St Catharine’s College
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Freshers’ Guide 2013
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CONTENTS WELCOME MESSAGE Page – 3 ARRIVING AT CATZ Page – 7 FRESHERS’ WEEK TO DO LIST Page – 8 FRESHERS’ WEEK TIMETABLE Page – 9 THINGS TO BRING Page – 12 JCR INTRODUCTIONS Page – 15 CUSU Page – 20 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT INFORMATION Page – 22 CATZ LIFE Catz Traditions – Page – 25 Catz + Camb Lingo – Page – 26 The Powers that Be – Page – 28 Facilities – Page – 30 Accommodation – Page – 34 1 !
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Food and Drink – Page – 36 Entertainment – Page – 38 Sports – Page – 43 Societies – Page – 54 PRACTICAL THINGS Page – 62 WELFARE AND HEALTH Page – 65 PLACES OF INTEREST Page – 68 MAPS Page – 70 THE FRESHERS’ TEAM Page – 72 A FINAL MESSAGE Page - 78
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WELCOME MESSAGE!
Hello everyone!! We want to say a massive CONGRATULATIONS for getting into Catz!!! It is the best college by miles. And that’s before you count everyone who goes here. We know you’re going to love it as much as we do.
We are Beth and Mikey, the First Year Officers at Catz. Our role involves being your go-to people before and after you arrive, organising freshers week, matching you up with college parents and being your representatives on the JCR. We are basically here to make sure you settle into uni life (a scary prospect for some!). Of course don’t hesitate to contact either of us with any questions before you come to Catz and start what will hopefully be some of the best years of your life.
There are a few bits of admin that you will have to do before you get here. (Don’t let this worry you though – admin is fun!) College will have sent you several forms that you need to fill in and it is vital that you return them ASAP!
We also need you to send us an informal photo along the lines of the pictures of the JCR committee. Could you please send this to Mikey on michaelzezervos@hotmail.co.uk by Friday 30th September at the latest, including your name and subject in the email.
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In addition to this we strongly suggest that you join the St Catharine’s Freshers’ Group on Facebook. This is important as it will be our main way of contacting you with changes made to the Freshers’ Week timetable. You can find it by searching for ‘St Catharine’s College, Cambridge 2013-2014 Future Freshers’ or using this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/154554041359718/ It also means you will be able to recognise some faces when you arrive and ask questions.
Starting any Uni can be a daunting experience for both you and your family. Cambridge is well known for all its “mystical and mysterious traditions and stereotypes” (thanks Daily Mail) – but don't let this worry you! We are here to make it as easy and stress free a transition as possible and to show you just how laughable the stereotypes are (... unless of course you’re at St John’s...). We were both anxious before we came to Catz but since arriving and meeting all the friendly Catz people we haven’t had a second thought. Most colleges claim to be the friendliest and most sociable but we can genuinely affirm that Catz is. No joke. Friendly and sociable to the point of being ridiculous.
You will each have two college parents. One who does your subject and normally one who does something else. They’re usually good friends who signed up to comentor incoming Freshers to help them through the first year. College parents are here to answer any questions both before you come to Catz and once you’re here. They will help you settle in and you will meet them soon after you arrive. You will also have a college brother or sister who will probably do something different to you who you’ll get to meet pretty soon. We were actually college siblings and are really close friends - our parents really helped us settle in and answered all our questions no matter how silly we thought they were. You can see just how good our family system is.
Your parents should be in touch over the next couple of weeks. Feel free to contact either your parents, or us with any questions you might have! We will be VERY excited to hear from you!
If your parents aren’t about when you arrive you can always talk to one of our very own Freshers Team. You won’t be able to miss them as they will be wearing obscenely bright pink polo shirts (a tip: if you forget their name, it’s on the back so take a cheeky glance to double check!) They will be more than happy to help with anything from carrying heavy boxes to making tea to having a chat. 4 !
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Once you have got through the madness of Freshers’ Week, there’s so much on offer in both Catz and Cambridge. Academically Catz does well- on average 9th in the Tompkins Table ranking of the colleges. On the sporting front, Catz does really well at a range of athletic pursuits, from hockey to rowing to mixed netball (the sport of champions). Even though sports may not have been your thing before, the college sports’ atmosphere is incredibly relaxed and friendly so it’s a really great place to give new things a go. Catz crowds are always the biggest and best, mainly by virtue of numbers and vocal enthusiasm. In addition to all these sports, there really is something for everyone – dancing, singing, playing cards and debating are all easily accessible. One of the best things about college life is the opportunity to take up new pastimes for fun, and being able to take things further even up to university level.
As you will already have noticed the Cambridge terms are very short (just 8 weeks!) and unfortunately it means our Freshers’ Week has to follow suit. Don’t let you depress you though, it is jam-packed full of stuff to do. Lectures actually start on the Thursday (a weird Cambridge thing is that weeks run Thursday to Wednesday). And even though we want you to have an amazing time in Freshers’ Week; getting to know everyone and finding your feet here, we must emphasise the importance of getting your head down when the time comes... supervisors really do like to make full usage of the short terms. You will find our timetable on pg 9 and although we will try to keep to it as much as possible, there may be some changes that we will update via the Facebook Group and your Hermes email.
The social life at Catz is fantastic- another Cambridge myth busted! People socialise across years so don’t be surprised if you end up chilling with second and third years. Our new bar opened at the end of last term so you will be the first year to see it all the way through! The JCR and the bar have both proved to be great places to socialise. The nightlife is very varied – as we’ve tried to show later in the guide - and you will find something for all tastes here!
We hope after reading this guide you feel more relaxed and excited about coming here. There is a glossary of terms in this book if some of our lingo has confused you. They all became second nature to us very quickly and hopefully they will all make sense. We truly are so psyched to meet you all!, and remember if you have any questions just give either of us a shout!
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Catz is a wonderful college for all kind of people to feel welcomed and loved. Everyone is so friendly and we hope that you come to think of us as a home from home!
Much love, see you soon, so excited! Beth and Mikey ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Michael Zervos
Bethany CullimorePike
Red Gables Cleardown Woking Surrey GU22 7HH
Llanerch Farm Hendy Swansea SA4 0YA bjs52@cam.ac.uk
michaelzezervos@hotmail.co.uk
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ARRIVING AT CATZ You can arrive at St Catharine’s on either Saturday 5th or Sunday 6th of October, although we’d really recommend arriving on the Saturday! Otherwise, arrive by Sunday lunchtime at the latest - your college parents will come find you at 2pm. You can park your car in the Fellow’s car park (on Queens Lane at the back of the college). It can get very crowded, so please move out as soon as you have unloaded – maximum 25 minutes. See Google maps or the ‘How to Find Us’ page on the college website: http://www.caths.cam.ac.uk/home/?m=page&id=52 Go to the porters’ lodge to sign in and collect your keys for your room Take all of your belongings to your room - there are a few rather exciting carts/trailers available, but you will have to carry most stuff by hand. Thankfully, the burly Freshers’ Team will be around to help and guide (look out for them; they’ll be wearing pink polo shirts!). If you have a bike, take it to the bike shed below the Fellows’ car park – make sure you have locked it securely and get a bike ID number from the Porters. Check your pigeonhole. These are downstairs in the Porters’ Lodgethe box BELOW your name is yours. There will be useful admin in there Go to Sainsbury’s if you have time – it will be useful to get some necessities for the next few days – cereal, milk, tea, biscuits and other essentials you think you may need for Freshers’ Week…. You can also go to hall if you’re hungry. Lunch runs from 12 – 1.30pm and dinner from 6 – 7pm. 7 !
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FRESHERS’ WEEK TO DO LIST Although Freshers’ Week will be packed with fun stuff to do, there are important admin matters to see to: Buy a gown – You will need to do this in time for Matriculation Dinner on Monday 7th October. See later for more information on this. Pay your college bill – This can be done by cheque, or by debit/credit card. This is a bill for the term’s room rent, kitchen fixed charge, heat etc. You will have up to 30 days to pay this after you have arrived, thereafter you will be charged extra. For many of you, you will pay this out of your Maintenance Loan that you will receive from Student Finance. Get an internet connection – You set this up using the information in the college Freshers’ Guide. Each computer has a specific MAC address which you need to fill in on the form. Make this a priority before arrival as we may be e-mailing/facebooking you with updates to the Freshers’ Week schedule. Internet connection is also needed for booking tickets for Formal hall (see below!). Facebook is by no means essential, although many people have found it useful in terms of knowing about, and going to, events that are put on – we’d recommend you get it before arriving if you don’t have it, so you can stay up to date. Student Loan Confirmation. You will need various forms, which will have been sent to you by the Student Finance Company to do this. More info on how to complete this will be in your pigeonhole when you arrive but contact us if you have any questions. Register with a doctor. There are many surgeries close by to Catz that you can register with. More information when you arrive. This doesn’t need to be in Freshers’ Week, but make it a priority thereafter. Check your pigeonhole – Check every day for important admin. Buy tickets for Freshers’ Formal Hall – This is on Sunday 13th October and is optional. Tickets will be available at a price of £9.35 on the College website (www.student.caths.cam.ac.uk/jcr/formals) until 1pm Friday 11th October. 8 !
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FRESHERS’ WEEK TIMETABLE Date
Time
Event
0900
Freshers Arrive Today Freshers team around to help with moving in and questions
Saturday 5th October
All Day
Welcome pizza and drinks Meeting siblings, Reps and year group
1400
Meet College parents for tours and drinks
1830
Freshers’ Welcome Meeting
Sunday 6th October
2130
Pub Quiz Socialising People can go out to clubs with second and third years after
McGrath Centre
Hall Bar
Morning
DoS meetings will be going on
14001515
Charlie Waller Memorial Trust Talk on Mental Health
McGrath Centre
16001700
Academic induction (Arts)
McGrath Centre
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College Bar and JCR
Intros from JCR/ Chaplain/ Porters
2000
Monday 7th October
Location
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Monday 7th October
Tuesday 8th October
Wednesday 9th October
17001800
Academic induction (Sciences)
McGrath Centre
1815
Matriculation service (optional)
Chapel
1930 SHARP
Matriculation Dinner
Hall
After Matric Dinner
Chilled night at the pub or members of the freshers team taking people to clubs
The Anchor/ Clubs
0930
Matriculation Photo
Meet in Hall
0945
Senior Tutor and Bursar Talks
McGrath Centre
1200
BBQ and old fashioned sports day
Catz Pitches
2000
Subject Pub Crawl
Subject Reps
10001500
Cambridge Uni Freshers’ Fair
Kelsey Kerridge Sports Hall
Members of the freshers team will go back and forth and it’s part of the “Explore Cambridge” event
All day
“Explore Cambridge” – scavenger hunt type activity
Across Cambridge
2000
Catz Sports and Societies Squash
McGrath Centre
Early Night
(lectures tomorrow)
Thursday 10th October
All day
Lectures begin today
2100
PJ Movie night 10
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JCR
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Friday 11th October
2100
Saturday 12th October
1400
Sunday 13th October
Monday 14th October
Saturday 19th October
Catz Ents Back to School Bop
Union – meet at plodge
Punting
Scudamores
Danger Spoons
Spoons
11001300
Brunch
Hall
1930
Freshers’ first formal
Hall
Real life begins....
College parents dinner
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THINGS TO BRING If in doubt, contact Mikey, Beth, one of your college parents, or just wait until you get here and Freshers' Team members can advise you. Bed linen – a duvet and pillows are provided but you need to bring duvet covers, sheets, and pillowcases. Smart clothes – needed for Matriculation dinner and any formal halls. Girls usually wear a smart dress or skirt/trousers and a top; guys must wear a suit with a tie. There are also a number of events throughout the year where you will be expected to wear black tie (for example society dinners, balls). Fancy Dress – themed events occur almost weekly around here, whether it is swaps, birthdays or bops. You’ll have “Back to School” for your Freshers’ Week Bop, and we can guarantee a well-prepared Halloween outfit will be worthwhile. Other favourites include: Tight & Bright, Tribal, Animals, Cocktails, Christmas, Beach etc. Cooking stuff – this really depends on how much cooking you intend to do. Hall is available for every meal but only at the allocated times it’s always worth having some essentials. We reckon a sharp knife, kettle, chopping board, tea towels, colander (you will cook so much pasta) and saucepan are the basics. If you’re planning on cooking a lot it might be worth investing in a wok, spatula/wooden spoon and can opener. You technically aren’t allowed any frying pans, and if you bring a toaster beware setting off the fire alarm and making everyone grumble. Cutlery and crockery – this is not provided. We advise you bring enough for at least 3 people. Bring more if you’d like to wash up less... Cutlery thieves can strike at any time – so you may want to keep it in your room. A laptop – VERY useful. There are many computer rooms in college fitted with printers and internet connections so it is easily possible to survive without one, but many people prefer to work in the privacy of their own room/favourite spot in the library. If you do decide to bring a laptop, make sure to source an Ethernet cable- you can buy these on arrival from the College Computer Department (K block). Getting an 12 !
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extra long cable can be good because you can then use the internet in bed… USB sticks and headphones are also a very good idea. TVs – These are permitted but not essential or recommended- most people find that the JCR television is good enough (it has Sky). You will need to buy your own personal TV license if you decide to bring one. Posters and poster hangers – MAKE YOUR ROOM FEEL LIKE HOME WOO. Each room has a large notice board which you can pin or blu-tac stuff to, but no blu-tac can be used on the walls Personal documentation – things like passports, national insurance number, and medical card needed to register with a doctor as well, forms and letters from Student Finance, etc. Washing stuff – A wash bin and/or huge bag to carry all your clothes down to the washroom is very useful. There is a “functional” iron and ironing board in the washroom, but you may want to bring you own nicer ones. Bring/buy your own tablets and powder too. Cash – to keep you going until the student loan clears. If you have applied for this on time, this should come through a couple of days after you arrive. A form of ID – driving licence or passport as Cambridge has become very strict on this recently and many pubs will only accept your passport or a provisional/full driving licence as identification. Diary – This is so vital for keeping up with all the activities, meetings, lectures and deadlines you’ll encounter throughout the year. A must have. Bike – as you’ll soon see, cycling is the major form of transport in Cambridge. It’s up to you whether to bring a bike or not – your need for it will probably depend on where your Department is and how many sport/societies you intend to be involved in – talk to your college parents, they will know if you need one. If you do decide to bring one, remember a good bike lock, front and rear lights (compulsory after dark), bell and a helmet. Never leave your bike anywhere unlocked – many people have learnt this lesson the hard way: the number one crime in Cambridge is bike theft. 13 !
