Downing College & CUSU Freshers' Guide by Cambridge University Students' Union

‘What to expect and how to prepare’ In association with Downing College JCR

www.cusu.cam.ac.uk

WELCOME 2

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Hello from CUSU

Congratulations – you’ve made it to university! This guide is brought to you by the student officers at Cambridge University Students’ Union, telling you everything you need to know before arriving at Cambridge. Once you get to Cambridge the Students’ Union will be there to support you through thick and thin, representing your interests to the university authorities and providing free, confidential, advice and support! We support you through a network of reps that you’ll get to know as you settle in to the university. These include JCR reps who form student councils in each college, and reps from your faculties. On a broader level we listen to students who want to introduce changes to the university, and campaign for them to university management. Before you arrive at Cambridge you can get involved by meeting other students through the official Cambridge University Freshers’ 2014 group, your college Freshers’ group and and find out about regional welcome events for new students near you at www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/wtc For general updates about the Cambridge University Students’ Union Freshers’ Festival, the biggest event of Freshers Week, make sure you keep an eye on our facebook and twitter pages! Best of luck and hope to see you at the Freshers’ Festival!

Helen CUSU President

WELCOME TO

Downing College Amy Welch, one of your Fresher’s Reps, has answered these few questions in order to give you a glimpse of what is to come at Downing College…

What is the best thing about your college? The whole college is a bit like a family (if slightly dysfunctional) with a really social atmosphere.

What exciting things do you have planned for freshers? College family night, a chance to meet your new parents and learn all their embarrassing secrets.

What is your top piece of advice for freshers? Learn the words to Robbie’s ‘Angels’.

What are the 5 most essential items to bring to college? 1) Pyjamas - onesie 2) Printer - save you the trip to T 3) Paracetamol 4) Pennies - for formals and swaps 5) Pepper - spice up your life

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Contents What is CUSU?

General Support

Types of Team The Sabbatical Officer Team 2014-2015 Freshers’ Week

10 12 14

University Life

In your College Director of Studies (DoS) College Nurse College Chaplain College Welfare and Rights Officers Student Advice Service University Counselling Service Disability Resource Centre

64 64 64 65 65 65 66 66

Health and Wellbeing

Colleges and Teaching 24 Societies 26 CUSU: Find out more and get involved 28 Sports 29 Societies Spotlight 31

Living in Cambridge

Getting around 34 Finance 35 Top 10 things to do in your first year 40

Campaigning and Volunteering 45 Whats is CUSU Access? What we do

46 46

CUSU Campaigns

CUSU Campaigns Women’s Campaign Black and Minority Ethnic Student’s Campaign Disabled Student’s Campaign LGBT+ Campaign International Student’s Campaign

50 51 52 53 55 58

Mental Health and Accessing Support 68 Sexual Health 68 Sexual Health Supplies 69 Testing 69 Consent 69 Eating Problems 70 CUSU -GU B-Eat Group 70 University Counselling Service 70

Specialist Support

Student Parents Disabled Students

71 71

Your Checklist

Before you get to Cambridge

Really Useful Contacts

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What is CUSU?

What is Cambridge University Students Union (CUSU)? Put most simply – CUSU is you! And every one of the 22,000 students here at Cambridge. Basically, the Students’ Union provides a channel through which students can get the most out of their time at Cambridge, whether by helping improve student experience at College and University level, supporting societies and student groups, or making sure you always have somewhere to turn when the going gets tough. The Students’ Union is run through a series of student teams and 6 student sabbatical officers who are elected to work full time for a year to run the union. Student reps from all the teams attend CUSU Council, where they vote on what the students’ union priorities should be as the year goes on. Anyone can stand to be a rep or come along to council so if you’re interested make sure you come and see us when you arrive!

Types of Team: JCR/MCRs (Junior Combination Room/ Middle Combination Room) Most colleges will have 2 student committees (one for undergraduate and one for postgraduate students) usually called a JCR and MCR. Students on these committees are elected by all the students at the college, and are in charge of representing students on college issues – from getting better kitchen facilities to providing squash and biscuits in exam term! The President and External Officers of JCRs and MCRs come to CUSU Council to let the Students’ Union know what people in your college are thinking. Faculty Reps’ Network As well as being involved in colleges, you can also get involved in shaping your department! Each course at Cambridge will have one or two faculty reps who work on teaching and learning issues with their department.

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The CUSU Education Officer works with these reps and helps them achieve improvements in their departments – for example longer library opening hours or better course guidelines. Sounds a bit dry but it means you can have more control over your course and how you study! Faculty reps also get a vote on CUSU Council, so they can help direct the work that CUSU does within the wider university. Part-time Exec Team: The Part-time Exec are students who volunteer their time to help run the students’ union in its main areas of activity. These are: Representing Students, Student Welfare, Education, Ethical and Environmental Campaigning, Sport and Society Support, and Access – which involves making sure Cambridge is accessible to pupils from all backgrounds that want to apply. Each team is led by a full-time sabbatical officer. Autonomous Campaigns: Autonomous Campaigns are groups that campaign to get the best deal for specific groups of students at Cambridge whose concerns might otherwise be overlooked. Each campaign is run by students who define within that group, making sure that they have the best possible insight into the issues they campaign on. At the moment there are 5 campaigns: Women’s, Disabled Students, Black Students and Students from Ethnic Minorities (BME), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans* + students (LGBT+) and International Students. The Students’ Union supports these groups with giving practical support, financial resources and training, whilst it is the students in the campaigns themselves that set the agenda. The heads of each of these campaigns also get to vote at CUSU Council, ensuring the views of these student groups are included in all of the Students’ Union’s decisions. Autonomous Campaigns are also a great place to meet students within a specific interest group so make sure you look them up if you think one might apply to you!

Disabled Students Campaign

CUSU LGBT+ Campaign

Black and Minority Ethnic Campaign

Autonomous Campaigns

International Students campaign

Women’s Campaign 11

The Sabbatical Officer Team 2014-2015 Every year 6 students are elected by the whole student body to work full-time for the Students’ Union, representing student interests at all the important committees in which university decisions are made. Your sabbatical officer team 2014-2014:

President: Helen Hoogewerf-McComb

Coordinator: Jemma Stewart

Education Officer: Rob Richardson

Welfare & Rights Officer: Jack Wright

Access and Funding Officer: Helena Blair

Women’s Officer: Amelia Horgan

Student Advice Service CUSU runs the Student-led Advice Service (SAS), giving you somewhere to talk about any problems and worries you might have, from housing troubles to academic pressure, mental or sexual health. Get Involved! All our campaigns are driven by students, so if you have an idea for a campaign, or something you’d like to see changed, get in touch! You can also check out www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/campaigns/ for more information on our current (and recent) campaigns.

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Courtesy of Sophie Buck

Get excited for your first Cambridge University Freshers’ Week! Cambridge University Student Union will be bringing you the Freshers’ Festival in the first 3 days of your first week at Cambridge!

