Studying at “The Bridge over the Cam River”

I will try to do my best describing the studying in Cambridge. First of all, the term is tough. Cambridge terms are relatively short – each term has got only eight weeks. This means I spend 24 weeks studying in Cambridge each year, which is quite a few compared to the other universities. However, the amount of things one has to learn is the same, or perhaps even more than at the other universities. This means there is almost no free time during the term or, better said, one has to try hard and keep organized to have any free time. No wonder that one of the first things we were told when we arrived was the saying: “Work hard, play hard”. Moreover, one doesn’t really have Christmas and Easter “holidays”, it is just vacation which means a time to go over your notes and do tons of exercises you have been assigned by your supervisor.

Another thing which must be mentioned when talking about Cambridge is the tradition. It is everywhere around you. Not only the historical buildings, but also common dinners in gowns in the Dinning Hall, rowing races between the colleges on the Cam River, the “Cambridge Week” which starts on Thursday and ends on Wednesday, the Matriculation Book which is being kept for couple of hundreds years and many more other exciting hings. I think the tradition is one of the elements that make the studying in Cambridge so unique and wonderful. It also motivates to do great things like people who worked and studied in Cambridge did.

Studying without any distraction is one of the key principles in Cambridge. For instance, the University of Cambridge strongly advises its students not to take any jobs during the terms and during vacations so that they can fully focus on studying. Then the catering system – common dinners and lunches so that students do not have to waste their time by cooking. I am also very satisfied with the tutorial office – the only thing one has to do when in need for a certain document is to email the tutorial office and they will deliver all the necessary documents in you pigeon hole (a mailbox that each student has got in the college). So no unnecessary queues… Students don’t have to clean their rooms on their own, college hires people for cleaning. I admit that this is pampering, however, it is comfortable and saves a lot of time that is necessary for studying – I usually spend eight hours a day learning so there would be not much time left for cleaning.

And then there a couple of things which are just “cool”: You randomly meet Stephan Hawking, your physics lecturer has discovered the two types of radio galaxies, your math supervisions take place next to the Quantum Matter Fridge where the temperatures go to milli Kelvines, etc.

I recommend studying at Cambridge a lot. It is a unique and wonderful experience what is definitely worth it. If like your subject and you are bored in the high school, there is no need to worry about the (hard) interviews. So if you want to get here, work hard and see you perhaps in September.