team and have made great friends across the year groups because of it. Caius has successful teams for all major sports, an active drama society and subject groups often enjoy a lavish meal/night out together.

What's a typical night out? A typical night in Cambridge would usually involve pre-drinking in someone's room or the college bar then heading out to one of the main clubs. Coming from London, these are definitely smaller than your average city nightlife and play cheesier music but there are a few token nights that are especially popular and renowned as the "place to be" so it's fun feeling like you're partying with everyone you know.

And how much does it cost? Club entry is usually £3−£5 then drinks will set you back about £2.50 for a double vodka mixer.

How can you get home safely? Luckily, I have about a five-minute walk from any of the main clubs to my bed! But the Caius porters always have student safety as their top priority, so encourage students living further away to get a taxi and even have a fund to loan you money for one if you overspend/lose your wallet etc.

Is it an expensive place to live? Cambridge is very touristy so cafés are fairly pricey. But I find I spend less in Cambridge than I would if I was at home and prices for college food are quite reasonable. As one of the richer colleges, Caius can also offer book grants and travel grants to all students (this summer, the college is contributing towards me teaching English in Nepal for 4 weeks!)

Average price of a pint? A middling price of a pint in Caius bar is about £2.30 but there are often special offers going on themed evenings.

And the price of a takeaway? With the crazy amounts of leaflets you get at Freshers' Fair, someone nearby will ALWAYS have a takeaway 2-4-1 pizza voucher to hand! But the local Sainsbury's does takeout pizza for as little as £3.50!

What's the part-time work situation? Officially, the University does not allow part-time jobs and I agree it would be very hard to find the time for one. However, at Caius, there are chances to earn a bit of extra money behind the bar at college bops, selling tickets for club nights or staying for a 1 or 2 weeks after term ends to help with things like interviews.

What's the best feature about the place? That there's a large number of students but still such a friendly, community atmosphere.

And the worst? You have to learn to be creative with the George Foreman grill because none of the accommodation has hobs!

And to sum it all up? If you want a college that mixes the best of everything – the old and the new, the work and the play, the big and the small – then Caius is a great choice. You get the "Cambridge experience" without the "Cambridge stereotypes".

Titus Oates (revolutionary), David Frost (broadcaster), Stephen Hawking (scientist), John Venn (of Venn diagrams), Harold Abrahams (Olympic sprinter), Sir Nevill Mott (Nobel laureate, physics), Kenneth Clarke MP, Mark Bailey (England Rugby player), Alastair Campbell (Blair communications guru), Jimmy Carr (TV comedian).

Contact GCSU Access Officer (access.officer@cai.cam.ac.uk).