The Freshers’ Festival Societies Fair The CUSU societies’ fair is the biggest societies’ fair in the UK (as far as we know!), giving you the opportunity to meet and sign up to over 400 societies! Outside the fair there’ll be food and drink stalls on the green where you can sample some of Cambridge’s finest snacks, and a bike market where you can hop on to the city’s favourite mode of transport. Societies range from casual and quirky to competitive sport, artistic, dance and more! So whether you’re hoping to take up a new hobby, write for a student newspaper or are keen to be on a university team make sure you come along. The Societies Fair runs on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th of October from 10am-5pm. There will be accessibility times on Tuesday from 9am to 10am and a quiet period on Wednesday from 4pm to 5pm. This will be a time for disabled students, student parents, and any students who are not comfortable with crowds to come along to the fair when it is quieter than usual. Afterparty The Freshers’ Festival finishes off with an afterparty. This is the only Freshers’ event where you get to meet new students from all 31 colleges, so make sure you come along and dance the night away! Buy a ticket online or in cash when you arrive at your college – but don’t leave it too late, you don’t want to miss out!!

Your College When you arrive at your college, your JCR officers will take you under their wing and provide plenty of activities and opportunities for getting to know your college. There will also be reps and welfare officers on hand in case you’re feeling worried, or have any problems. Overall Freshers’ Week is a fantastic opportunity to make new friends before term officially starts, so get excited and we’ll see you there soon! 14

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ERS FESTIVAL OCTOBER 2014

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University Life 23

University Life COLLEGES Every student at Cambridge is a member of one of the 31 Colleges and this will be your central social hub throughout your time here. Your College is your source of pastoral support and accommodation, and as an undergraduate, it is the main body responsible for the majority of your teaching, providing you with a Director of Studies (DoS), supervisors and as such work and assignments. Prepare to become immensely attached to your college, which is obviously â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the best one in Cambridge.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Colleges & Teaching Undergraduates Your lectures will be provided by your Department or Faculty (or, for some courses, across several Departments and Faculties), whilst organising your supervisions is the responsibility of your College. Some of these may be with Fellows at your college or other colleges. Postgraduates For postgraduates, teaching and research supervisions will be provided by your Department or Faculty. Your college will provide pastoral support and the chance to be part of a stimulating academic community. All colleges within Cambridge accept graduate students, but the numbers vary significantly. Clare Hall and Darwin College only accept postgraduates. Accommodation - Your college will provide you with accommodation for the duration of your studies, but it is much more than a hall of residence. - First years will be allocated a room before arriving, normally in a place where there are a lot of other first years. -

ooms vary between the different Colleges and within each College, with many owning R houses next to their main grounds or accommodation blocks in different parts of the city.

- In future years many colleges operate a ballot system allowing you to choose rooms with a group of friends.

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Food - Every College provides a ‘hall’ or ‘buttery’, offering reasonably priced hot and cold food at mealtimes, which provides a great opportunity to socialise and unwind with peers. - The majority of college accommodation has ‘gyp’ rooms instead of a kitchen, normally with hobs and/or a microwave, so most students chose to dine at college. - ‘Formal Hall’ is also very popular, which most colleges hold several times a week and cost £7 £10 for a three course meal. This is the epitome of the Cambridge experience, where you wear gowns and enjoy a silver service meal. Formals are popular for special occasions, and many students attend formals at other colleges upon the invitation of their friends. Social Colleges are a hub for socialising and making friends. Each college has a bar and usually a common room or games area to relax with your friends. There are multiple societies and sports within college giving you a great opportunity to immerse yourself a favourite activity, or try something new, and meet people with common interests. Representation - Every college has a student council which is part of the Cambridge University Student’s Union network. - The Junior Common Room (JCR) represents Undergraduates - The Middle Common Room (MCR) represents graduate students and it linked with the Graduate Union (GU). - Each JCR and MCR have a committee, elected annually, who perform many roles including organising college events, looking after your welfare needs and funding college societies. The JCR is very representative, with most having a Women’s, LGBT+, International and Ethnic Minorities officer. -

he JCR and MCR have the power to T make changes within your college and the university. You may wish to visit you JCR or MCR’s website before arriving, which will contain an insight into college life and important information. 25

SOCIETIES One of the best things about being a Cambridge student is having the chance to get involved with the enormous range of societies that exist. Most students get involved with a couple as they’re a great opportunity to try something completely different, learn new things and meet people from other colleges! Here’s CUSU’s guide to exploring the societies ahead of the annual Societies’ Fair on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th October 2014. A Wide Range of Societies - There are over 800 registered societies within Cambridge so whatever you are interested in, there is probably a group devoted to it. - Societies range from subject based ones to the weird and wonderful. We also have three very active student publications: The Cambridge Student (TCS), Varsity, and The Tab which recruit new writers every term. - Interested in volunteering and charity work? There are numerous community groups and charities looking for student volunteers, including RAG (raising and giving) and Linkline (the student listening service). - Budding actors should make sure to check out the ADC (Amateur Dramatic Club on Park Street), and keep an eye out for auditions advertised at www.camdram.net. - For a full list of societies check out the CUSU societies directory. It’s great to find out more about the societies that suit your interests before you arrive, but do remember to come with an open mind and don’t be afraid to explore the Societies’ Fair to discover any potential new interests and get the chance to meet new people! Getting Involved: What to Expect - You can join society mailing lists with your University email address (CRSid) to get regular updates about their activities. - Some societies charge fees, either per session (eg. Dance classes) or an annual or life membership (eg. Cambridge Union) - During the first three weeks of term most societies host a ‘Fresher’s Squash’ where you can socialise with the members and find out more. There is also normally free food and drink!

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CUSU: Find out more and get involved - CUSU is responsible for supporting societies within Cambridge and provides many services, including the Societies Directory. If you have any queries about a society then www.cusu.cam. ac.uk/societies/directory is a great place to start! - You can also get involved with CUSU itself and be part of your students’ union. This may include attending open meetings, becoming a faculty representative, an elected member or just helping out with a campaign. - If you have an idea for a campaign or want more information on how you can get involved in CUSU, send one of the officers an email or see www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/union/getinvolved for lots of ideas! All you need is a little enthusiasm, and you can make a real difference to students’ lives today and into the future. Something Missing? If you think that Cambridge doesn’t have a society for your interest or hobby, then why not set a new one up? CUSU has all the help and information you need! To find out more contact sportsandsocieties@cusu.cam.ac.uk.

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SPORTS Cambridge life brings with it a huge opportunity for sports. Whether you want to continue playing, perhaps at a more competitive level, find new enthusiasm for a game you’ve not played for years, or give something new a go, Cambridge is a great place for it. Sports in Cambridge - Sports are a very important part of University life, giving you a chance to keep fit and relax outside of your studies. - Each college has their own teams in many sports, allowing you to play as a novice or just for fun. Colleges compete against each other annually in “cuppers” where inter college rivalry is at its best. - Whilst all of the high profile sports such as football, rowing, hockey and rugby are well represented you can also try ultimate frisbee, lacrosse, ice hockey or even skydiving, there’s almost always a University team or club. - If you have played a sport for a long time or at a higher level you could play for the University team and “be a blue” The top University teams compete against Universities across the country in the British Universities & College’s Sport (BUCS) leagues, or other local and even national club sides. More information on the University level Sports Clubs can be found at www.sport.cam.ac.uk/ - The annual highlight of most sports teams will be the Varsity Match against Oxford, providing exhilarating encounters for competitors, and hugely enjoyable social events for everyone who chooses to watch. Nearly all sports (triathlon, cross country and darts to name a few) contend a fixture against “the Other Place”. The most notable is the Boat Race. Most sports clubs hold events at the start of the year where you can learn more about them and get information on training times and competitions. www.facebook.com/CamUniSport www.sport.cam.ac.uk

Courtes yo Photogra f Chris Rowlan ds phy

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Cambridge University Assassins Guild The Assassins is one of the quirkier societies in Cambridge.