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Sports equipment & kit -If you’re keen to become involved in a particular sport bring any existing stuff you have along. E-mail the sports captains if you’re unsure on what you need (see sports pages in this guide) or ask on the Facebook Freshers’ page. Essential books for your course – Ask your college parents about this as it varies from subject to subject. Cambridge libraries are well equipped and your Supervisors will advise you too –we recommend you wait until you get here! Warm clothes – Cambridge starts to get seriously cold and windy during your first term so remember the woolly jumpers and coats. Extras - a camera, full-length mirror, hair straighteners, home comforts, plastic cups, a rug etc.
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JCR INTRODUCTIONS The JCR is your student union in college. Every undergraduate at Catz automatically becomes a member of the JCR when they arrive for Freshers' Week until they graduate, unless they choose to opt out. Every Lent the JCR elects a committee, the aim of which is to do their best to make sure that students at Catz have the best time that they can. From organising and funding Freshers’ Week to making sure the room rents stay low, putting on bops to providing free chlamydia tests, the JCR committee exists make your time at Catz that little bit better. So here’s this year Committee…
President – David Wade 4th Year Chemistry, dcw32@cam.ac.uk My main roles are representing the interests of the JCR to the college, chairing JCR meetings and assisting other committee members in implementing their ideas. Remember you can come to me with any problem, big or small, and if I can't help I'll almost certainly know someone that can. We try to get your input on what we do but if you have any suggestions for how to improve things please come and have a chat. All JCR committee meetings are open so everyone can contribute to the discussions. I look forward to meeting you in October!
Vice-President – Ben Donaldson 3rd Year Theology, bd328@cam.ac.uk VP is primarily an administrative role: I chair and make sure the college is aware when JCR meetings are happening, and I take and distribute the minutes so they known what’s going on. I’m also the right hand man of the president, in terms of attending important meetings and any other activity he chooses to delegate to me. Any issues you think the committee needs to discuss in our meetings, I’m the one to ask!
Treasurer – Jamil Hussain 2nd Year, Economics, jh852@cam.ac.uk As Treasurer, I keep track of the finances via accounting for all expenditures, managing reimbursements and seeking new income streams. I also assist the President and Vice-President in dealing with college authorities regarding issues such as concerning room rents, kitchen fixed charges or domestic services. If you have any question, JCR related or not, you are more than welcome to get in contact.
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Communications Officer – Ali Amin- Nejad 2nd Year Medicine aa726@cam.ac.uk I’m the one that keeps you informed with what’s happening around college and in Cambridge via a weekly bulletin, regular updates of the JCR website and keeping the notice-boards tidy and up-to-date. If you’ve got anything you want me to put up on the website, noticeboard or in the bulletin as well as any helpful suggestions just drop me an email.
Ents Officers – Michael Carbonell and Fin Allen 2nd Year Medicine mc812@cam.ac.uk 2nd Year Phys Natsci fa316@cam.ac.uk Your Ents Reps are so busy having fun, that they totally forgot to write a bio for this page. That’s okay though, you wouldn’t want boring Ents Reps. They are responsible for organising bops in colleges, and are the people to speak to if you’d like some help with an event. They hold the keys to controlling the sound system that college owns, and are all round great fellows. You will definitely see them on nights out.
Access & Admissions Officer – Scott Warin 2nd Year Law sw629@cam.ac.uk Hi guys I'm Scott and I am the Access and Admission Officer here at Catz. My job is to encourage more applications to Catz from a wide range of backgrounds. I visit schools, conduct tours, answer questions from applicants and help ensure the interview process is as un-daunting as possible. Please come find me during Freshers’ or drop me an email if you would like to be involved in the Access Team; see you soon.
Catering & Facilities Officer – Anna Drummond 3rd Year Geography ad615@cam.ac.uk As Catering & Facilities Rep, I am responsible for a wide range of things that affect your everyday life in college, from clearing the bike sheds to food pricing in Hall and the quality of the gyp rooms. I am here to take on board any problems or questions you have about college food or other services, and will always try to do something about them. So feel free to contact me, however small the issue!
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Charities Officer – Sofi Shall 3rd Year Geography, sls63@cam.ac.uk As Charities Officer I work with lots of charities, both within college and university-wide. One of the main charities within Cambridge is RAG (Raise and Give) and is a uni wide organisation, raising money for multiple charities throughout the year. It's my responsibility to plan events and fundraisers within college. If you're into fundraising or want to get involved in RAG in any way - just drop me an email! I'm also responsible for looking out for any other charities that are active within college such as Fairtrade, CatzSAFE (Southern African Fund for Education) etc - if you want to get involved with any of these let me know! Look out for the charity social that we have planned for you in freshers week and get involved in making Catz a more charitable college.
Female & Male Welfare Officers – Rhiannon Cogbill and David Edey 3rd Year Geography, rlc58@cam.ac.uk 3rd Year Maths, de273@cam.ac.uk Hii, we're Rhiannon and David and we're the Catz Welfare Reps. Our role is to ensure that your time at Catz is as happy and enjoyable as possible. We are available for you to approach us with any issues, problems or questions you might have and we offer a listening ear, support, and if needs be can point you in the direction of other helpful services. We can provide condoms, pregnancy tests, attack alarms (all confidentially and free of charge), and details of groups and services around Cambridge designed to promote your wellbeing. We've also got a welfare subcommittee so everyone gets the opportunity to get involved with welfare. What we really want is for everyone to enjoy their time here in Cambridge and for everyone to view Catz as a safe, healthy and happy environment! Looking forward to meeting you all & feel free to get in touch!
Environmental Officer – Mollie Shomali 2nd Year Arch & Anth mas240@cam.ac.uk As Ethical and Environmental Officer I work to represent the student body on environmental issues. I hold termly meetings with the staff and JCR and provide students with the means to easily make greener choices. At the moment I am working on improving the recycling system within college to ensure that every gyp room has a recycling bin. This requires keen students to empty them regularly though so if anyone is interested in this/becoming more involved with Catz environmental issues then feel free to contact me!
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External Officer – Jamie Carter 4th Year Engineering jc635@cam.ac.uk As External Officer I provide a link between our JCR and those of other colleges (and the wider university) through CUSU, the Cambridge University Students' Union. I attend CUSU council fortnightly, where I vote on motions which guide CUSU policy (which can be anything from taking a stance on a political issue to changing the days exams are on), raise issues of concern to the JCR, and connect with other colleges' representatives to find out how other colleges have dealt with similar problems. I also organise elections within college for the JCR committee and president, and for elected university positions.
Accommodation Officer Joe Cooper 3rd Year Phys NatSci jdc61@cam.ac.uk
As Accommodation Officer, my main responsibilities involve running the room ballots to decide which rooms people live in next year, as well as maintaining a database of undergraduate rooms. These have already taken place for this year, so you won't hear from me much about those, but I also act as a port of call for accommodation related issues, and can help point you in the right direction to solve any problems you have.
Sports & Societies Officer – Tom Neill 3rd Year Economics tn275@cam.ac.uk As Sports and Societies Rep it's my job to ensure you're aware of all the extra-curricular activities that Catz and Cambridge provide. From hockey to entrepreneurship, there's a club for everything, and if we don't, I'm also the person to contact if you want to set one up. I'm helping organise the Squash in Freshers' Week so that you can find out more, and I strongly encourage you to give something new a go - if Catz is good at one thing, it's getting involved. Throughout the year, if you decide you want to join a club, let me know and I'll point you in the right direction. I'm also responsible for organising the funding for the College Gym and Sports and Societies, so drop me a line if you have any questions.
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First Year Officers – Beth Cullimore-Pike and Mikey Zervos 2nd Year Veterinary Medicine bjs52@cam.ac.uk 2nd Year Medicine mzez2@cam.ac.uk We’re your Freshers’ Reps! Our main role is ensuring that you have a smooth and fun transition from life at home and school to life at Catz. This involves putting together this guide, organizing the various events in Freshers’ Week and being a point of contact for you before and after your arrival. We continue to hold events throughout the year, welcoming you ever closer into the Catz family. If you have any questions, at any point in the year, you can contact us – it’s what we’re here for!
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Cambridge University Students’ Union www.cusu.cam.ac.uk
Members of Catz JCR are also members of Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU). CUSU operates from offices within the Examinations Hall complex on the New Museums site, open MondayFriday 9.30am-5.30pm. Full time officers are elected annually and run CUSU, taking a year out their studies. Some part time officers, also elected annually, assist them. NB: CUSU is different to The Cambridge Union Society aka ‘The Union’. Contact Jamie Carter (External Officer) for info. Services CUSU provides a variety of services to students and societies. At its HQ on the New Museums site you can find stationery, bike lights, condoms, attack alarms and some other items. CUSU also provides photocopy, printing, fax and scanning facilities at the CUSU office. The CUSU mail service (CUSU-MS) is a free mail service run by CUSU, which delivers to every college Monday-Friday. The JCR and Societies may rent a CUSU van. Welfare CUSU has a welfare officer who can give personal advice on financial, housing and other matters as well as dealing with the welfare of students in general. You will receive a Fresher’s Guide in your pigeonhole, and it also runs the Student Advice Service – for info www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/advice. CUSU also runs the c-card scheme for the provision of contraception www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/services/sexualhealth. Publications In addition to those mentioned above, CUSU also publishes the CUSU Handbook, the Alternative Prospectus and the CUSU Diary. All CUSU publications will be made available to you at some point during Freshers’ Week. Campaigns CUSU campaigns on behalf of all students on a University-wide level. Successful campaigns include Anti-Racism and Target Schools (encouraging more applications from state schools). For further information visit http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/union/teams/. CUSU plays an important co-ordinating role between individual college JCRs. The Catz JCR President (David Wade) and External Officer (Jamie Carter) sit on the CUSU Council which meets twice a term. Any College member is entitled to put forward motions to the council if they want anything around the university changing and is able to attend the CUSU Council in a non-voting capacity. If you want to be involved in CUSU then visit their stall at the Societies Fair. 20 !
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LGBT CUSU LGBT+ run a LGBT Parenting Scheme for Freshers. It's a fantastic way to make new friends and meet people who can answer any questions you might have about LGBT (and indeed non-LGBT) things in Cambridge. Visit http://www.lgbt.cusu.cam.ac.uk for info NUS CUSU is centrally affiliated to NUS. NUS campaigns on student issues nationally. A national Executive Committee that is elected annually at the NUS conferences runs it. The conferences are also NUS’s policymaking body. Cambridge elects 4 delegates each year to attend the conferences. University Card Your University card (student card), which you will receive once you arrive, has an NUS sticker which entitles you to various NUS membership and discounts around the country, and also special reduced entrance to some Cambridge clubs on student night. This card will also be used in college as a way to access the rooms in the McGrath Centre, the bar, New Library, and will also be used in hall. The Upay system will be new to all students in October and allows you to pay for Hall and Formal Hall meals. There will be much more information on all of this when you arrive. Sadly, you won’t be able to use it to pay for drinks in the bar. Links:!http://www.uniware.co.uk/content/upay!3!web!loading
These lines at the top right indicate which college you’re at. These should be delivered to you in Freshers’ Week. They use the photo from your SAQ and sadly you cannot change it.
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FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS The following has been written by the International Reps on the Freshers’ Team. They’ve collected here some important information that will help International Freshers find their feet in Cambridge. Hello! We are the International Freshers Team and it is our job to help you settle into life at Catz. Here is a little bit of information about us: Hi, I’m Lisa and I’m from Germany, but my home country is Holland. When I was 16, I went to a UK boarding school, so I know it can be daunting to enter a new environment with new people. And Cambridge was certainly a change again! Having said that, the community in Catz is very friendly, accessible and international and if you ever need anything, or just advice, you can always contact me or any other of the lovely International Freshers’ Representatives. Email address: lcms3@cam.ac.uk Hi, my name is Ingrid and I am an Estonian doing Law at Catz. Coming from a tiny country which most people have never heard of, I am fully aware of how daunting the idea of arriving in Cambridge is for an international student. But fear not - this upcoming year will be amazing and the International Team is here to help you every step of the way. Email address: ik312@cam.ac.uk Hi, I’m Ella, I come from Bristol and I study English. I’ve always lived in England, although I enjoyed living in Germany for three months of my gap year. I am also the Christian Union International Rep, so if you are interested in visiting, or finding a church in Cambridge, or would like to get involved in the CU, then feel free to ask me any questions. And if you ever feel the need for a comforting cup of hot chocolate, then just let me know and I would love to share my copious supply of hot chocolate with you. :) Email address: elg48@cam.ac.uk If you’d like someone to sort out something before you arrive, come along to set up a bank account etc., or answer questions about anything (e.g. getting from the airport, what to bring…) please get in touch with us! We have put together some key things to remember!