SOCIETIES

SPOTLIGHT

I joined the Assassins after I heard about it from some older students, and thought it sounded fun! There was also a stall at the freshers’ fair where I signed up to the mailing list. So how does Assassins work? For term time games, if you want to play you send an email to the umpire, along with a pseudonym, your college and room number, and the water status of your room (whether water guns are allowed there or not). You can add any other notes too. You are then assigned three targets in an email, telling you their (actual) name and room etc. It’s up to you to try and find them and “kill” them! Killing them can mean firing a water gun at them, poking them with a pen labelled “knife” - or a number of imaginative ways! Lots of people use fluffy animals labelled something like “teddy bear of death”, for example. You then send in reports of what happened, and these are published on the website under your pseudonym. I think I enjoyed the ridiculousness of it - I would be in my room, rapid fire Nerf gun on my desk at the ready, comically paranoid that someone was going to come and kill me. It was daft but fun! Going out prepared with toy weapons in my pockets was fun too, and added a quirky aspect to my Cambridge experience. Getting an excuse to visit lots of other colleges was great too, particularly when you had to find ways to sneak in (never illegally!). I also met some friends through it, which is always great! Overall being part of the Assassins has left me with an abundance of nerf guns and water pistols, and pals. Hannah Engineering, Selwyn College

Could you be an Assassin? Make sure you go along to the Societies Fair and Freshers’ Festival when you arrive to sign up!

The Ass assins S ociety

Cambridge University Yacht Club

SOCIETIES

SPOTLIGHT

Cambridge University Yacht Club sends a team across the Atlantic! In my second year I joined the yacht club as a novice. The idea was to have fun and get out of Cambridge from time to time. I’ve now completed my PhD and, after sailing and training with the club, I now plan to set sail for the Americas. Joining the club was a great way to meet people and have fun. It’s one of the largest and most active clubs at Cambridge, with trips and training courses running most weekends. You don’t need to have any experience or qualifications to get involved (I didn’t), you can just come aboard and get stuck in. One of the best things about the club is the summer programme. As I write, the boats are in the Baltic spending the summer sailing around Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Last year it was Scotland and the Norwegian Fjords, the year before that Africa and the Canary Islands. You can also train and do qualifications with the club, covering everything from navigation to sea survival, and there are regular pub meets as well. For more information see the website and come and meet the club at the Societies Fair in Freshers Week. After learning to sail with the club I got my qualifications and became a Skipper and Instructor. I made friends with a couple of similarly adventurous members (Guilia and Igor) and we now own a boat together. We bought our boat, Auriga, in Spain last year and we’ve spent the last year doing it up ourselves. We will be setting off soon, returning in a year or so, and our plan is to sail across the Atlantic, down South America and back via Africa! It’s going to be epic so read more on our blog, check out the CUYC website, and come and meet the club at the Societies Fair in October! Matt Chemistry, Fitzwilliam College

CUYC Y acht

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Living in Cambridge Getting around Cycling Cycling is the main form of transport for both students and the residents of Cambridge, with bike racks being available throughout the city, at colleges and university buildings. However bike crime is high, so make sure you have a good bike lock – a ‘D lock’ being the best. Also stay safe by always wearing a helmet and investing in bike lights (which are a legal requirement). If you haven’t cycled for a while, get some practice at home beforehand, or attend a road safety workshop. Check out bikeability.dft.gov.uk/ to find ones near you. Buses Some students like to use the bus to travel from some of the more distant colleges to the centre of town. Fitzwilliam, Murray Edwards, Churchill, Robinson and Homerton are particularly well served by the Citi4 and Uni4 bus routes; services are up to every twenty minutes and if you show your student card, a single journey costs only 90p. Cars The University does not allow you to keep a car within ten miles of Cambridge without special permission from your college and an officer called the Motor Proctor. If you do get permission, some colleges may offer limited parking, whilst others cannot because of space. Cambridge’s roads were built before cars and driving in the city is very awkward, so bringing a car is not recommended. Getting Home Late at Night If you’re walking around late at night, remember it’s generally safest to try and stay in a group. It’s a good idea to save the number for a taxi firm on your phone; many colleges have an arrangement where the Porters’ Lodge will loan you money to pay for a taxi back to college. If you ever feel unsafe walking around late at night, you can ask for assistance at one of the 30+ Porters’ Lodges throughout the city, most of which are open through the night.

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Finance Money and budgeting Coming to university may be the first time you control your own money, and this can be daunting. But don’t panic, there’s plenty of financial support available for students and with careful management you shouldn’t run into any trouble! Student loans Before you arrive you should make sure you apply for any financial assistance you may need from www.gov.uk/student-finance/overview . If you’re an undergraduate you should be entitled to a loan for your fees (which you don’t pay back until you’ve graduated and are earning a good salary). You may also be entitled to a maintenance loan or grant to cover your living costs. Cambridge Bursaries Cambridge has a very generous bursary scheme which provides students from the lowest income backgrounds with up to £3500 per year. More information and the application form can be found at www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/cambridgebursary/. Other support A National Scholarship Programme was introduced in 2013 to give further help to students from England from lower income households. Through this scheme the University of Cambridge will provide at least 130 fee waivers of £6,000 to first-year students. More information about the Programme is available at www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/finance/nsp.html. Most importantly, the University has a policy that no student should have to leave Cambridge due to their financial circumstances. If you experience financial difficulties whilst here then plenty of help is available through things such as college hardship funds. Jobs Cambridge University generally does not allow students to get paid jobs during term time as you will have a lot of work and should be able to enjoy yourself in your spare time. However, you may be able to get a job over the long holidays or work in the college bar or library for a few hours during term. This is definitely not something to worry about, as once you are here every provision is made to help you out financially.

Banks You should probably try to sort out your bank account before you arrive in Cambridge so that you can get any student loans paid in when you get here. Most banks or building societies have branches in Cambridge but it may be worth just checking they do before setting up your account. It’s also worth looking into which bank is best for you (and seeing which one gives the best freebies!). If you are concerned about your money being invested ethically (not going to arms companies, for example) there is a branch of the ethically based Co-operative bank near the Grafton Centre, a shopping centre in Cambridge. Budgeting - Budgeting is an important part of coming to University as you are completely in control of your finances. - Remember that most loans and grants are awarded at the start of term, so you need to make your money last until the next payment. - Check when your college bill arrives (normally the start of term), and what it includes. - Once you know your main income and outgoings each term, you can allocate yourself an amount each week to spend. - However always keep a backup source of money for unexpected expenditure, such as tickets to events. Here is a quick list of things you may need to spend money on throughout the term: -

ood and drink – this may include a weekly Sainsbury’s trip and occasional visits to coffee F shops or restaurants. There are usually student deals for most restaurants in Cambridge so you can often eat out cheaply! Your CUSU card gets you discounts in certain places too! Additionally your college bar should offer good value drinks deals.

tudy costs – starting University can be expensive in this area. Don’t rush out and buy every S textbook on your reading list, older students might have copies to sell to you and there are normally second hand book sales in October. The libraries in Cambridge are also well stocked. Some courses may require specialist equipment such as lab coats and calculators.

ravelling – day to day travelling in Cambridge shouldn’t cost you anything. However if you T plan to visit friends or home it may be worth investing in a railcard and booking in advance. Trains to London can be as cheap as £6 each way.

ntertainment – it’s cheap or free to join most societies, but bear in mind costs if you want to E go on a night out, to the theatre or the cinema. However you will soon know the best student deals within Cambridge. For example Picturehouse cinema is part of E4 Slackers club, and put on free cinema showings monthly for students!

reats – Cambridge can be stressful so keep some money for a treat when T you need it - whether it’s a trip to the Fudge Kitchen or some retail therapy in the Grand Arcade.