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Get a Bank Account Immediately! There are long queues, and accounts can take a few days to get sorted. The following have student accounts: Barclays (35 Sidney St) HSBC (63-64 St Andrews St) Lloyds TSB (95-97 Regent St) NatWest (56 St Andrews St) Co-operative (23-24 Sidney St) Sometimes they don’t allow internationals to open a student account, but you should at least be able to open a basic account with a card, and (for some of the above) without monthly fees. Make sure you know what you have to bring to open an account. You may need a letter from College confirming you’re studying here – if so, ask the porters. Register with the Police (within 7 days of arriving) You only need to do this if your passport’s country appears on this list: http://tinyurl.com/ukbaappendix2 or if your passport is stamped with "The holder is required to register with the police". Go to the “Alien Registration Office” at Parkside Police Station (open Monday – Friday, 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 4pm). You may need to bring passport photos and other items so check before you go. There may also be a registration fee (probably £34). For more information see: http://tinyurl.com/RegisterWithPolice (which is the home office website) Check-in with College (to fulfill UKBA visa regulations) Bring your passport, visa documents and University card to the College Tutorial Office (on the first floor of Bull) – you’ll have to do this every term, but you’ll get a reminder email, so don’t worry! Get a SIM Card So you can keep in touch with people you meet. Maybe avoid phone network Three (apparently it has terrible reception in Cambridge), but consider: - Shops belonging to a particular phone network: Orange (Petty Cury), O2 (Lion Yard), Vodafone (Grand Arcade, St Andrews St). - Shops that serve all networks: Carphone Warehouse (Market St), Phones4u (Petty Cury). - Or, giffgaff.com
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If a phone number starts with the numbers ’07…’ then it is a mobile phone number. All phone numbers in Cambridge (except mobiles) start 01223 and then have 6 more numbers. Register with a GP (General Practitioner) Surgery You’ll get free medical treatment on the NHS (National Health Service). Bring socket adapters if you need them. Look out for … National and religious societies at the Freshers’ Fair. Go Shopping If you don’t want to struggle with millions of suitcases, buy some things (cutlery, sheets, clothes-horse) when you get here. For bedding and household items, there will be good student sales at John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Tesco or Argos. Don’t worry about having to carry things back home every holiday when you pack up your room. There are some (small) trunk rooms in college, so you can store your belongings there over the vacations with permission from the Head Porter. The trunk rooms can also be used for storing empty bags during term. For more information, try: - Advice written for internationals at http://www.societies.cam.ac.uk/cgs/isw/life.html - The A-Z for International Students and other useful links at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/internationalstudents/orientation/ We’re very happy to answer any questions, so please don’t hesitate to ask us! We look forward to welcoming you to Catz!
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Life at Catz Catz Traditions College Colours The various sports clubs and societies in the College have loads of different ties and sportswear for recognition. Our traditional College colours are CLARET and ROSE which can be seen in abundance when we all turn out to support Catz in the intercollegiate sporting matches and events (Catz is renowned for having the largest and most ‘vocal’ crowds of supporters!). These colours were adopted in 1873, and have been worn ever since. Various nearby shops stock all kinds of college merchandise, from pens and scarves to plates and postcards. And there's always the tattoo parlour for the fanatics among you. St. Catharine’s Society Magazine This is published annually in August, for both contemporary students and all former students. A copy of the 2012 edition should reach you in your first term. The publication now contains year-by-year a list of all those who matriculate. Gowns You will need a gown for the first week for Matriculation, and thereafter for Chapel, Formal Hall (where you’ll need it most), and seeing the Dean. Try and buy one in time for Matriculation Dinner, but if not you can always borrow one from either of your College Parents. You can get a gown from the Catz Porters’ Lodge (at £48) and A.E.Clothier. Ryder and Amies, and Ede and Ravenscroft are more expensive, but cost does correlate to quality. The cheaper ones tear easily and you can rationalise spending more as it is a one off payment and an investment for the rest of your life. Literally nothing feels as Hogwartsy as wearing a gown and walking through Main Court as the wind makes it billow. Make sure you ask for a St. Catharine’s College gown as each college has a different gown style. Don’t be fooled by so-called ‘women’s cut’. The College doesn’t recognise it - so buy men’s!
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College Lingo ADC: Amateur Dramatic Club – i) the student run society, ii) the Theatre itself on Park Street ASSA/242 key: A key which every student has which opens their room, libraries and computer rooms on the island site. ASNaC: Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic Backs: The area of Cambridge where the river goes through and round the back of colleges Bedder: A college cleaner who cleans your room and college facilities Blue: Someone who plays for a University sports first team Blu-tac: Girl who hangs around male Blues (or vice versa) Bop: evening of music, adventurous dancing, copious amounts of booze, fancy dress, sweaty bar and sticky floor Chads: St. Chads - the Catz second year accommodation near Sidgwick Cindies: A very cheesy/THE BEST club. College Parents: Two students in 2nd or 3rd year allocated to you to help you settle in CompSci: Computer Sciences/ someone who studies this subject Cuppers: Inter-college sports knockout competitions CUSU: Cambridge University Students’ Union Danger [insert club name]: a non-student-night out with the townies DoS: Director of Studies – a college Fellow who guides you through your degree, monitoring your progress and offering help
and advice Easter Term: The third term (April-June) also known as Exam Term. Ents: Like a bop, but can become a classier event at a college, catering for more varied music tastes - R&B, garage, jazz etc Ergs: Short for ergometers: rowing machines #boatiechat Fellow: A senior member of a college, who often teaches in the subject in which they specialise Fez: A club with music that often doesn’t have words Formal/ Formal Hall: A relatively cheap four course meal held in hall- bring your own wine FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out – the most prevalent emotion throughout Michaelmas FTW: Acronym for ‘For the Wheel’ – a phrase to express support and love for Catz! Often sung, and accompanied with a hand gesture - making a circle shape with both hands GDBO: Acronym for 'God Damn Bloody Oxford', used to express support for the Cambridge team in a Varsity match or academic rivalry between the two
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universities. Almost pointless as we are clearly superior Grad: the affectionate term for the seemingly ‘elderly’ students on postgraduate courses. They have great formals. Gyp room: Kitchen area Hall: Dining Hall HSPS: Human, Social and Political Sciences JCR: Junior Combination Room – refers to the Catz students’ union, the body of Catz students, and an actual room Lent: the second term (Jan – March) Life: The sweatiest of the cheesy clubs Michaelmas: the first term (OctDec) Mathmo – someone who studies Maths Matriculation/Matric: Admission into a university or college. Basically to ‘matriculate’ means to be accepted into Cambridge Uni. Matriculation, or ‘matric’ dinner is the first formal hall affair of term for Freshers – yours will be on Monday 7th at 7:30pm – with the photograph the next morning. May Week: One of the best weeks of the year full of balls and garden parties, after exams, in June MCR: Middle Common Room – like the JCR, but for postgraduate students NatSci: Natural Sciences / Someone who studies Natural Sciences Pidge: Pigeon hole for mail yours is the one underneath your name Plodge: Porters lodge Squash: The bizarre name for the events that clubs/societies
run in Freshers’ Week, where you can find out more about them and sign up Stash: Club or society clothing Supervision: A regular academic meeting with a supervisor to discuss your work Swap/social: When two societies from different colleges go for a formal/meal/pub meet – a great way to meet people outside of college Tutor: Fellow who acts as your College contact looking out for your wellbeing UL: University library – large scary building near Chads which you are unlikely to visit unless an arts student in search of an obscure book – very good work atmosphere though Varsity: i) student-run newspapers; ii) the match that most sports play against Oxford Uni each year, with massive rivalry; iii) a ski trip which happened every winter The Van: Depending on your loyalties (which will be established quickly), one of the two (either Life or Death) burger vans descending on Market Square nightly to satisfy students’ munchies on the way home from a night out
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The Powers That Be (People to get and stay on the good side of…)
The Master: Prof Dame J. Thomas FRS, FMedSci (master@caths.cam.ac.uk) The Master is the head of the College. At various stages of your College career you may be invited to lunch at the Master’s Lodge. And believe us she's the Master of putting on a good spread. The Senior Tutor: Dr Paul Hartle (senior.tutor@cam.ac.uk) Holds responsibility for academic standards and the tutorial system. Paul Hartle will be on Sabbatical from September until April and Dr Irena Borzym will hold his role in his absence. The Dean: (dean@caths.cam.uk) Dr Mark Elliott is the Dean and is responsible for discipline. Decanal notices are posted on a board in the Porters Lodge. Hopefully most of you will manage to avoid any formal meetings with the Dean. Tutors: A tutor is responsible for your general welfare at university. Your tutor will monitor your progress each term and will be there to discuss any problems that may arise, academic or otherwise. Every time you wish to leave college overnight you will need to contact your tutor via e-mail. Tutors do a lot of reference writing on your behalf - keep them up to date with your CV. DoS (Director of Studies): Definitely one to stay on the good side of, your DoS is in charge of your academic progress. Sometimes they may look ill and faint if you let slip that you've been doing anything other than working, but you convince them that you can organise your time competently and you'll be fine. The Senior Bursar: Mr Simon Summers (senior.bursar@caths.cam.ac.uk) Responsible for college finances, bills and domestic matters. The Chaplain: Rev David Neaum (chaplain@caths.cam.ac.uk) You will meet the Chaplain at the beginning of Freshers’ Week. He is concerned with your welfare and his door is always open whether you’re religious or not - his room is A4. College Nurse: Mrs Dee Williams (sister@caths.cam.ac.uk) You will register with a GP when you arrive in Cambridge, but for minor ailments you can see the College Nurse. The Head Porter: Mr Dom Mulcrone (head.porter@caths.cam.ac.uk) Dom oversees the work of the other porters and is often the man wielding discretionary power when it comes to matters such as room allocation and parties. Porters: Most likely the first person you will meet (apart from Freshers' Team helpers) when you arrive will be a porter. Porters are responsible for issuing keys, directing people and ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the College. Their 28 !
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duties do not include helping you with your luggage! It’s a good idea to keep on friendly terms with the Porters who are usually reasonable and friendly, and have considerable discretionary power. Be warned - they know more about you than you might think - they watch us on CCTV all day! Maintenance Men: To be seen working around the site maroon t-shirts, the maintenance men are useful for a variety of tasks. Not only do they oversee the general maintenance of the college, they also force open doors if they get stuck – which happens a fair amount - and they’re generally really friendly and very chatty. If you need something fixing go and see them at the bottom of Hobson’s building or fill in a Maintenance Request Form on the college website. The Barmen: Obviously people to be nice to – some of their chat is superb. See college bar entry further on. Bedders: These (usually) lovely people brighten up your weekdays by emptying your bin and providing endless conversation. If for any (wink wink) particular reason you don’t want to be disturbed in the morning, leave your bin outside the door, or risk becoming a staple on their lively gossip mill... they literally know it all (and will often pass it on to you if you play it right) The role of the bedder is one that varies from lady to lady (we have yet to encounter a male bedder) but is basically that they will clean your room one day a week. This involves hoovering the floor, “polishing your desk” (what does that even mean.) and if you’re lucky, making your bed. If you have an ensuite they will clean that too. Other than your one lucky day, your bedder will only come in to take out your bin, unless you leave it outside in which case they won’t enter and instead will empty it there. Bedders have been known to come into rooms as early as 8.30 am for the bin, and as late as 3pm. They are a law unto themselves. Be nice to your bedder, they can really help and are generally lovely. You can try and agree a time that they will come and do your room, just so that there’s no awkward confusion (you can totally lock your door from the inside using the latch if you can’t be bothered to take the bin out). Most bedders get to know their students well and take pleasure in advising at difficult times - even if this is only waking you up so that you get to your exams on time!
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Facilities For a medium sized college, Catz is comparatively well equipped and as a rule, you don’t have to walk far to get to anything! Facilities include the JCR, Bar, McGrath Centre, gym, two libraries, three computer rooms, laundry rooms and music practice rooms. Access When you first arrive at College, you should sign in at the Porter’s lodge and pick up your keys. You will be issued with an ‘ASSA’ key which opens your room, the front door when it is locked at night, the back door, St Chad’s, the bike shed, and allows you access to various parts of College such as the libraries, gym and computer rooms. Don’t forget to hand back your keys at the end of term otherwise you may face a large bill at the start of the next term - and try not to lose them because they are expensive to replace! The college is in the process of replacing entry to some of these access points with your university card. Computers The Island Site has three computer rooms: two in the basement of Woodlark under the Plodge and the other at the bottom of I staircase in Sherlock Court. Each has a Laserjet printer and a wide selection of PCs and Macs (plus a scanner in I block computer room). The usual software is available (Microsoft Word etc.) and all are equipped with Internet access and e-mail. Every member of college is allocated an email (Hermes) account and, it’s a really useful means of contacting tutors, supervisors and friends. There are five further terminals in New Library and one in Sherlock Library, which are technically for accessing the University Library on-line catalogue only. Each accommodation room has Ethernet internet access. There is one computer room at Chads and increasing amounts of wireless access throughout college, including New Library. Libraries Catz has two libraries: • The Sherlock Library, which covers mainly modern languages and arts subjects. As well as books up to the ceiling (and some nifty little ladders) it is one of the College’s gems and a traditional feeling, and sits on the second floor of E block above Hall • The New Library, which covers all the science subjects, Law, History, Geography, Economics, Theology and anything else not found in the Sherlock. This also contains a photocopier run by the JCR. This library is to be found in the Chapel Court area of college. Neither library is likely to be full except in Easter/Exam Term when you might have to get up early to get a space. You need your “ASSA” key or Uni card to get in, and the libraries are open 24/7. You may take out 10 books at a time for 2 weeks; this will be explained to you in a library induction that you must book with Colin Higgins, librarian. 30 !
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Catz has one of the better-equipped libraries in Cambridge, housing most of the core books for each subject, and a fair smattering of some of the more obscure titles as well. However, it will certainly be in your interest to use faculty/department libraries to access all the relevant material. The University Library (UL) is an incredible facility that receives a copy of every book published in Britain. If our experience is anything to go by, you'll only occasionally have to make use of it, but this varies from subject to subject, and it remains a great place to focus. The JCR The Island Site is blessed with a suave telly with Sky and a DVD player; these are found in the JCR room. A range of newspapers is delivered here from the Porter’s Lodge, but get there early-ish if you want to read them. The JCR is a good place to relax and watch some telly if the bar’s too noisy or work is getting a bit stressful. The atmosphere can however get quite heated when important sports fixtures/reality show finals are broadcast! Chapel The College Chapel is open to all members of the College and holds regular services consisting of weekly Holy Communion and sung Evensongs on Sundays and Tuesdays. Compline may be observed on Thursdays. The Chapel also holds numerous concerts and lunchtime recitals, which the Chaplain will inform you of. The Chaplain, Rev. David Neaum, may be contacted at any time - either at home, or in his room A4. For those who are interested, there are endless opportunities to sing or play music in the Chapel – there's more information about this in the Societies Section below.