Just make s ure you’re s with yo ensible ur mon ey and yo u’ll be fine!

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Courtesy of Chris Rowlands Photography

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O D O T S G N I H TOP 10 INTYOUR FIRST YEAR 1 Go punting

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Whether you punt all the way to Grantchester or just down the College Backs, grabbing some picnic food and punting on a sunny afternoon is one of the best ways to relax after a hard day of work. River colleges normally own punts but all students can get discounted deals from both colleges and punting companies along the river. In May Week, punting to watch the May Ball fireworks displays along the Backs is great too. Just try not to fall in the Cam!

2 Visit the Museums With around 15 different museums, Cambridge has something to offer for everyone. The Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology is great for artefacts from around the world (including a three-floor high totem pole), the Fitzwilliam Museum has loads of paintings, antiquities, ceramics and armour, and the Kettles Yard is a uniquely preserved house with a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures and objects collected by the late Jim Ede (former curator of the Tate).

3 Catch a show at the ADC The ADC is the centre of University drama productions and there are up to four student run productions each night at the two venues, the ADC and Corpus Playroom. The chances are that at least one of your friends will be involved in a production, so check it out and grab yourself a ticket. From comedy to musicals, there is something for everyone!

4 See the Footlights Cambridgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world famous comedy group, the Footlights, featuring famous alumni such as Douglas Adams, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Hugh Laurie. They put on regular performances within Cambridge when they are not touring, so be sure to book in advance. Their annual pantomime (The Emperorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Clothes in 2014) normally sells out before October. 40

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5 Go to a May Ball A unique feature of Cambridge is May Week (which is actually in June after exams), where colleges host amazing balls or smaller June Events, with food and drink flowing all night. Save up some money to buy tickets and enjoy the best nights of your life! College May Balls often feature (sometimes cheesy) bands and artists from the past as well up and coming favourites. 2014 saw Chase and Status, Aluna George, Katy B, Big Brovaz and S Club 3 come to Cambridge, and some of the Balls feature some of the best fireworks displays ever seen.

6 Experience the Nightlife Contrary to popular belief, the nightlife at Cambridge has a lot going on. There are a myriad of pubs, bars and clubs to check out – there’s always something going on somewhere. Raise the roof at Fez or hit the dance floor at Cindies (now officially called Ballare). You’re sure to run into someone you know, and if not, make a friend. Revolution hosts a LGBT+ night once every week while Wetherspoons (or Spoons!) on St. Andrew’s Street can always be relied upon for providing a cheap but fun night out!

Courtesy of Photogra Chris Rowlands phy

For a more alternative night out, try the Fountain for its mix of house music, hip-hop, and disco (it also occasionally hosts Spoken Word events). Want to hang out over a pint? Cambridge is teeming with interesting pubs. Outside of the college bars (where drink is cheap!) savour some Belgian Trappist beers at the Elm Tree, cosy up in the snug at the Free Press, or peek in on some folk and acoustic numbers at CB2. They all serve great pub grub too. Prefer a view of the Cam? Then get merry at the Granta, the Mill, or the Anchor; perfect for one of those rare sunny days.

7 Join a sport/society Joining University-wide sports and societies are a great way of making friends outside of your College, and there are so many to choose from!

ds Rowlan of Chris Courtesy y ph Photogra

The Societies Freshers Festival is the best way to find our more, also take a look at the Societies Directory and take your pick of interesting and exciting ways to get involved in university life. Not to mention your College will also have lots more sports and societies to get involved in. 41

O TOP 10 INTYOUHINR FIGRSTSYEATOR D 8 Check out the Live Music The city is home to many buskers and street artists, especially on the weekends. Listen to melodies by Charlie of the Musical Litter Bin on King’s Parade, or tip the Spanish acappella group performing in Market Square. The Cambridge Corn Exchange and The Junction both attract many wellknown acts, and smaller venues in and around the city host local bands and musicians. Towards the end of Easter, go to the Strawberry Fair to experience the melange of music, art, outdoor dancing and carnival – you won’t be disappointed! If you’re sticking around for the summer, catch the famous Cambridge Folk Festival and Shakespeare plays in the College gardens.

Courtesy of Sophie Buck

9 Escape the Bubble Stroll along the River Cam on Grantchester Meadows and stop by The Orchard for afternoon tea as Rupert Brooke and Virginia Woolf would have done. Cycle or take the train to Ely to admire the majestic cathedral and see Cromwell’s house. Once you’ve tired of the Botanical Gardens, go and see the magnificent gardens at Anglesey Abbey. London’s only a forty-five minute train away. You will never be short of things to do, so go on and explore!

10 Enjoy yourself! With so much to learn in your first year, it’s easy to lose track of your social life and find yourself buried under a mountain of work. Just remember to take breaks and take it easy! Treat yourself to time off with your friends, and make sure to take in all that Cambridge has to offer – because there’s a lot (and this is by no means an exhaustive list) to get involved in. Even if you just want to get a cup of tea and chill out there are many, many amazing independent cafes around the centre of Cambridge – Indigo is cute and cheery, Savionnis serves the best coffee in Cambridge and Fitzbillies does cream tea! Looking for fair trade coffee? There’s a café in the Guildhall (off the Marketplace) which serves it. If you want to go shopping, Cambridge has two main shopping centres and loads of unique independent shops, so you’ll always be able to find things you need in and, as the city centre is really small, they’ll probably be within walking distance! There’s also a daily market which is great for all kinds of things from freshly baked bread and fruit to knickknacks and second-hand books. Have a great year! 42

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Campaigning and Volunteering

Campaigning and Volunteering What is CUSU Access? More than ever before, the University is diverse and welcoming to students from all over the world and from all economic and social backgrounds. Many prospective students, however, are still missing out on what Cambridge offers because outdated, negative stereotypes and myths surrounding the university convince people that studying here isn’t for “people like them” and they shouldn’t apply. As students at the university we can correct misconceptions and inspire possible applicants to apply. We work to ensure a level playing field for all who have the potential to apply, regardless of background. The CUSU Access campaign is the arm of CUSU which runs access and widening participation schemes both within the University and outside, in schools up and down the country. We always have lots going on throughout the year for you to get involved in, and increase participation year on year. Take a look at a few of our activities below:

What we do Shadowing Scheme Every year, hundreds of potential applicants and Cambridge students take part in the CUSU Shadowing Scheme – the most popular of our activities. Over three weekends (Thursday-Saturday) in January and February, Year 12 students from schools and families with little or no experience of university “shadow” a current undergraduate, staying at a Cambridge college and accompanying their student volunteer to lectures and supervisions. To give a full flavour of student life, a wide range of social activities are organised and offered to participants by University and college clubs and societies. The scheme offers prospective students a unique opportunity to experience life as a student in Cambridge, providing them with the information and insight they would be otherwise unlikely to obtain. As a current undergraduate, it’s an amazing chance to really impact the lives of sixth-form students. Target The Target Scheme sends student volunteers to talk about Cambridge student life with students at state schools which are under-represented at Oxbridge. The aim of Target talks with Year 12s is to break down the negative stereotypes surrounding the University and show prospective students that academically able students from all backgrounds can thrive here. We also encourage talks and

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workshops with students younger than Year 12 who may have not chosen their A Level options or made their minds up about university; these visits aim to help and inspire younger students to really think about their options after school, and encourage those who might not have considered university to do so without being put off by finances or peer pressure. Many volunteers go back to their old schools, but others visit other schools in their local area and some go further afield on Access trips organised by college Schools Liaison Officers, the Admissions Office, or JCR Access and Funding Officers. Alternative Prospectus The University’s Alternative Prospectus is written by current students to provide the “students’ eye view” of life in Cambridge. It’s going to be completely re-vamped and brought right up-to-date this year, so new submissions and content are more than welcome – please get in touch! The Ask-AStudent service, through which prospective applicants send in questions to be answered by current students, also runs off the Alternative prospectus website; we’re always looking for more volunteers to impart their studenty wisdom to many a niche enquiry! Get Involved! If you’d like to get involved in the Shadowing Scheme, Target, or any of our other projects, or would like to join CUSU’s Access & Funding Team, email the Access & Funding Officer at access@cusu. cam.ac.uk or sign up at the CUSU stand at the Freshers’ Fair. Alternatively, visit www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/ campaigns/access for more information, or just sign up for our school visits and the Shadowing Scheme when they’re advertised throughout the year. You can make a massive difference - we’d love to have you on board!

Courtesy of Joanna Harries

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CUSU Campaigns

Autonomous Campaigns CUSU Campaigns CUSU provides a strong voice and practical support to ensure that the issues you care about are actively pursued. We are currently running a number of exciting campaigns to improve the experience of students in Cambridge. CUSU has fought against tuition fees and fee rises, stood up for equality and diversity, championed environmental sustainability and called for a University sports centre. Students are most powerful when they organise and co-operate as a collective body, so campaigns are at the centre of CUSU’s work. Some campaigns take the form of high visibility public events to draw media attention. Others will involve close engagement with the University through committees and lobbying. Many of our campaigns rely on college and faculty networks to apply pressure on a single issue in many places. See www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/campaigns/ for details on our current campaigns. Our campaigns come from students – if you have an idea, or something you’d like to see change, there are various ways to make this happen: -

Attend an Open Meeting and bring up the issue in discussion

- Come to a CUSU Team meeting. They’re open to everyone and each cover a specific area, from student engagement to education access. - If you’re keen to lead a campaign on a particular issue, why not run for an elected part-time executive role? See www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/union/getinvolved for more information. -

Speak to an officer in the CUSU Office – we’ll be happy to help!

- ‘Like’ Cambridge University Students’ Union on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @CUSUonline

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Women’s Campaign The Women’s Campaign supports and represents all women students at Cambridge. We work to eliminate all forms of discrimination faced by women in the University. All students who self-define as women are members, and we strive for an inclusive campaign. We have a diverse membership; we are made up of women from different ethnic, religious and class backgrounds, trans women, queer, bisexual and lesbian women, disabled women and women who are student parents. We try to make the university a safer, happier and more welcoming place for all women. We’re proud to be a part of a legacy of campaigning women at the University, and of a rather spectacular history – in 1897 male students rioted in Market Square after failed attempts by women students and their supporters to allow women to obtain degree certificates. In 1921 a similar campaign attracted even more animosity when male undergraduates tore down the gates to Newnham, a women’s only college. From the 1860s adventurous women and their supporters founded women’s colleges, pioneered teaching methods, and fought against institutional sexism, and eventually, in 1948, women were allowed to become full members of the university. From 1972 the male-only colleges slowly began to open their doors to women students, with Magdalene, the last to do so, only admitting women in 1988. In 1993 the CUSU Women’s Officer position was created, and our campaigning continues to get bigger and better – this year we’ve helped get workshop on sexual consent into Freshers’ week activities, as well as hosting a huge range of academic, social and welfare events. The work of our campaign is co-ordinated by the full-time CUSU Women’s Officer and supported by JCR and MCR women’s officers in the colleges. We are the main representative for women in the University, as well as an autonomous campaigning body which provides a wide variety of services, resources and events for women in Cambridge. Decisions are made at our fortnightly women’s forum, which is open to all self-defining women, and should

be regularly attended by your college women’s officer. Forum is a space for discussing different projects or plans, for deciding on our campaign ideas, supporting each other and enabling change throughout the university. The Women’s Campaign also has a committee composed of four campaigns managers who facilitate the working groups for each of the priority campaigns, which are chosen by Forum, as well representational officers; BME, LGBT+, Disabled, International and Graduate Women’s. Our campaigns: We campaign on the issues that matter to Cambridge women, from getting a living wage to ending sexual violence. The content and direction of our campaigning comes from Women’s Forum where all women students are welcome (and welcomed!) to have their voice heard on the issues that affect them. Our 4 priority campaigns for this year are sexual consent, women and class, lad culture and women in academia. If you want to get involved with these campaigns, or you’ve got your own ideas for change, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or come along to Women’s Squash in Freshers’ Week or to Women’s Forum throughout the year. women@cusu.cam.ac.uk cusu-womens-bulletin@lists.cam.ac.uk www.facebook.com/cusuwomen @CUSUwomen

Black and Minority Ethnic Student’s Campaign The Black and Minority Ethnic Students’ Campaign exists as a voice for student concerns and to reduce prejudice by promoting an inclusive environment for ethnic minority students throughout the University. We focus on promoting diversity within the institution and this year we aim to take advantage of the momentum to broaden the scope of the Campaign and build on the growth of recent years. We are looking to engage more students and expand the campaign this year, working with existing partnerships to develop our annual calendar of events and embark of new initiatives such as a mentoring programme with local schools. Through our campaigning, we address the educational achievement gaps and work towards improving access figures and supporting existing students. Campaigning The Joint Committee on Academic Performance was established by the Council and the General Board to act as a central focus for discussion of matters relating to performance in Tripos examinations and to make recommendations as appropriate to the central bodies.