Music Room This is located under Hall, next to the gym. If you’re going to be a regular user, then apply to Dr Wickham when you get here for permission to use the key, which is kept by the Porters. For the piano virtuosos among you, there is a Steinway in the Chapel that you are allowed to use, providing you obtain similar permission. Gym The gym is situated beneath Hall, and can be found by following the staircase and signs. It has recently been enlarged and re-equipped, enough to keep yourself in good shape. It is largely filled by ergs (rowing machines), but you can look forward 31 !
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to a selection of free weights. There is also a punch bag. For everyone else, there's, err... exercise mats, sit up frames and skipping ropes. Hopefully an exercise bike. You need to be inducted before you’re allowed to use the gym, and you access it with your card. The more serious gym-goers among you don't have to worry though – you can check out the much better equipped Cambridge Sports Centre - the university gym, in West Cambridge. There is another, more expensive gym really near to Catz in the University Centre – Blue Fitness. Sports Ground The Catz Sports Ground is situated on South Green Road, is about 20 minutes walk or 10 minutes cycle from college. Football and Rugby pitches can be found there, along with hard-court tennis courts (and grass in summer), badminton, netball and squash courts. The grounds also boast the only college-owned Astroturf pitch in the University and are reputed to be among the best in Cambridge. Weather permitting we will be holding a Barbeque and Sports’ Day here on Tuesday 8th October. The pitches have seen countless sporting triumphs, and we hope that this will be a glorious Theatre of Dreams for many of you. Boathouse The boathouses form a picturesque line along the banks of the Cam on the far side of Midsummer Common, about one mile from College. Many of you will visit the boathouse frequently as you try your hand at rowing. The boathouse has eight ergs, as well as boats.
Washing Facilities These are hidden under Old Lodge. The cost is £1.40 per wash, and 20p for 8 minutes in the drier (we recommend a minimum of 50 minutes if you want your stuff dried properly) It’s all pretty self-explanatory; but don’t overload the machine if you want your clothes cleaned properly. You need to provide your own washing powder and tablets. It’s not a good idea to leave clothes lying around there for too long in case they go “walking” or end up covered in dust from the floor. Please be considerate of others and do collect your clothes promptly. Bring a clothes horse! Recycling Facilities The College is proud of its green tradition. Our Environment Officer, Mollie Shomali, 32 !
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is head of the Green Team which we’d strongly encourage you to be a part of. Some gyp rooms have a recycling receptacle and it’s the responsibility of students, not bedders, to empty it at the moment. The college really appreciates all the efforts made to keep it green. Do contact Mollie on mas240@cam.ac.uk for more information about recycling and other Green issues. The McGrath Centre The McGrath Centre is now open! It includes an auditorium featuring retractable seating that accommodates a seated audience of 160 for formal presentations and can be put to a variety of other uses with different layouts where necessary: meetings, performances, film screenings and informal gatherings. Our brand new bar is situated in the basement here. The bar includes café-style seating, an area for dancing, and a pool and foosball table. It can be entered from Chapel Court or the McGrath Centre Foyer. The first floor has the new JCR with flat screen Sky TV and Blu ray player as well as conference/meeting rooms with flexible dividing walls that can also be used for study. You can find out more here: http://www.caths.cam.ac.uk/home/?id=525&m=page.
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Accommodation The Island Site All 1st years live on the ‘Island Site’, the heart of St. Catharine’s, as do all the 3rd years. This is also where mail is delivered and where most college facilities are found. St Chad's: All the 2nd years are accommodated at St Chad’s (about 10 minutes walk from college). This block of flats, at the corner of West Road and Grange Road, is widely recognised to be the best second-year accommodation in Cambridge and its unusual design has brought it many architectural awards. Each flat contains two bathrooms, individual bedrooms and a kitchen. Flats are octagonal (to represent the 8 spoke on the wheel) and are divided into sets of 4 or 5. Rooms for the 2nd and 3rd year are allocated by ballot in Lent Term and, as an incentive to work hard, if you get a 1st Class in 1st year you enter the ‘Scholars Ballot’, giving you a chance of getting your hands on one of the nicer rooms in 3rd year. Your Room You will be allocated a room depending on which band of rooms you choose in the forms included in the Freshers’ pack sent to you by college. Make sure you get the form back in time or you may be left with a room that doesn't suit! En-suite and non-en-suite alike are popular with 1st years; the majority of en-suite are located in Gostlin, Bull and ‘E’ staircase, whilst most nonen-suite rooms are found in Sherlock Court. Medium sized rooms are found in Bull and parts of Hobson’s. Whatever sort of room you get, you’ll easily be able to make it home. Your room will contain a bed, desk, wardrobe, desk lamp, sink and chair(s). Find poster hangers as Blu-tac is forbidden and you will meet the wrath of college if you leave little blue marks on your walls! If you have any bulky possessions that you simply must bring, don’t apply for a small room. It’s a good idea to bring lots of photos, frames, posters, cushions, blankets and especially rugs. If you have a guest to stay then you can rent guestrooms for a nominal charge with the porters, but more ‘flexible’ guests can sleep in your room. One of the more amusing rules in 34 !
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college is that to have more than 8 people in a room constitutes a ‘party’ and so requires the Dean’s permission - generally, the Porters exercise considerable discretionary powers providing you’re not making too much noise. If you want an organised party ask the Dean via forms from the porters, or book a room in College. Bathrooms Unless you have an en-suite room you will have to share bathrooms with your corridor/staircase. There are usually a couple of showers and a bath for use, and there is a sink in every room as well.
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Food and Drink Cooking There are (very) basic cooking facilities in most staircases/corridors; this is a fridge, sink, microwave and two hobs. A top tip is to stick a name on your food as it tends to wander off of its own accord. Cooking in rooms is not allowed, and it's one of the things they seem to find out about however well you try to hide it. If for religious reasons you need special facilities, please inform college. Hall For those who don’t want to cook for themselves or eat out, hall is available every day in college at the times shown below. Hall is often a barrel of laughs, and particularly in the early days, it's a really good way of meeting people and keeping up your social connections! The prices are fairly reasonable, and the daily menu can be found on the conference + catering section of the college website. The standard varies depending on the chef/meal and there's a fairly wide selection of food. Meal times at Hall are as follows: Breakfast: 8-9am Lunch: 12-1.30pm Dinner: 6-7pm, 6 - 6.45 pm on Sundays Brunch: 11-13.30pm – possibly the most loved aspect of college life, and unbelievably good value. A lot of people make a visit after their Sunday sports matches, as it’s a great way to catch up. If you do have a food allergy please make sure you fill in the relevant form and return it to college. Formal Hall These are held on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays after normal hall dinner has finished. Wednesday formals are much smaller (around 30 places) and held in the Senior Common Room (SCR). Tickets must be bought a few days in advance, and college gowns must be worn. For the current cost of £9.35 (this will increase slightly), you are served with a 4-course meal (including a cheese course!) followed by coffee. Very good value for money, and great for birthday celebrations! In the year you will start to pay for Formals with the new Upay card system.
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Alternatives to Hall There are a lot of restaurants in Cambridge, many of them delicious. Examples of reasonably priced establishments nearby Catz include: McDonalds, Gardies (a kebab house and favourite student haunt in the early hours – it claims to be Greek) and Dojos (noodle restaurant and takeaway). There are also the magical food vans on Market Square (The Van of Life and Van of Death – you’ll work out which is which soon enough!). These sell the student staples of burgers, onion rings and cheesy chips amongst other culinary delights. They sit ever so temptingly on the route home from most Cambridge nightclubs... For more information concerning food and drink, please do not hesitate to contact Anna Drummund ad615@cam.ac.uk, the Catering and Facilities Rep on the JCR committee.
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Entertainment Formal Hall Tickets can be purchased a couple of days in advance from the Catz JCR website (www.student.caths.cam.ac.uk/jcr/formals) for £9.35 (£10.35 for guests) for a 4course meal. A major selling point of Catz is that it is the only college in Oxbridge with a cheese course! You must wear a gown, and though Fellows are present, the atmosphere is always jovial and you bring your own wine. A great chance to entertain friends, partake in various society and sports club dinners or just have a better quality evening meal. P.S. Note from the Dean: One is not permitted to leave one's seat until after PostPrandial Grace, so go to the toilet before entering Hall. Post-Prandial is said at a few more formal dinners. The College Bar
This is found in the basement of the McGrath Centre and can be accessed from Chapel Court. It’s brand spanking new and pretty awesome. It offers a good place to chill out and have a laugh, and many of your nights out will begin here. The bar is very well stocked with food and drink, including the infamous Catz Fire Engine. Prices are generally in line with most other college bars.
Squashes These are introductory parties run by societies to persuade you to part with your valuable time and join. Food and drink is usually employed to help this process. The College Sports and Societies squash will be in the McGrath centre on the evening of Wednesday 9th October. Societies also hold drinks parties with alarming frequency so you shouldn’t be struggling to fill your social diary. Ents This stands for “entertainment”, mostly involving a DJ but occasionally live music too. Most colleges have a few “ents” per term which are usually open to all students. Some popular ones include: - Our next-door neighbour Queens Ents – qents.org - Clare Cellars - every Friday Catz should have three ents per term, which we call “bops”, and which should be held in the bar. A small fee is added to your college bill at the start of each term to cover the costs of equipment and decoration – entry is therefore free at the door. They are always 38 !
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themed and those with the best costumes can expect some free drinks! Our Ents Reps, Fin and Michael, are in charge of organising and are always open to anyone's ideas for themes. While cheese is a big part in these nights, Fin and Michael like to experiment and will be wholly amenable to your musical requests. Nightlife It's true that Cambridge doesn't have the nightlife reputation of other big cities such as Newcastle, Manchester or London, but people actually have a brilliant time on a night out. There is more than enough variety to keep everyone happy ranging from the various clubs to University and College Ents, Music, Comedy and Drama that a student town like Cambridge can offer. A lot of outsiders would assume that Cambridge is the sort of place where people seldom go out, instead spending their time in the corner debating about Einstein and Newton – this is so untrue. If going out appeals to you, it's a really fun place to do it. Active societies and swaps with other colleges will often begin nights out, and you are almost guaranteed to bump into mates from other colleges on the dance-floors. The morale of the story is – Catz have fun. There are many pubs nearby but they tend to be fairly expensive. For cheap nights out, your best bet for a good start to the evening is the college bar, followed by a night out at one of the following clubs – each of which has a particular popular night. Cindies – (actually called Ballare) THE place to be on a Wednesday (and also on a Tuesday for those brave enough for the Cindies Double!). It can feel like a sauna but on Wednesday in particular there is a huge Catz turnout – so much so that part of the club is known as Catz Corridor! This is the most fun you will ever have. Top up on your cheesy hits from the 70s onwards and expect to see plenty of fancy dress. Life – (actually called The Place) is the place to be on a Sunday (and often Fridays too). It hosts the LGBT night Spectrum on a Wednesday as well. It oozes cheese in a similar fashion to Cindies, and you’ll find fellow Catz throwing shapes in Catz Corner. It’s underground and as a result even hotter than Cindies. The shards of glass on the floor have ruined many pairs of shoes, but it’s all part of the experience. Fez – (actually called Fez) is battling for your Sunday nights, and acts as a relief for those desperate to escape Cambridge’s affinity for charttoppers – the music will range from indie, jazz, garage and hip hop depending on the night. Mondays are also popular nights, and an International night on Wednesday for those who desire more exotic beats. Fez hosted Artful Dodger, So Solid Crew and Lethal Bizzle for nights last year. 39 !
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Lola Lo’s – is Cambridge’s newest club and has a Hawaiian theme spaced over three floors; cheesy floor, drum and bass floor, and chilled roof terrace. Lola competes for your Thursday nights and is popular with other colleges especially, so look out for long queues. Spoons – (aka Wetherpoons aka The Regal aka SPOONS) is the biggest Wetherspoons in Europe and has an awesome dance floor. Great on a Friday or Saturday night (Danger-spoons) with cheap drinks, good music, and “friendly” locals. Vodka Revolutions – is pretty swanky compared to most student haunts, although entry prices and drinks (mostly vodka, as you’d expect) are reasonable. It is popular on Thursdays, Friday and Sundays and hosts a popular LGBT night on Tuesdays. The Fountain – is a bar/club/pub further down the road from Spoons and hosts many of the ArcSoc and Kambar nights. It’s really quite cool, and surprisingly cheap. As it’s slightly off the beaten track it does attract a more edgy clientele, though the townies love it too. Don’t worry about not remembering the nights to go to certain clubs, it becomes second nature surprisingly fast. You may even be brave enough to go against convention and choose your own night! Some tips we learnt the long way: 1. Give all the nights a go 2. Everyone has their own preferred combinationsome loves Cindies and loathe Life, some loathe Cindies and love Life 3. Don’t let one bad experience put you off! 4. The success of going out depends a lot on who you’re doing it with, so go out with different groups for a different time. 5. If you don’t drink for whatever reason, don’t let this stop you from going out and having a good time – what’s the fun in going out if you don’t remember it anyway? Pubs Our personal favourite pub is the Anchor, out of the back door of Catz, or the Mill in summer, where you can loaf around on the grass by the Cam. On the other side of Catz, Benet Street offers The Eagle, The Bath House and The Cow, a cool little bar with cheap pizzas on Tuesdays. 40 !
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Punting Punting, for those of you who aren't familiar with it, involves sitting in a gondolaesque boat and being propelled along by a pole. Alcohol-induced punting cannot be officially encouraged (but it is fun!). It’s advisable to find a friend at a College backing on to the river, as they have access to their own free punts. Catz does however receive discounts on Scudamore’s punts, which you will all have the chance to experience by the end of Freshers’ Week. May Week Happens in June (it’s the Cambridge way apparently) after the exams have finished and involves loads of fun, frolics, garden parties and balls. It beings on ‘Suicide Sunday’, traditionally the day when exam results came out, now the day when people pass out… cheerfully this day is apparently named as a celebration for not committing suicide during exams. May Week is unique to Cambridge and is the best way to end the year after exams – there's loads to do, and you finally have the time to do it. May Week is famous for the May Balls. These are huge all night affairs and, although pretty expensive, are well worth saving up for. Entertainment this year included Maverick Sabre, Toploader, The Carnabys, Example, Basshunter, Aluna George and many many more . Some would argue that it’s actually the unlimited and amazing food and drink that makes a May Ball though. Over your time at Cambridge it’s a good idea to explore what Balls other colleges have to offer and often a large proportion of the year make sure they go to the same one.