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A research project was launched and overseen by the Joint Committee, entitled ‘The undergraduate experience of Cambridge among three ethnic minority groups’. The aim of this project was to gain a better understanding of the experiences of students from Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Black British homes whilst they are in Cambridge, and to identify specific issues which affect them along with the ways in which these may have an impact on their academic performance. The project was completed in 2005 and the report released on the 13th March 2006, reaching the conclusion that ethnicity is not in itself a factor determining academic performance, although there remain substantial differences in academic achievement between different British ethnic groups. There are numerous opportunities to get involved with the BME campaign: visit our stall at the Freshers’ Fair and come to our fresher’s squash to meet the team and get involved! www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/campaigns/bmestudents/ blackstudents@cusu.cam.ac.uk @CambridgeBME

Disabled Student’s Campaign The DSC is the organised voice of disabled students in Cambridge University. We are the newest of the five Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) autonomous campaigns. As an autonomous campaign, we are run by our members, for our members. At the DSC we recognise that disability means different things to different people, and as long as you consider yourself disabled or have personally experienced disability in the past, then the DSC is your campaign. The aim of the DSC is to enable disabled students to organize ourselves to change

the University and other institutions disabled students here use or would like to use in order to make sure that our minds and bodies are taken seriously, our ways of doing things are valued equally and our rights are respected. We do not want to be tolerated or accommodated. We want to attend a university, and live in a society, in which the body and mind norms that can be used to discriminate against us have been done away with, and tolerance and accommodation no longer make sense. In this aim we stand in solidarity with the other autonomous campaignsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fight against other oppressive normative social structures in our society, based on race, gender, sexuality and so on. The DSC organizes regular events and elects officers. We hold frequent open meetings (ten each year), which are the key discussion and decision making forums of the campaign, although they are also usually preceded or succeeded by opportunities for socializing. Coming to these is the best way for most new members to get to know about the campaign and the active members, and to start getting involved themselves. We also run or participate in other social, educational, welfare and campaigning events, which can be found on our website. DCS Exec The DSC has elected officers, the Executive. These are positions for which any member of the campaign can run, alone or collaboratively. Whilst these positions come with responsibilities, the campaign tries to ensure that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any special power, and what gets decided and done is determined by the will and involvement of every member. Campaigns The DSCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaigns are determined by all its members through open meetings: anyone can bring a new idea, and we try to always reach consensus before we take something forward. Many of us involved in the campaign have found it a relief to tackle the challenges we face as disabled students collectively, without feeling a lone voice in a disabling society. www.disabled.cusu.cam.ac.uk disabled@cusu.cam.ac.uk Find us on 54

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CUSU LGBT+ Campaign There is a thriving LGBT+ community in Cambridge. CUSU LGBT+ exists to safeguard and support the interests of LGBT+ students. The committee includes Women’s, Bi and Trans Reps alongside typical roles such as Finance and Events (‘Ents’). There is an LGBT+ library in the CUSU offices, which any student is free to borrow from at any time. If you are nervous about getting involved in LGBT+ in Cambridge, then you could consider signing up for the LGBT+ Parenting Scheme on the website. LBGT+ College Reps There are LBGT+ Welfare and Rights Officers on the JCR/MCR Committee of each college. College reps organise events for the LGBT+ community in their college, but they are also a useful source if you need advice, a chat or wish to seek more information. A list of contacts for LGBT+ College Reps can be found on the CUSU LGBT+ website, and college reps should be in touch with their freshers during Fresher’s Week. Events Every Monday at Revolution there is an LGBT+ night, Spectrum, which is extremely popular. Alternatively, you can meet new people and make friends at LGBT+ coffee meetings or film nights – there are frequent Women’s Coffee meetings, as well as events organised by the CUSU LGBT+ Bi and Trans Reps. CUSU LGBT+ also attends London Pride every year, and all students are welcome to march behind the CUSU banner.

Campaigns As well as providing welfare support and organising events for LGBT+ students in the University of Cambridge, CUSU LGBT+ aims to do a lot of campaigning on behalf of its members. A large part of this consists of quietly bringing small-scale issues to the attention of relevant authorities, but where there is a more wide-ranging issue about which the members feel strongly CUSU LGBT+ aims to provide a collective voice to these concerns. The current plans for campaigns intend to tackle biphobia and encourage trans* awareness (including non-binary genders). More information should soon be available at cusu-lgbt-campaigns. tumblr.com/ CUSU LGBT+ Parenting Scheme 2014 The LGBT+ parenting scheme is an annual scheme run by the CUSU LGBT+ independent campaign as a way to introduce new students (either Undergraduate or Graduate) or even existing students to the LGBT+ community at Cambridge University. The scheme aims to be beneficial to all, regardless of whether you’re interested in making friends, being introduced to the social scene, or seeking support in exploring your own sexuality or gender identity. You don’t have to be certain about how you identify – everyone is welcome. www.lgbt.cusu.cam.ac.uk/freshers/looking-for-a-parent/ Coming Out If you would like to be involved with CUSU LGBT+ but you are not out and wish to avoid clear indications of involvement on social media, feel free to contact the Welfare and Rights Officer confidentially at lgbt-welfare@cusu.cam.ac.uk www.lgbt.cusu.cam.ac.uk lgbt-president@cusu.cam.ac.uk

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International Student’s Campaign iCUSU is the umbrella body for all international societies and students in Cambridge University. We aim to serve as a hub for all things international happening in Cambridge, whilst looking out for the needs of internationals. Our ‘core purposes’ are: - To look after students’ well-being through Language Workshops, a Mentorship Program and Freshers’ Week events. - To act as a platform for international student’s voices and to serve as a networking centre for all students to connect. -

Campaign to improve opportunities for underprivileged groups abroad.

College Reps and Freshers’ Groups Each college has an international student representative. There are often international student fresher’s events in college so you can make friends and find out more about the campaign. Join the International student’s freshers group for your college on facebook and connect before you arrive! Campaigns and Events International Freshers Week (IFW) is an introductory series of events taking place in Cambridge for international students beginning undergraduate studies. We will be hosting a variety of social gatherings, city tours and will be happy to help with any queries. IFW will lead into Freshers Week events, which usually consist of pub crawls, icebreakers and the like. It is a university-wide event and is open to all students from all colleges. iCUSU run 3 flagship events every year to involve and represent students; this year we will be launching a major campaign to promote international access to Cambridge. www.international.cusu.cam.ac.uk international-chair@cusu.cam.ac.uk www.facebook.com/iCUSU?fref=ts

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General Support

General Support Coming to University, and especially one as challenging as Cambridge, can put strain on both your mental and physical health. You may face some difficulties within your first year, from adjusting to being away from home to coping with the workload. However Cambridge has one of the lowest drop out rates for a reason: our excellent support network. There are many organisations, individuals and resources designed to help you. This section contains some more information about these, so you know where to turn to if you experience any problems,

In your College Every student at Cambridge should be assigned a tutor. They provide pastoral support in the form of discussing problems with things like finance, mental health, working within University procedures and study questions you don’t want to bring up with your supervisors or Director of Studies. They generally like to know when problems are developing so keep them up to date even if you think it’s not going to get that bad - lots of warning will help them best support you if things do become an issue.

Director of Studies (DoS) Undergrads are assigned a Director of Studies. Unlike your Tutor, they are familiar with your subject and department. They provide academic support and may be involved in arranging your supervisions and work. As with your Tutor, it’s good to let them know early on if you think something is going to impact your work. They should be supportive of your academic progress, but if you have any kind of problem with them, your Tutor, the UCS or the Student Advice Service might be able to help.