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Catz May Ball May Balls are the massive (often themed) parties that constitute the nightly bread of a multilayer-May-Week-sandwich stuffed with a generous filling of garden parties and other sun-soaked activities. Organised by students and held in college buildings and grounds on a grand scale May Balls truly have to be seen to be believed. Some colleges hold them every year, some alternate with a smaller scale June Event, some just every year. Traditionally Catz has held a ball in even years, however with the recent building work we have not been able to hold a full size event since 2010! However, 18 June 2014 will see the much-awaited return of the CATZ MAY BALL. To make this happen, we need students from ALL YEARS to get involved on the committee. There is a wide range of roles available, with key areas/roles including: design, food and drink, entertainment, logistics/technical roles, sponsorship, ticketing, personnel. If you think you might want to get involved or want to find out more don’t hesitate to drop me an email, or wait until you get to Catz when the committee application process will get moving. Some positions will have been filled over the summer but there will be plenty of opportunities for Freshers! James Wagstaff May Ball President 2014 jw725@cam.ac.uk Varsity and The Cambridge Student (TCS) Two weekly, student-run, independent university newspapers. They contain articles on many varied topics and are an excellent guide to what’s happening in and around Cambridge. They’re provided to us free of charge as the College is kind enough to purchase copies and leave them in the Porter’s lodge on Friday mornings. They can also be collected at various sites round town, and are also available online. The Tab The Tab acts as the tabloid version of the above papers and is only found online and features article on nearly every aspect of the Cambridge student experience! It should and will become your home page.
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SPORTS On the Wednesday evening of Freshers’ Week there will be a college sports squash where you will have the chance to sign up to the sports societies below. In the meantime, if you want more information about a particular sport, feel free to e-mail the contacts included. Contact Tom Neill if your field of excellence isn’t represented below and he’ll be able to pass you to the relevant University wide club. Athletics Twice a year Catz takes to the track in full force to dominate the intercollegiate athletics competitions. Winter Cuppers, taking place in October, is the perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to get involved to start. The women's team has won for the last two years, and the men were runners up last year and winners the year before. CUAC sports usually takes place in Lent term in the run up to the summer Varsity match, and is set to be a really big event this year. Individuals of all abilities are welcome, with every participant scoring at least one point for the wheel - traditionally this is what sees us to victory, with the Catz contingent outnumbering most, if not all, of the other college teams. With the multitude of different events on offer there really is something for everyone, so don’t be afraid to just give it a go! We really do want to encourage everyone to get involved, it's only two days a year which are both great fun, but if you want to pursue athletics more seriously, there are also a good number of Catz people on the university teams, in almost all disciplines so feel free to ask us about training etc if you are so inclined. To find out more and for an early opportunity to get involved in a fun and relaxed cuppers competition contact Tom Neill (tn275@cam.ac.uk) or Emma Cullen (egc30@cam.ac.uk) Badminton – Men’s As with any Catz sports team, badminton is a great opportunity to get to know other people in college. Catz badminton is one of the strongest clubs in the Uni, with the first team winning the top division twice last season. There are three other teams which play at a variety of levels so everyone has the opportunity to play regularly no matter what standard you are. The society itself is very friendly; weekly club nights on Catz own courts are informal and fun and our regular socials are very enjoyable. We encourage people of all standards to have a go - if you're interested in playing for us sign up at the Catz Societies Squash in Freshers' Week and hopefully we will continue our recent success. Feel free to get in touch, Andrew Lowson arl53@cam.ac.uk Badminton – Women’s Women's badminton at Catz is really social and fun. We have two teams at the moment, a first and second team, both who play in the inter-collegiate 'cuppers' tournament, which we were very successful in last season. We usually practice once or twice a week, and 43 !
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there are usually matches as well. However, as there are so many keen badminton players in Catz from the men's and women's teams, if you wanted to train on top of that, you could easily find someone else to play with. So, if you've never picked up a racket before, or you regard yourself as a badminton pro, or you're somewhere in between, do come along and sign up at the Catz Societies Squash in Fresher's Week, or contact Emma Tarrant- et349@cam.ac.uk Basketball – Men’s The St Catharine's Basketball team (also known as "Catz Basketball") currently competes in the middle tier of the college league system. The team has only been together for two years, already achieving two promotions as the team continues to strengthen. We gladly welcome fresher's into the team to further the push for a top league position. Practises are at a fixed slot weekly (time tbc), and matches are played at the weekends. For further information, drop co-captain Harry Glover (hwg22@cam.ac.uk ) an email, and hope to see some of you at training sessions! St Catharine's College Boat Club (SCCBC) We're guessing that you probably haven't rowed or coxed before but no previous experience is necessary (most people only take up rowing when they get here!). Aside from a strong presence on the river, the boat club also has a great social side including, crew swaps, pub crawls and a formal boat club dinner every term. During Michaelmas, the novice squad provides an opportunity for those with no prior rowing experience to jump into a boat and give rowing a go. Opportunities to compete on the river exist every term, regardless of experience. During Michaelmas we take part in Queen's Ergs, a massive erg-off against all other novice crews, as well as several other races including head races and regattas. The culmination of our training is Lent and May bumps, a form of (questionably) organised carnage. Held over 4 days, much of the university hits the riverbank to watch 17 crews at a time crash into (or 'bump') the crew ahead of them, whilst trying to avoid being bumped from behind. Last year our men's 2nd crew earned blades in May bumps, awarded for bumping every day. We also occasionally compete off the river Cam; last year we entered a crew into WeHoRR on the Thames where they put in a strong performance against over 300 other crews! If rowing itself doesn't seem like your thing, why not try coxing? It's great fun and well, who doesn't like shouting motivational oneliners at 8 other people on a regular basis?
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With our newly refurbished boat house there's no better time to try your hand as a rower for St Catharine's! Come and find us at the Freshers' Squash for more information. Finally, make sure you leave rooms in your diaries for our annual SCCBC Novices BBQ (held the weekend after the Freshers' Squash - more details nearer the time). See you soon! Men's Lower Boat Captains: Alistair Nelson & James Bywater – an391@cam.ac.uk. jeb96@cam.ac.uk Women's Lower Boat Captains: Millie Martin & Rob Trivasseehm33@cam.ac.uk, rnt23@cam.ac.uk Climbing Climbing: The Cambridge leisure centre, Kelsey Kerridge, has recently had its climbing wall revamped and now represents a great place to go bouldering. The climbing group in Catz is very informal but we have purchased some chalk bags recently and are looking to build on this to provide additional facilities for Catz students. Please contact Tom Hare (tjh74@cam.ac.uk) for more information. Cricket SCCCC is one of Catz oldest clubs and has a glittering history. Having nurtured the talents of international cricketers in the past it now has a more open and friendly atmosphere with a full, but not too demanding fixture list. We have games against a variety of opposition including other colleges, village teams, law firms and old boys. The season begins in the Lent term with winter nets at the state of the art Fenner’s indoor cricket school and then moves outside come exam term. We enter into the inter-collegiate 20:20 cuppers’ tournament as well as playing some friendly all day games against visiting opposition. We are fortunate enough to have a very well kept cricket ground of our own on which the majority of matches are played. So whether you are a future England Captain, mere enthusiast, occasional player or even a fine young filly merely looking to help with the teas, scoring and admire the dashing young coves in their whites, SCCCC has much to offer you. It can most honestly be described as the social epicentre of Cambridge in summer term. Contact Ben Cottam bnc22@cam.ac.uk and Stuart Cummings smc207@cam.ac.uk for info. Croquet The sport of Gentlemen and Ladies. The S.C.C.C.C. has a history almost as illustrious as the college itself. Having entered an impressive 4 cuppers teams last year, Catz is on it's way to becoming a true croqueteering power. Next year, we shall be back, blazers and mallets at the ready, aiming to get ever closer to that famed croquet cuppers final. Experience is 45 !
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not required, only dedication and love for the wheel. In rota mortua est. Rob Monfries, Captain rm680@cam.ac.uk Cross Country We're hoping to have 2-3 runs per week, great socials and enter college level competition; all of this is open to any ability. To kick start the running season we will be partaking in the 'college dash' - a 12km run visiting all the colleges - on Sunday 6th after your first night in college! Meet in the plodge at 9am (to be confirmed) to finish in time for brunch. Get keen and see you there! Contact Simon Sowerby on ss2111@cam.ac.uk and Iona Charlton on ic287@cam.ac.uk for further info. Cycling Cycling: Being (extremely) flat, Cambridge is more suited to road cycling than mountain biking. However, there are still extensive opportunities to ride your bike, and not just to lectures. We would encourage serious cyclists to consider joining the university club, which is currently going from strength to strength. That said, we are keen to organise more regular rides for everybody who's interested. There are plenty of regular cyclists in Catz and we have historically done well in the intercollegiate Cuppers race, so we'd love to hear from you if you'd like to put your newfound Catz spirit into practice! Please contact James Dixon (jad69@cam.ac.uk) for more information either about cycling in college or for the university club. Football – Men’s The current crop of Catz footballers hope to relive the glory of their predecessors, with promotion for the second team and a strong cup runs for all being the aims of the coming season. Despite previous success, a lack of new faces in consecutive years has placed the club under great strain to compete across all levels. Last year's high intake of freshers, however, has once again rejuvenated the club and hopefully signals brighter things to come. Having said that, success both on and off the field will only be achievable if people are keen to participate, in terms of both playing personnel and social attendance. Any experience or standard is therefore welcomed, the squads include players ranging from complete beginners to Cambridge Blues. Training sessions take place on a weekly basis at Catz pitches, and the lively social schedule will hopefully be the perfect compliment for the many victories to be achieved on the field. Please feel free to get in contact for any further information at arl53@cam.ac.uk – Andrew Lowson (Club Captain) Football – Girls’ Girls' football at Catz is pretty chilled, though we like to think we're of a pretty decent standard. It's all about Catz spirit - getting involved, having fun and most of 46 !
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all doing it for the wheel! We don't train particularly intensely, once a week or so, but that means it doesn't get in the way of any other commitments and actually is a great way to get out of your rooms and let off some steam! We definitely encourage anybody of any standard to come and give it a go. Whether you do any other sports or not anyone and everyone is welcome and if you're keen you'll definitely get a run out. At the end of the day more than anything Women's Football at Catz is about enjoying yourself and we aim to have a number of socials throughout the year. So why not bring a friend, come along and give it a try? Hope to see you on the pitch at some point during the year! For more information, contact captain Charlotte Kenealy (cjk41@cam.ac.uk) Golf Golf is unlike most sports at Cambridge in that it does not have a college aspect. However this does not mean you have to be Tiger Woods to play at Cambridge! The University golf club runs two men’s teams and one women’s team who play matches almost every weekend through the first two terms leading up to the Varsity matches in the first week of Easter. The Blues side (first team) is made of handicappers of below 5 whilst the Stymies (second team) is made up of golfers between the handicaps of 5 and 12. Golf is a great sport to play at Cambridge as it offers the opportunity to play fabulous courses each weekend as well as a great social life. Contact Owen Williams at ojw30@cam.ac.uk for more info. Hockey – Men’s The Catz Mens Hockey teams are undoubtedly one of the College’s finest assets. The hockey club is the biggest team in the College with two men’s teams and two women’s teams, providing the ideal opportunity for anyone to play college hockey. Whether you are picking up a stick for the first time or striving for a place in a Uni team; the second team are consistently competitive in the 3rd and 4th divisions allowing all abilities to take part. Sport is only half the story though - Catz hockey also has the best socials in college such as the Christmas Dinner and the Lisbon Hockey Tour. Not to mention our top drawer stash! Matches take place on Sunday mornings for most of Michaelmas and Lent term, an ideal pre-brunch run around. If you think you’re interested in playing or just finding out a bit more, come along to the Freshers’ Squash or get in touch with any Catz Player and they’ll be happy to help. If you’re still unsure the please take a seat on the bench next to hall and read the plaque. #Winning. Will Fulwood (waf23@cam.ac.uk) Hockey – Women’s Hockey is one of the most popular and most successful sports at Catz, recently with the men's, women's and mixed teams all standing as the cuppers champions for 2 straight years. Don’t let this put you off if you are looking for a casual involvement hockey is a great opportunity to get involved in a major sport even if you have never 47 !
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picked up a stick –the large number of enthusiastic players means we have enough for two girls teams, accommodating all standards. Catz is fortunate enough to have its own astro and matches are generally played there on Sunday morning. An equally important side to Catz hockey is the socialising, with numerous fun events throughout the year. I would strongly encourage you to get involved as it is a great way to meet new people from all years. There are also opportunities to go touring in the Easter vacation; recently trips to Lisbon and Amsterdam. Feel free to get in contact with me, Cat Cox, on clc70@cam.ac.uk before fresher's week if you have any questions! Hockey – Mixed The ultimate blend of fun and flair, where Catz truly shows what it is to be a hockey player and how there is definitely more to the game than technical ability! The mixed hockey side is a socially serious team, welcoming players of any ability, including lack of, to take to the pitch for the wheel! We are also the reigning Cuppers champions, defending a winning streak of unknown length! So if you fancy a great laugh, a way to run off a hangover, an outlet for your stress, or just simply want to don a cat outfit and run up and down the side-lines as a mascot, this is the sport for you! Talent is optional, enthusiasm is essential… mixed hockey is what results! If you have any questions or would like to get involved don’t hesitate to contact Louis Williams on lw454@cam.ac.uk Lacrosse – Mixed Mixed lacrosse, possibly the least serious and most social sport out there, no previous experience, ability, athleticism or talent required only ridiculous levels of keenness. Mixed Lax is a great opportunity to have a break from work and burn off drinks from the night before, no better cure for a hangover than a run around. LAX offers a great opportunity to meet other years in college and get to bump (quite literally) into people from other colleges. You may be wondering what we look for in our players, well we rely on every spoke to do his or her job to get our wheel rolling and so we need top levels of enthusiasm. If you’re interested in getting involved or want to know more just send an email to either co-captain Louis Williams (lw454@cam.ac.uk) or Jonny Hyman (jh867@cam.ac.uk). Netball – Women’s Netball at Catz strikes a perfect balance of being competitive and a chilled escape from work. It's a great way to meet other girls at Catz in all years as well as get to 48 !
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know players at other Colleges. The Firsts team narrowly lost to Downing in the Cuppers final two years ago, and we are determined to redeem the title this year! Matches take place once a week usually for an hour on a Sunday, and a Firsts and Seconds team mean that there is something to suit all abilities. Informal trials should take place at the beginning of term. Come along to the Freshers' Squash for more info or drop me an email on cas208@cam.ac.uk - Alice Skupski Netball – Mixed Mixed Netball is really chilled, really fun, and everyone's welcome! There is one match a week on a Sunday but by signing up you're not committing to anything the team changes on a weekly basis depending on who's up for giving it a go. Mixed netball is a brilliant way to meet people in other years within Catz and other colleges and I really recommend giving it a shot. Make sure you sign up to the mailing list at the Freshers’ Squash and if you have any questions then feel free to message me. Much love, Alice Skupski cas208@cam.ac.uk Rugby – Men’s Catz Rugby has improved dramatically over the past few years. Despite being in Division 3 we have been pushing for promotion year on year and have had several impressive Cuppers runs, knocking out teams in leagues above us and requiring Jesus to call up their 5 Blues when it looked like they were about to lose. Division 3 is definitely not where we belong and with a new league structure the stage is set for promotion – all we need is you. Any experience or standard is welcome: the squad includes players ranging from complete beginners to Cambridge Blues. The social side of the team is what also makes it so special, with regular socials including our notorious rugby dinners! There will be a Freshers’ week rugby social for introductions and some early team bonding. If you have any questions please contact me at jdll2@cam.ac.uk James Lamming Rugby – Women’s Girls’ Rugby 7s is a fairly new addition to College sport, so don't worry if you've never played before as we have lots of beginners every year and it’s easy to pick up. As we only play 7-a-side there’s not much contact, and training sessions are a lot of fun, very relaxed and a great way to meet people. Catz had a very strong team in 2007, going undefeated all season and winning Division 1 and Cuppers. Since then it died down a bit but has come back with a passion when there was a tournament in 2012 which will hopefully become a yearly or termly affair and loads of fun. If you're even vaguely interested then sign on up at the Freshers Fair or email me, Jemima Lane on jcl71@cam.ac.uk
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Ski & Snowboarding Club (SCCSSC) Unlike most other colleges in Cambridge, Catz has its very own thriving Snowsports Club, which runs the infamous, annual Catz Ski Trip. Last year the club took 80 Catz students - beginner and pro alike - to Tignes for a unforgettable week of skiing, snowboarding and partying. This year is shaping up to be just as epic as the club has secured places at Val Thornes, one of the best resorts Europe has to offer. The trip is fantastic value for money and open to absolutely everyone, no matter what level of expertise, so there's no reason to miss out! See the page at the end of this section for more info Come and find us at the Freshers’ fair for more information (and a free slush puppy!). Rob House rah93@cam.ac.uk Squash – Men’s Love the sound of rubber on synthetic gut? Whether you're an old pro, have never picked up a racquet before or feel your game is just a little bit rusty, here's your chance to get involved and play some Squash. Catz Squash has a fantastic coach who does a session a week with both the novice and team squads. This is generously subsidized by college so will only set you back a couple of quid for an hour of professional coaching! We have spare rackets and balls for those without. We will have a taster session early on in Michaelmas so find our stand at the sports squash for the details of that or drop me an email at sja56@cam.ac.uk - Sam Artingstall Squash – Women’s Ladies Squash is for anyone and we encourage all abilities to come and take part. Last year we had a successful women’s team, and are keen to recruit some new players. It's a great way to keep fit, meet new people and a perfect stress release for all your work related woes, but most importantly its great fun. Please don´t hesitate to get in touch if you need more information. Our courts are also available for all Catz members to play anytime so you can always satisfy that mad craving to smash things into a wall. Please email me on ad615@cam.ac.uk if you are interested or want any more information - Anna Drummond Swimming Although there is no formal Catz swimming team, we enter swimming cuppers every year, and trials are usually held at the beginning of Easter term to select swimmers from the college. Sign up at the college freshers fair if you would like to be emailed about cuppers trials. Because there is no consistent team or training, I would encourage any keen 50 !
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swimmers to sign up at the university freshers fair to trial for the university teams. For more information email Clemency Britton cb743@cam.ac.uk Table Tennis Have you ever held a table-tennis bat? If the answer is yes then Catz Table Tennis is for you! To continue our past success in the University League and the intercollegiate Cuppers Tournament, Catz' Table-Tennis needs your support now more than ever to regain our place as one of the best table-tennis teams in Cambridge! We cater for all skill levels, from complete beginners to those who have been playing for years, and you can either play from time to time or step up to the challenge of representing Catz in both the College League and the Cuppers Tournament. So if you are looking for a sport that is not necessarily too much of a commitment but still great fun and a good way to get a break from your academic work then simply drop me an email at jh867@cam.ac.uk Jonny Hyman Tennis At Catz we're one of the few colleges to be really lucky to have two all weather courts and up to 7 superb grass courts in the summer. These can be found opposite the pavilion and prove to be very popular during exams as people try and find ways to avoid revision. Social tennis is every week in the third term and all standards are welcome for low commitment fun. Also as tennis is one of the few sports only running in exam term it's the perfect revision break. If you're a keen player we'd love to have you on the team for the inter college tournament, which the boys only just missed out on getting into the final of this year - so don't forget your tennis racket in Easter term! Highlights include the annual mixed doubles tournament, Acheson Gray tournament where current college members square up against alumni, and of course the thrill of a good run in the Cuppers tournament. All abilities are welcome – enthusiasm is all that is required! The best way to play all year round is by joining the university team as they train indoors. Trials are held in the first week. Check out our stall at the Freshers’ Squash for more information. Jonny Hyman (jh867@cam.ac.uk) Tennis – Women’s Yet another sport at which Catz students have both talent and enthusiasm, last year the women finished 2nd in the league and were victorious in the Cuppers competition. Tennis at Catz mainly takes place in the Lent term, providing a much needed escape from revision and the perfect outlet for any exam term stress. We have 2 hard courts and 6 grass courts, and last term received coaching for all abilities. The main events for the competitive amongst you are the intercollegiate league and Cuppers’ competitions, and the annual Acheson Gray tournament where the current students take on the Catz alumni. If you are interested in playing all year round, you should consider trialling for the university team, but if you like the sound of a social sport for the summer then Catz tennis is the place to start! Contact Rebecca McLean rem59@cam.ac.uk for more information and to get involved.
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Ultimate Frisbee For people who don’t like 6am starts and intensive training, Ultimate could be for you. Yes, it’s a real sport. Honest. The New Thundercatz is a relaxed College League team who play purely for fun and usually go down to the pub afterwards. We’re midleague standard and we welcome everyone, from people who’ve never seen a Frisbee before to Strange Blue players who want more disc time in between training. For those who don’t take their sport too seriously, who want a bit of exercise mixed in with good company, or who just love going outside and chasing bits of flying plastic – come along and have a go, or contact Chris Owers owers.chris@gmail.com Water Polo Can you swim or throw a ball? If the answer to either of these is yes, then Water Polo could be for you! Over the year, we play in both League and Cup matches against the other colleges, the local school and hospital. It's been a good few years for us, winning Cuppers in two of the last four seasons and winning the league last year. However, we've lost players over the summer and are on the lookout for new people. Training sessions are mixed, laid back and held on a near-weekly basis absolute beginners welcome; some of our best players had never played before coming to Catz. We also have the best stash of any sports team in college. Fact. Contact Michael Carbonell (mc812@cam.ac.uk) for more information.
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SOCIETIES There are far too many societies in the university and Catz to list here. Check out the Freshers’ Fair on Wednesday 9th October as a stop on your Explore Cambridge and sign up to some. That night is also the Catz Squash, so come along to that fo sho. Card Playing Society The Card Playing Society is a fun, informal way to play cards and and meet new people. Although being primarily focused on poker in recent years we are very keen to get players of different games together this year. For more information email Alex Riley (acr60@cam.ac.uk) or come to the stall at the Fresher's Squash Chess Club The change of format last year worked wonders for the Catz chess club, which was able to get into the Cuppers just one year after both teams finished at the bottom! However, since we didn't win, there's still room for improvement. If you think you can help with that, or just want to see what chess is about, you're welcome to join us! Chess is a fun way of meeting other people while getting to visit other colleges and exercising your brain outside supervision work. And if that isn't enough for you, then just remember that there ain't no party like a chess club party! Contact Ladislav Hovan on lh432@cam.ac.uk for more information. Chill in the Chapel Chill in the Chapel is for those who enjoy music and want a relaxed break from work. Any style of music is welcome (last year's performances included minimalist piano pieces, Daughter and Laura Marling covers, and SCATZ performances). Free hot chocolate and biscuits are served after the recitals! It’s not religious in the slightest, anyone is welcome, and we love people to get involved. Chill in the Chapel takes place once a fortnight. On Wednesday 13th October, we should be holding a special Fresher’s Chill in the Chapel and we want YOU to perform. Email Colette Howarth (ch611@cam.ac.uk) or Mikey Zervos (mzez2@cam.ac.uk) if you want to perform now or get involved at any point of the year. Choir Do you have singing experience? Would you like to continue singing, in a committed and friendly setting? Then get in touch! As one of the best mixed choirs in Cambridge, Catz Chapel Choir offers great opportunities: singing with a first-rate group of singers, being deeply involved in the life of the College (well, someone has to sing Grace at all those plush dinners), and singing trips in the UK and abroad. 54 !
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Last July we went on tour to Roujan, France and Winchester Cathedral, previous tours have been to the Ireland, USA, France, Czech Republic and China. We have also recorded the occasional CD! Free Formal Hall dinners, subsidised singing lessons and of course a constant flow of great singing experiences all come into the bargain. There will also be an opportunity to be awarded a choral scholarship; this has many benefits including £450 a year towards singing lessons and £100 cash for yourself each year!!! As a member of the choir you will be required to attend rehearsals on Wednesdays and sing in services on Thursdays and Saturdays. For more information contact the Senior Organ Scholar, Alex Ying (ayly2@cam.ac.uk) St Catharine's Christian Union: The Catz CU is a group of Christians from Catz from lots of different backgrounds and churches, who share a passion to share the good news about Jesus with our college. We meet as a group to pray, study the Bible and encourage one another in our purpose to "make Jesus Christ known in Catz". We also put on events throughout the year to help people to explore, question and examine Christianity for themselves. Whether you are a Christian or just want to know more, don’t hesitate to contact us by email or you can find out more by visiting us at hadriel.caths.cam.ac.uk/cu or the Cambridge Intercollegiate-Christian Union website at ciccu.org.uk. Catz CU will be going away with a couple of other colleges for a few days before the start of term, so do email us if you would be interested in coming along! Samara Linton sl639@cam.ac.uk & David Ashman da371@cam.ac.uk Engineering Society As an undergraduate engineer you will become a member of the University Engineering Society on your registration day. As a consequence, along with a mug and some sweets, you will get loads of opportunities to socialise with your fellow undergrads on trips and various events ranging from bowling to go-carting. You will also be able to get small things done by the Department workshop for free. More importantly, you will also become a member of St. Catharine's College Engineering Society - one of the most tightly knit and distinctive societies in the College. On top of two-three curries each term, you are certainly going to love activities like the infamous Pub Golf, annual black tie dinner or barbecue. Also, you will have an opportunity to purchase a white hard hat with St. Catharine's wheel and "SCCES" printed on it. There is also a distinct possibility of getting even more unorthodox stash - wait and see! For more information contact president Ian Doughty (idd20@cam.ac.uk) Catz Careers and Entrepreneurs Society We aim to offer unique industry insights to engage with students' interests and support career choices. We do this by organising student-run workshops and talks, while working in close co-ordination with the St. Catharine's College Society. We 55 !
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welcome back a wide range of alumni speakers and annually host a Catz Careers Evening, which provides an invaluable and thoroughly enjoyable opportunity to meet alumni in any particular fields of interest. Getting involved is great fun as it involves much contact with interesting entrepreneurs and industry professionals (in the past this has included a team from Bentley and the CEO of Coca-Cola). Yet, the events are spread out, so it's not too time consuming. There are a range of roles available on the committee and so if you are interested in getting involved or just want more information, please don't hesitate to contact me, Mike Condylffe on mc757@cam.ac.uk Fairtrade Society We are very proud that Catz was the first Cambridge College to be certified Fairtrade and the Catz Fairtrade Society works hard to maintain this status. It does this by helping to promote awareness within College through the weekly JCR email "Fairtrade Fact of the Week" and by holding termly events. Previous events have included the excellent, annual sell-out Fairtrade Formal as well as the fun Fairtrade chocolate Easter Egg Hunt and sale of Fairtrade goods including sensational Fairtrade cotton pants. If you would like any more info or are interested in helping out on the committee, please contact Victoria Bellamy (vb318@cam.ac.uk). St Catharine's College Film Society We will give you snacks and drinks. Such ease complements films, which you like because they're easy. Easy, you say? Not always. Sometimes films are hard like life. We will show you one about depression and then next week will show you one about laughing. That will balance you out and prepare you for life. Come along for fun and interesting showings of many different genres and periods of cinema, always chosen with care by Douglas and Ciaran, the masters of the screen and stage, if you want any more info email Douglas Tawn on dt390@cam.ac.uk or Ciaran Chillingworth on cc712@cam.ac.uk. We will have a great time in the evening! History Society All Catz historians are automatically members of this society, although anyone with an interest is welcome to attend events. Throughout the year we try to attract genuinely interesting speakers, and we hold an annual dinner in Lent Term. Contact Emma Tribe for info et328@cam.ac.uk Hyperbolics The Hyperbolics is Catz' non-mathematical society for mathematicians. If you are a maths student at Catz you are automatically a member of the society, nonmathmos are allowed to join as well, but I can't imagine why any would want to. The society is concerned mainly with organizing "social outings" for the college's mathematicians in order to prevent them from becoming too obsessed with the maths. In recent years there have been pub lunches, a barbecue and there is always our annual dinner. We also have a number of events planned for this year. David Baker dib27@cam.ac.uk 56 !