College Nurse Most colleges have a nurse available in at least a part-time capacity and they are able to provide things like painkillers and cough medicine as well as being a good person to see if you have a case of something like food poisoning. You can go to talk to them about medical or personal problems in confidence, so it’s good to inform them about any pre-existing conditions. They might also be able to provide support in terms of knowing what local individual GPs are like and what you can expect from other local medical services.

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College Chaplain All colleges have a chaplain and they are available for people regardless of their religion or beliefs. They are there for emotional, pastoral and spiritual support and guidance.

College Welfare and Rights Officers Welfare and Rights Officers will be elected within your JCR or MCR to support you with a listening ear or knowledge about your options. They are concerned with supporting people while they settle in, encounter exam stress and deal with issues in their personal life. They may put on events aimed at helping people de-stress and stay healthy, such as yoga during the “week 5 blues”.

Student Advice Service The Student Advice Service is an impartial, non-directive support service for students. This means that it’s a place you can come to seek information, gain representation and explore your options on any issue. The service is made up of two professional advisors and three people from the student unions - the Welfare and Rights, Women’s and Education officers. All advisors are trained in line with Advice UK standards and are committed to confidential and sensitive treatment of whatever you need help with.

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University Counselling Service The UCS provides students with free counselling. Their waiting lists can be shorter than those for NHS counselling and they also offer workshops, group sessions and information leaflets addressing a wide range of common student issues, undergraduate and postgraduate. The Counselling Service receives input from CUSU and some of the autonomous campaigns to best address the needs of students. The Counselling Serviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fresherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide can be found here: www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/selfhelp/leaflets/freshers

Disability Resource Centre Many people do not realise until university that they have a disability, whether because it has not presented a problem until they encounter the challenges of university life or because the people around them have not recognised their difficulties as a disability. The DRC supports students with all kinds of disabilities. If you suspect that any disability, including chronic illness, a learning disability or a mental health condition, is affecting your study or quality of life at all the DRC can support you. www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/disability/

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Health and Wellbeing Mental Health and Accessing Support Looking after your mental health and wellbeing in Cambridge is very important and there is lots of support in place to empower you to do so. Some of the people available to help include: - Tutors - Your DoS (Director of Studies) - Supervisors - College nurses - Chaplains - The UCS (University Counselling Service) - The Student Advice Service - Your college Welfare and Rights Officers - Your GP - The DRC (Disability Resource Centre) They can all help you find out what works to keep you functioning to the best of your ability at Cambridge. If one option doesn’t work for you, there are many others with different characters and approaches to try. The key thing is to keep the huge variety of resources in mind and to ask for help when you need it. You can also look at Mind’s resources on how to improve and maintain your mental wellbeing, including a guide called “Understanding Mental Health Problems”. Even if you feel like your problem is too big and stigmatised, or on the other hand not ‘real’ enough, for someone to deal with, there is someone in the University who can help you. Most mental health issues do not fit common stereotypes and it’s important to keep an open mind as to what might help you.

Sexual Health It is important for everyone to have knowledge about sexual health, whether or not they intend to have sex while at university. You may receive a talk about sexual health in fresher’s week. Information and confidential advice is available from your GP, your college nurse, the Student Advice Service, and sexual health clinics such as Clinic 1A at Addenbrookes and The Laurels on Newmarket Road. Information also exists on websites such as Scarleteen, which is aimed at teenagers but contains sound advice on sexuality, relationships, pregnancy and STDs.

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Sexual Health Supplies CUSU provides free sexual health supplies, such as condoms and pregnancy tests, to JCRs and MCRs at every college, which you can have access to. Ask you college welfare officers where you can find these in advance, as you never know when you might suddenly need them. CUSU can also provide sexual health supplies to individuals, including several varieties of condom (latex, latex-free and vegan), femidoms, latex and latex-free dental dams, and lubricant. Pregnancy tests are available for free at CUSU reception.

Testing If you do choose to have sex, it is a good idea to get checked out for STIs regularly and if you change partners. Colleges will normally host a chlamydia testing event once a year but there are other infections which you may be exposed to so a full screen might be wise. You can get tested at: The Laurels 20 Newmarket Road 08456 505 152

Clinic 1a Addenbrookes Hospital 01223 217 774

If you want to be screened for HIV then you must do this at Clinic 1a as the Laurels does not currently conduct this testing.

Consent Sexual health isn’t just about STIs and pregnancy; it is also about being able to engage in healthy sexual relationships if that is your choice. Consent is active and willing participation in sexual activity. Consent cannot be assumed - whether you’re in a relationship, if you’ve been kissing, or no matter who has paid for the date – and an absence of “no” does not mean “yes”. Checking for consent needs to be an on-going process, and is the responsibility of both partners. If you’re not sure, it’s always best to ask. The CUSU Women’s Campaign runs consent workshops and campaigns to improve awareness of issues around consent. Learn more at: www.womens.cusu.cam.ac.uk/consent 69

Eating Problems If you have an eating disorder, feel that you may be developing problems around eating and food or are worried about a friend, there are a number of different ways to access advice and support. People are often hesitant to seek help if they feel they are ‘not disordered enough’ but remember: if an eating problem is significant to you then it should be considered seriously by any support service you choose to access. If you are comfortable, you could try talking to your college nurse, the UCS, a GP or other NHS services. If you are unsure who to approach and would like someone to discuss your options with, the Student Advice Service can provide confidential, non-judgemental support and advice.

CUSU-GU B-Eat Group The CUSU Eating Disorders Self Help and Support Group is a non-judgmental, non-critical, confidential group where anyone who feels they have been affected by eating disorders, issues with food or related issues can talk openly about their life, problems and issues regarding recovery. Each group is facilitated by at least two Beat-registered Group Facilitators and attendees support each other by sharing experiences, thoughts, successes and problems. The group is user-led so you can talk as much or as little as you want and you are welcome to bring a friend along if it makes you more comfortable.

University Counselling Service The UCS can support students with disordered eating through individual counselling and group sessions. Group sessions are scheduled to begin at the start of November and take a ‘part experiential, part psycho-educational’ approach. Students wishing to attend will normally have a pre-group exploratory meeting with the group counsellor.

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Specialist Support Student Parents University Childcare Office The University Childcare Office is the central organisation which can provide student parents with information and advice. You can contact an advisor at childcare@admin.cam.ac.uk and to ask to be added to their weekly bulletin. Alternatively, you can look through the Cambridge Guide for Student Parents which is hosted on the Childcare Office website. www.cam.ac.uk/studentparentguide Student Parents Society The CU Student Parents Society is a group for student parents to meet, pass on information and generally talk about their life in Cambridge. The society has a pretty active Facebook group where you can go to get advice or an insight into what life is like for parents studying at the University. www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/campaigns/studentparents In Your College The provision of facilities and family accommodation varies between colleges so it is a really good idea to talk to your college about what they have on offer. Each college has a designated Childcare Contact who can give you information about accommodation and finance issues. Parent and Toddler Group The Graduate Union organises a weekly Parent and Toddler Group which meets on Fridays, 10:30am12:30pm, at the University Centre on Mill Lane. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a free, informal group for students and/or their partners who have young children and is a great way to meet people and make friends within the student parent community.