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The John Ray Society First year natural scientist are automatically a member of the John Ray Society of St Catharine's. Throughout the year we will be hosting 6 talks from speakers covering all of the science disciplines, a book sale, part 1B options evening and the John Ray Annual Dinner. We also have the John Ray Garden party to finish the year in May Week. If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact either of us. Cara Eldridge cbe22@cam.ac.uk and Emily Grader eg388@cam.ac.uk. Law Society Law Society All Catz lawyers are automatically a member of the College Law Society, so if you are studying law you've done well for yourself. We organise three or four talks by different members of the profession each term; naturally, there is always complimentary wine. We also organise a Mooting competition for first and second years and a couple of workshops. More importantly, however, Catz lawyers are renowned for their ability to party - so we have a themed pub crawl in Freshers' week, a Christmas trip to London, an annual dinner in Lent Term, and a garden party in the summer which is always great fun. I look forward to meeting you all. Email president India Semper-Hughes is334@cam.ac.uk for more information. LGBT I’m Harry and I’m your LGBT Rep for this year. I’m friendly, approachable and always up for a chat and so my job is first and foremost to be an eager ear to listen to any problems you might be facing as you take the steps into university life in Cambridge. Secondly, I organise the swaps and socials for the LGBT crowd in College so that you can meet other people around the Uni and form a solid base of reliable, like-minded friends just as I did in my first year. I look forward to meeting you all! LoveGBT Harry Elliott (hre24@cam.ac.uk). Medsoc Catz MedSoc is the cream of college medical societies. This year, we are devoted to providing more academic support for everyone and organising more social events. You automatically belong to Catz MedSoc the moment you begin your course. Basically, MedSoc is that family that understands, listens, cares and are fun to be with. The long work hours of a medic or vet are no excuse for a social life! So, this year, bring on the legendary pub crawl, film & takeaway nights, day trips to London, formal swaps, CU MedSoc football & rugby teams and much more! Our motto is, if there's anything you need, we got it. Medicine at Catz is everything to get excited about, so get excited! Our presidents this year are medic Alan Mitchel ajm296@cam.ac.uk and vet Josh “Kaz” Strycharzyk js983@cam.ac.uk 57 !
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Music Society Catz Music Society is one of the most active music societies in Cambridge and we can offer many musical opportunities to all members of the college (of any musical ability). So whether you play a musical instrument, sing, compose or just enjoy listening to music, the Society has something to offer you, including the following: 1) Catz Orchestra is open to all players of any standard from the JCR and the MCR and performs each term. The highlight of each year is the May Week Concert, which is held outside in Main Court. The rehearsals for Catz orchestra are very relaxed and there aren’t too many of them! The orchestra is a chance to have a bit of fun playing music, without the seriousness or dedication required of the main university orchestras. 2) Scatz is a newly formed choir for those who enjoy singing, but do not want a massive commitment! Scatz rehearse weekly on Tuesdays at 8pm, for an hour. Scatz will be singing a wide range of music from Pop song arrangements to light classical music, mixed in with a bit of Jazz. 3) Finally the Music Society can help to provide the money and resources for many special performances. So far, we’ve helped composers put on their own operas, musicals and contemporary music concerts, as well as funding concerts held outside Catz. We also put on the Kellaway Recital Series, which welcomes professional musicians to Catz to perform and give masterclasses. If you have any ideas for putting on concerts or any type of musical performance, never hesitate to contact the Music Society and we will do our best to help you out and to make it happen. If you would like to find out any more information about the Music Society, please contact Jonny Venvell (jpv33@cam.ac.uk) RAG RAG ('Raising and Giving') is the nationwide charity fundraising group for students, which helps multiple charities chosen by the students. Last year these included Macmillan Cancer Support, Water Aid and the NSPCC. We are responsible for running the Catz branch of RAG, which involves organising our own fundraising events, as well as linking the college with larger university-wide events. RAG events are fun, sociable and occasionally verge on the ridiculous. The photo here shows the competitors in this year’s Miss Catz Competition. The photo below is two Catz competitors in Lost, which is one of the biggest events of the year along with Blind Date and Jailbreak – google it! This year the Catz events will range from fancy dress formals to talent competitions - and there is always room for you to plan any event you want to - and you can of course get help from the Catz RAG team. If you're interested in getting involved, helping out or have any questions do get in touch with JCR charities officer Sofi Shall who can be found on the JCR page. 58 !
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Other Catz Charities Student Community Action (SCA) - SCA is a student based volunteering program - aimed at helping in the local community - whether this is doing arts and crafts, singing to the elderly or adopting a little sibling. It doesn't require a huge amount of time - up to 2 hours a week and is a lot of fun! At Cambridge volunteering can be a great escape from the 'bubble' and an opportunity to give back! If this still feels like too much for you - there are one off fundraising events such as busking, gardening and theatre workshops. In addition to this SCA provides many opportunities to socialise and meet people with similar interests from different colleges! If you are interested in getting involved head to www.cambridgesca.org.ukor contact Sofi Shall. The Cambridge University NSPCC Society was set up by three Catz students who have now graduated. Being the first university branch of the NSPCC to be set up it is a unique opportunity to be involved with a great charity. We are now looking for a president, treasurer, secretary and any one who wants to be involved generally with this society. The main purpose of the society is to run fundraising events and to promote of the good work that the NSPCC does. If you are interested in event planning and have some editing fundraising ideas - get involved! Contact Sofi Shall for more details. SAFE (Southern African Fund for Education) 90 million children are excluded from education in sub-Saharan Africa. If you want to help this situation then SAFE is a way of doing so. The SAFE team aims to raise funds for and create awareness of educational development charities working in Southern Africa. By doing this it will help to increase the standard of educational facilities in the region and to eliminate discrimination and inequality. Being part of SAFE is enjoyable, rewarding and worthwhile. We plan several events each term such as raffles, quizzes and dance classes. Not a lot of time is needed just enthusiasm and a willingness to help! The current committee is now in their final year and we're looking for a new group to take over this charity. It can be as large or small time commitment as you like. For further details please contact Jennifer Armond (ja484@cam.ac.uk) The Shirley Society The Shirley Society, Cambridge's oldest (and obviously best) literary society, is based right here at Catz. We hold weekly meetings in college where you're invited to bring and share any kind of writing on a given theme (bonus points if it's your own!). Everyone's welcome, English student or not; the only pre-requisite is that you bring your own mug for tea, wine (or a little something stronger - at your own discretion). We'll also be hosting guest speakers throughout the year, so keep space in your diary for some (traditionally fantastic) readings and talks. Meanwhile, join our Facebook group 'The Shirley Society: Poetry &c.', where times and places for the meetings and events will be signposted, and start writing and thinking about favourite pieces of writing you want to share. If you have any questions, or would like to suggest a speaker or theme for a weekly meeting, please contact one of the co-presidents: Georgina on gw337@cam.ac.uk or Angharad on akbg2@cam.ac.uk . 59 !
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The Shirley Players Greetings from Douglas and Ciaran, the presidents of The Shirley Players. Here's what was written in our freshers' guide last year: “The Shirley Players - Want to get involved in acting, directing, writing, production or the technical side of theatre? Regardless of previous experience, the Shirley Society wants YOU, dear freshers! We are Catz' own theatre company, and our aim is to show-case the best of Catz' dramatic talent at our very own theatre, the Octagon. Responsible for the annual Freshers' Play, which is always extremely well supported, we have exciting productions planned for the year ahead for which we want your talents! You won't have to sign your life or your lie-ins away, and calling people 'daaarling!' is strictly optional. (Although it would make the president very happy!) Whether you were a child star or want to take your first steps into theatre, please seize the opportunity to sign up in Freshers' Week.' We regret to report that literally none of this proved to be true. The Shirley Players had all but disappeared last year, with apparently no one in charge and no more than an out of date write up in the freshers' guide to mark its existence, but despair not! The society's dashing and vigorous new leaders are determined to fulfil the promises made by past incarnations of the Shirley Players. With this in mind, they ask that any of you with a taste for drama look into what's going on in freshers' week or contact Douglas Tawn- dt390@cam.ac.uk - and together, we can reignite the flame of Catz drama: a flame that has illuminated the likes of Sir Ian McKellen and Richard Ayoade in the past. You know you want to. Sporting Societies: The Kittens and the AlleyCatz are the male and female sports societies, respectively, and require an invitation to join based on sporting qualifications. Oscar Hardy oh234@cam.ac.uk is the Head Kitten Head AlleyCatz are Sonia Bamford sjb286@cam.ac.uk and Lexi Boreham ab992@cam.ac.uk. Steers Society All geographers at Catz are members of the Steers Society. This is named after Professor Alfred Steers who was a University Professor of Geography and a leading coastal geographer. Catz geographers are not only known for performing very well academically, but also for holding numerous social events throughout the year. We organise several popular events such as a welcome dinner in October, Christmas drinks, an annual black tie dinner and a summer garden party. We are looking at introducing one or two more events to the social calendar next year. The society also holds an annual dissertation evening and invites former Catz geographers to speak about their lives post-Cambridge. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Steers Society President, Alexander Gimblett (avg28@cam.ac.uk), or the Social Secretary, Rhiannon Cogbill (rlc58@cam.ac.uk). We look forward to meeting you in October for what will hopefully be a great year for the geographers. 60 !
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Cambridge Union Society – aka The Union In the past year alone Union members have met Lisa Kudrow, Tim Minchin, Armando Iannucci, Neil Gaiman, Pamela Anderson and Sir Roger Penrose. Aspiring debaters also can attend debate workshops and take part in competitions throughout the world with the Union’s team, who in the last two years have won more competitions than any other British university. What's more, the Union runs some of the best social events in Cambridge, with three balls a year (including one exclusively for freshers!), weekly zumba and yoga classes, cocktail workshops and much more – we guarantee our members a packed calendar. We have the only bar in central Cambridge which caters to the whole university; the perfect place to work or play. To find out more and join, visit www.cus.org. For more information, contact Amy Gregg on recruitmentamy@cus.org. NB – if you want to join the Union, we advise you to wait until Freshers’ Week when there’s a discount!
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PRACTICAL THINGS Administration and Communication Mail: Individual pigeonholes are situated by the computer room under the Porter’s Lodge. The names refer to the pigeonhole below the name, and it’ll be full up with bits and pieces when you arrive so make sure you check it early on. You can pick up bulky letters, private mail and parcels from the on-duty porter: look out for your name on the list in the window to see if you have any – you’ll also be sent an email from the porters to inform you if any larger parcels have arrived for you. For University mail (i.e. Letters to and from other colleges etc.), there is a free intercollegiate mail service run by CUSU. The post box for this is situated opposite the porter’s desk by the large pigeonholes. Royal Mail post boxes can be found outside Corpus, opposite the front of Catz, and in Queen’s Lane, outside the back gate, so posting mail should never be problem! The post office is found next to Emmanuel College. You address at college is: [Your Name] St Catharine’s College Trumpington Street Cambridge Cambs CB2 1RL Phones: Pay phones are dotted around college, and most of them accept incoming calls. The Porters' Lodge phone number is 01223 338300. Mobile Phones: The reception for some mobiles is a little dubious in Cambridge, due to the vast stretches of thick stone college walls and various other restrictions. Generally though, you should be fine now as some of the bigger mobile phone operators have put up new masts in the Cambridge area. We polled current Catz (just for you) asking for their opinions on the various networks, which might influence whether you stay with your provider, or switch in order to survive (these are subjective and based on people responding to emails so we hope they help): • Vodafone is best, full reception for a number of people • Virgin are apparently very good • T-mobile and Tesco’s are good • Orange is good and you get Orange Wednesdays • O2 is good in some of Cambridge, but very bad in Catz • 3 is just grim. Its uselessness is not at all confined to Cambridge though so you’re probably used to that. A direct quote “3 is absolutely awful, make sure you emphasise that” (Neill, 2013) 62 !
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If you’re having any problems with your phone, come to one of the Freshers’ Reps, we’ll help! Never forget to turn off your phone during lectures, meetings and supervisions to avoid cringe-worthy moments when 60-something supervisors are unhappy to be interrupted by your Azealia Banks 212 ringtone (true story)
Transport Bikes You will find one of these extremely useful, although some people do manage without. You can get a bike up here, a second-hand one from bike shops, or the market. However, don’t make the mistake of buying a brand-new, expensive bike to come to college – it isn’t necessary and you will end up in tears if it gets stolen. You can store your bicycle below the Fellows’ Car Park (but not in the staff section of the park). Make sure you paint on your number before you come and buy a decent Dlock, otherwise it will certainly disappear. Make sure that you have good lights and reflectors (the police in Cambridge aren’t too keen on invisible cycling at night) and, as well as a good lock, it is sensible to have a helmet. Buses: Regular local buses depart from the bus station on Drummer Street, just behind Emmanuel College (timetables can be found online). For longer journeys, National Express coaches arrive/leave from the far side of Parkers’ Piece, approximately 15 minute walk. Trains: The Train Station is a 25 minute walk from College, but there are frequent bus services from all points around Cambridge. There are trains twice an hour nonstop to London – avoid peak time though, as it is outrageously expensive. If you intend on using the trains a lot, remember that a 16-25 Young Person’s Railcard is a good investment.
Money College Bills These will be sent to you by email at the beginning of term and are payable within a specified date before extra charges are levied; this will usually be around a week after you arrive, so make sure you get this paid in Freshers’ Week despite all the distractions. Benefits and Bursaries Your tutor should be able to give you advice as to the various bursaries and awards 63 !