Disabled Students Disability covers a broad spectrum including mental health conditions, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, autism, chronic health conditions and mobility or sensory impairments. If you do have a disability, diagnosed either prior to or while at university, you have the option of informing your college. Disclosing your disability to them does help them make arrangements that will put you on a level playing field with other people on your course and generally ensure your wellbeing. If even after disclosing your access needs are not being met, the DRC or the Student Advice Service can support, represent and guide you when dealing with the relevant people. 71

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Disability Resource Centre The DRC is listed both here and under “general support” for a reason - the line between general and specialist support is not as clear as some would make out. Cliched as it may be, we are all individuals and so-called “specialist” help is a general need when variations in learning styles and ability to participate are not well accounted for by default. The DRC provides advice, information and support to all disabled students, as well as coordinating assessment for specific learning difficulties and autism. They may be able to supply students with study skills tuition, mentoring, loan of specialist equipment, and assistance with funding applications. The DRC also maintains the Cambridge University Disability Access Guide which provides access information about college, faculty and other University buildings. Disabled Students’ Allowance DSA is, at time of writing, a benefit intended to help pay for extra costs you may encounter as a result of your disability, and is available to claim once you have a diagnosis. This can be completed at the Disability Resource Centre. Due to the cuts imposed by the current government, the continued provision of DSA is in doubt. Around the time the freshers start we will learn what is being done about DSA. As far as we know, the people starting in 2014 will still be provided for under the current system, but may face cuts in the later years of their degree. In the case of DSA becoming unavailable, CUSU and the Disabled Students Campaign will be providing the student body with information as to what has happened and what provisions they are trying to make to mitigate the effect of the cuts on disabled students. If you have concerns, contact CUSU, the Student Advice Service or the Disability Resource Centre.

Courtesy of Rebecca Williams

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YOUR CHECKLIST Before you get to Cambridge In case you haven’t given much thought to what you’ll need to bring with you to Cambridge, we’ve compiled a helpful list of things you might need! But don’t worry if you forget anything, there are plenty of shops here! Don’t miss out!

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Follow CUSU on Facebook and Twitter Do the same for your JCR Sign up for the Freshers Edition of the TCS

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Buy your CUSU Afterparty ticket

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Laundry bag/basket

Go to the CUSU Freshers Festival Sign up for an NUS card

For your room

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Anything that makes you feel at home – posters, ornaments, photos Rugs, cushions etc. Pillow/Duvet/blanket (some colleges provide) Bed Linen (some colleges provide) Towels Toiletries Washing Powder/Tablets

Alarm Clock Extension Lead/Adaptor Chargers for all of your devices Speakers/iPod dock Coat Hangers Iron (usually provided) Desk Lamp (optional)

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For the kitchen

q q q q q q q q

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Bottle Opener

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PC or Laptop (optional)

Batteries

Books and DVDs

TV (you will need a license and check your college allows them)

Tea/Coffee/Hot Chocolate Biscuits/Cake Store cupboard food (tins, cereals) General Cutlery and Crockery Tupperware boxes Sharp Knife Chopping Board

Tin Opener Washing-up Liquid Dish Cloth/sponges Tea Towel Kettle (usually provided) Toaster or sandwich maker

Pans (check what type of hobs your college has first)

Work Work

Relevant notes from your A-level (or equivalent) course

Reading list and anything sent by your faculty/college

Stationery - pens, paper, hole punch, etc Book stand (very useful)

Worth considering

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Bike/Bike Lock/Helmet/Lights (although you can buy lights from the CUSU reception)

Camera

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Printer (by no means essential) Umbrella

ID and documents

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Birth Certificate

Passport

NHS Card, Medical details/ Immunisation history

Paperwork relating to any financial assistance you’ve applied for

National Insurance Number

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Insurance Certificate (possessions, bike, musical instrument…) Passport Photos – for society membership cards etc Bank account details – if you’ve already set up your bank account Bank things – debit card, credit card and cheque book etc

Clothing Black tie and formal clothing are required at many events so bring something suitable; suit for guys and dresses for girls are the standard. If you are unsure ask your college family or look at past event photos on facebook. Also check the dress code for your matriculation photo which can be strict. Everyone is required to purchase a college gown. Some colleges recommend you do this in advance, or when you arrive. Both ryderamies.co.uk and www.aeclothier.co.uk stock them online and in store. Although it may be sunny when you arrive Michaelmas terms lasts into December so be sure to pack some warmer clothing.

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Really Useful Contacts Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) Old Examination Hall, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RF www.cusu.cam.ac.uk (01223) 333 313 Student Advice Service (CUSU) Full-time student advisors: Lisa Dery and Rachel Wilson

advice@studentadvice.cam.ac.uk

Student Advisors: Jack Wright (Welfare and Rights Officer) Rob Richardson (Education Officer) Amelia Horgan (Women’s Officer)

welfare@studentadvice.cam.ac.uk education@studentadvice.cam.ac.uk womens@studentadvice.cam.ac.uk

www.studentadvice.cam.ac.uk 01223 746999

University • University Counselling Service 2/3 Benet Place, Lensfield Road 01223 332865 reception@counselling.cam.ac.uk

•

International Office 01223 764680 international@admin.ac.uk

www.counselling.cam.ac.uk

•

University Childcare Office 01223 765305 childcare@admin.cam.ac.uk www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/childcare

•

Points Based Immigration Office 01223 337984 studentvisas@admin.ac.uk

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Disability Resource Centre Keynes House, 24a Trumpington Street 01223 332301 disability@admin.cam.ac.uk www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/disability

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University Accommodation Service (affordable accommodation in Cambridge) 01223 338099 www.accommodation.cam.ac.uk/

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Board of Graduate Studies www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/

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Graduate Union www.gradunion.cam.ac.uk/

Medical •

Student Health Website www.camstudenthealth.nhs.uk

• NHS advice and non emergency care 111 •

Urgent Care Cambridgeshire 03301 239131

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Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road 01223 245 151

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Rape Crisis Centre 01223 245 888 contact@cambridgerapecrisis.co.uk

Legal •

Citizen’s Advice Bureau 0844 848 7979 www.cambridgecab.org.uk

Sexual Health •

The Laurels (Confidential sexual health check-ups) 20 Newmarket Road, Cambridge, 08456 505 152 www.sexualhealthcambs.nhs.uk www.goodsexualhealth.co.uk

Listening and Support • Linkline Linkline is a listening support and information service, run by students for students, every night of Cambridge University full term. You can call on 01223 744 444 or 01223 367 575 between 7pm and 7am, you can now also email (email@linkline.org.uk) and skype (cambridge.linkline) www.linkline.org.uk • Samaritans Confidential listening service 24/7 08457 909090

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Printing, binding, laminating and photocopying Drop in to CUSU for all your printing, binding, laminating and photocopying. Open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, all year round. Cambridge University Students Union Old Examination Hall, Free School Lane, CB2 3RF For more information Visit www.cusu.cam.ac.uk Call 01223 333 313 Email info@cusu.cam.ac.uk

30% OFF

Present this voucher for your 30% discount…

• Printing • Binding • Laminating • Photocopying 81

This coupon is valid until the end of Michaelmas 2014, can only be used once, and cannot be used in conjunction with any offers.

Email: info@cusu.cam.ac.uk Telephone: (01223) 333 313 Uni network: 33313 Cambridge University Students' Union Old Examination Hall, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RF www.cusu.cam.ac.uk