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available to undergraduates. There is an enormous range on offer, from general bursaries to specific sports and arts awards. The Newton Trust administers bursaries on a university level (https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/cambridgebursary/index.html), and the college website has information on awards specific just to students at St Catharine's (https://tinyurl.com/catzawards). If you run into financial difficulty for any reason at any time, speak to your tutor or the Senior Tutor (who is also the Financial Tutor) as soon as possible. Check what you are eligible for as soon as possible (you may be surprised as to what is on offer!), and remember to bring your student loan forms as proof at the start of term. Also remember to keep an eye on your emails for more details and deadlines. We should be providing you with a collated list of all the bursaries and grants available very soon, so check your inbox for that. Student Loans If you want to receive this money within a few days of arrival, you need to have met the deadline issued by Student Finance Direct; even if you have done this, however, it will take a few days for your loan to come through so make sure you bring some cash or a card to access another bank account to tide you through Freshers’ Week. Remember to bring your Financial Notification to Cambridge as you will need to take this to the Accounts Office to confirm your loan and receive your money. It’s probably best to keep all your student finance info in a folder and bring it up to uni in case there are any problems. To be eligible for many benefits and bursaries you must have taken out your loan. For more information on student finance, seek Kathy Malley in the Accounts Office (km328@cam.ac.uk) Insurance It is worthwhile insuring your possessions. The cheapest way of getting insurance is probably to get yourself added to your parent’s policy. However, ‘Endsleigh’, set up by the NUS, provides inexpensive cover and is designed specifically for students: www.endsleigh.co.uk Travel Grants The college (and probably your department too) has funds available to aid students on travels abroad. An academic or charitable motive will be helpful, but it’s massively worth applying for wherever you intend going. Further information is given out during the course of the term (there are strict closing dates for each so make sure you stick to them to avoid disappointment). See the college website for more information:
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WELFARE & HEALTH Healthcare You have to register with a doctor in Cambridge, and the best bet for convenience is, again, just across the road in Trumpington Street at the Trumpington Street Medical Practice. Do this ASAP as it books up quickly as most students from the other nearby colleges try to register there too. The next nearest is in Lensfield Road behind Pembroke College – also not that far from Catz! Don’t forget to bring your NHS card and National Insurance numbers! There is a University Dental Service at 3 Trumpington Street (telephone 01223 332860). In case of emergency, Addenbrookes is the nearest hospital. The College will refund the cost of a taxi to and from hospital provided a receipt is kept. College services The college has its own nurse who is available Monday to Friday mornings during Term. She will be introducing herself at the welcome talks and is very approachable and able to advise on most matters and problems. There are also a number of leaflets and contact numbers found in the welfare stand in the library. This is kept up to date by the welfare officers who are also available if you ever want to talk, or need help with something, no matter what it’s in relation to. Dyslexia There are lots of dyslexics at Catz in virtually every subject. You can choose whether or not to disclose your dyslexia, however if you do there is lots of help and support available to you. In particular the University’s Disability Resource Centre (DRC) exists to provide a confidential, professional, and accessible service to support the needs of disabled students, including those with specific learning difficulties. You can visit their website for more information http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/disability/. You may also want to consider applying for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA), which if you are eligible for, you may be given a government grant that provides help for higher education students who have to meet extra costs while studying because of their disability. This should be sought sooner rather than later as you will need to have a Needs Assessment meeting. Find out more here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/EducationAndTraining/HigherEduca tion/DG_10034898 Please contact the Welfare Officers or your college parent if you would like some advice from someone in your subject who can advise you and pass on their experiences to help you avoid any of the pitfalls that we jumped into as Freshers. 65 !
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Allergies It is important that you inform the college of any serious allergies, in particular those that are food-related, so that any special requirements can be met. Please pleas please fill in the appropriate form sent to you by College. Sexual Health The Laurels is a sexual health clinic used by many Cambridge students. You can find out information about the clinic here: https://www.sexualhealthcambs.nhs.uk/info_laurels.php The Laurels 20 Newmarket Road Cambridge CB5 8DT 08456 50 51 52
Counselling Services Cambridge is fortunate enough to provide a variety of student counselling services open to all undergraduate university students. The most popular amongst them are: Linkline - A confidential listening, support, and practical information service for students in Cambridge - http://linkline.org.uk for info. It is open 7pm – 7am during Cambridge Full Term and you can reach them on 01223 744444. Outside of these hours the recommend you contact the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90. They can be emailed at email@linkline.org.uk and jo@samaritans.org. Cambridge University Counselling Service – The University itself also provides a free counselling service. http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/studentcouns is not only an excellent source of information regarding issues such as Mental Health, but also clearly explains how to go about organising a one-off consultation as well as regular counselling. The leaflets on this link are also incredibly useful if you’re seeking support on many topics http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/selfhelp/leaflets. Furthermore, both the Fresher Reps and the Welfare Reps (Rhiannon and David) are people you can talk to in confidence, about whatever is bothering you. David, Mikey and Rhiannon are trained in supporting student welfare.
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Security Although Cambridge is a fairly safe place to live, unfortunately burglaries do occur. To assist you in securing your property and ensuring your time at Cambridge is as trouble free as possible, a security package will be distributed to every student outlining some simple precautions you can take to avoid becoming a victim of burglary. Please try and take time to read through the leaflets. Avoiding Burglary: Ensure your room is secure at all times/keep your door locked, and not on the latch Don’t tempt the thief – keep expensive items out of sight Challenge anyone in the building you see hanging around and if you are not satisfied with their explanation, contact the porter’s lodge
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PLACES OF INTEREST Banks: The nearest are the Natwest, Barclays and Lloyds but to be honest, any bank in Cambridge is just a few footsteps away. It’s handy to have your bank account registered in Cambridge, and if you can, try to do it before term starts as banks are pretty busy in October. Post Office: St. Andrew’s Street is the main post office – by Emmanuel College Supermarkets: The nearest and dearest is Marks and Spencer’s in the Market Square, but for those of you who are satisfied with economy bread or more importantly economy wine, Sainsbury’s can be found opposite Sidney Sussex College. Perhaps ask your College Parents to point it out to you as you’re sure to be stopping by at some point. Definitely get a Nectar card as soon as you can, it’s so worth it. Shops: Cambridge high street stores. larger selection – student discount requirements!
has surprisingly good shopping facilities, with most of the usual The Grafton Centre is 10 minutes walk if you fancy a slightly incidentally, there’s also a pretty good cinema there offering rates and a Poundland and Primark for those fancy dress
Sandwich Shops: Sam Smiley’s, Christine’s and Café Aristo are the legendary sandwich shop situated just outside college. You’ll also find a huge selection of quality cakes and snacks – although at a price. Also nearby (and in the law facility) is “Nadia’s” which does similar stuff. For all you Art students the Buttery on the Sidgwick site is a lifesaver in between lectures. Otherwise there are two Prets, the M&S, EAT and others in town. Off Licenses: The rather sophisticated among you might enjoy a trip to the Cambridge Wine Merchants, which offers an impressive range of wine and spirits (or a 3 for £12 deal with arguably less impressive wine). The most reliable booze boutique is nonetheless the nearby Sainsbury's, which offers the best deals and selection of anywhere nearby. Stationers: Cheapest is CUSU opposite Magdalene. Heffers allows books and stationery to be purchased on a monthly account. Rymans offers a 10% discount with your CUSU card. There are loads of bookshops dotted about as well including Waterstones. Market: The Market is situated in Market Square (funnily enough) and is excellent for fresh (although not all that cheap) fruit and veg, second hand books and CDs, haircuts, and random bits and pieces. Late Night Snacks: Cambridge offers a small selection of kebab and burger stalls in town which are open until very late into the night. Gardies is probably the most popular establishment located just past McDonald’s. The two vans in Market Square are also quite popular with the “Van of Life” further from Catz, and the “Van 68 !
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of Death� nearer. Most people have a preferred eating spot, but you’ll have to try them all out to make up your own minds! Faculties and Departments You will certainly be going to these during your time in Cambridge, although perhaps not as frequently as you initially intended! Sidgwick Site: Modern & Medieval Languages Classics Oriental Studies Law Economics History English Music Philosophy Theology Asian & Middle Eastern Studies HSPS Downing Site: Natural Sciences Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Geography HSPS
New Museums Site: HSPS Natural Sciences Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
These are where you will find your departmental libraries, and where you will have lectures. The frequency and duration of visits is left entirely to your own discretion!
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MAPS St. Catharine’s Island Site
Accommodation for freshers is all over college. Ensuite rooms are found in E, Gostlin and Bull. Non-en-suite rooms are found in Hobson’s, H, G, I, J, K and M. Current recycling locations • Paper recycling in rooms in I, J and K • Recycling in the JCR • By October there should be comingled recycling boxes in every Gyp room • Paper and cardboard in the Pidge room • All sorts of recycling in the bins in the Car Park
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Cambridge
Other maps of Cambridge can be found online, or if you have a smart phone then using that for navigation to begin with is often a good idea. Once you know your way around you’ll realise just how simple it is!
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FRESHERS’ TEAM Meet our fantastic team, all of whom you’ll see around and about looking fabulous in pink t-shirts. Come chat to any one of them – they’re here to help you move into college life as easily as possible. Here, they give their thoughts on the best and worst aspects of life at Catz.
Alex!Craig!–!English! Best:! College! spirit! and! community!! Everyone! is! a! spoke! in! the! Catz! family! wheel! Worst:! Limited!(to!say! the! least)!facilities!in!some!gyp! rooms!
Alex!Abbott!–!Phys!Natsci! Best:! Everything.! The! wheel!is!my!life.! Worst:! Hall! food.! Except! for! brunch.! Brunch! is! perfect.!
Ali! Amin3Nejad! –! Medicine! Best:! Catz! Corridor! on! a! Wednesday! Cindies!! HOLLAAH! Worst:! 10! am! dissection! on! Thursday! after! Catz! Corridor! on! a! Wednesday!Cindies!
Anni!Bates!–!Vet!Med! Best:!The!Stride!of!Pride!is! only!about!20!metres! Worst:!Everyone!will!know! about! it! by! the! time! you’ve! reached! the! other! side!of!main!court…!
David! Ashman! –! Phys! Natsci! Best:! The! people!! There! is! no! such! gathering! of! fine! individuals! as! Catz.! You’re! all! very! very! very!lucky.! Worst:! Lack!of! grass!to! sit!on!(until!May!Week)!
Clara!Browne!–!Law! Best:!Amazing!location!–! a! stone’s! throw! away! from! everything! you! could!possibly!want! Worst:!You!are!busy!like! never!before!
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! ! Emma!Cullen!3!History! Best:! the! fact! that! the! years!integrate!socially!!! Worst:! I! felt! a! bit! intimidated! in! Freshers’! Week! but! will! work! extra! hard! to! stop! that! from! happening!this!time!!
Elliott!Cooper!3!History! Best:!Fire!Engines!!Dancing! in! Catz! Corridor!! Using! feline!puns!! Worst:! The! gym! !! I! need! much! more! space! to! rep! my!guns!#lad!
Ele!Brown!–!Engineering!! Best:! everyone! gets! involved! in! everything,! and! it! never! matters! if! you’re! rubbish!(not!that!we!are)! Worst:! Lack! of! ovens! on! island!site!!!!
Fin!Allen!–!Phys!Natsci! Best:! we! all! know! each! other,! and! we! all! help! each!other!out!! Worst:! Exam! term! is! not! fun.! May! Week! is! awesome!though!
Hettie!Cust!–!Land!Ec! Best:! Being! a! small! college! with! lots! of! people! means! you! always! have! the! chance! to! meet! new! people!and!chat! Worst:! I! wish! there! was! a! petting! zoo! to! relieve!stress!
Iona!Charlton!–!Vet!Med! Best:! The! skyline! +! the! socialising! +! the! crazy! fun! +! everyone! is! lovely! +! sport! is! great! +! I! JUST! LOVE!IT!HERE!OKAY! Worst:! don’t! be! silly! there! isn’t! anything! bad! about!Catz.!
Ian!Doughty!3!Engineering! Best:! 2! minutes! from! bedroom! to! hall.! No! tourists!bother!you!either! Worst:!Should!be!closer!to! Sainsbury’s.!
James! Thompson! –! Phys! Natsci! Best:!Proximity!to!Smiley’s! and! the! roundness! of! the! wheel! Worst:!No!ovens!
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Laura!Sedgwick!3!History! Best:! Having! to! leave! college! 5! minutes! early! to! allow! for! the! inevitable! lovely! morning! chat! while! crossing!Main!Court.! Worst:! Moving! stuff! in! and!out!every!holiday!
Jonny!Hyman!3!Law! Best:! The! only! college! with! a! cheese! course! at! formal!–!bam.!! Worst:! Quiet! Period! in! Exam!Term!is!weird!
Michael! Carbonell! 3! Medicine! Best:! The! people.! Then!the!ducks.! Worst:! When! hash! browns! run! out! at! brunch!
Louis! Williams! 3! Economics! Best:! Commitment! to! winning! premier! league!Mixed!Netball!! Worst:! when! the! porters!are!grumpy!
Neal! Patel! 3! Economics! Best:! Everyone! is! SOCIAL! SOCIAL! SOCIAL!! Worst:! Realising! it’s! quite!hard!work!to!do! well,! but! ultimately! really!worth!it!
Mollie!Shomali!–!Arch! and!Anth! Best:! The! inclusion! and!support!from!and! by!other!Catz! Worst:! losing! stuff! when!you’re!out!
Rhiannon! Lockwood! 3! Law! Best:!The!hilarious!chats! you’ll!have!in!hall!–!food! may!not!be!amazing,!but! the! company! is! awesome!! Worst:! Sometimes! feeling! a! bit! lacking! for! wide! open! spaces! in! college!
Pippa! Stevens! 3! Geography! Best:! the! people! here! are! what! give! Catz! its! magical! spirit! and! atmosphere!! Worst:! I! wish! we! could! have! waffles! at!brunch!
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! ! Samara! Linton! 3! Medicine! Best:! ever! want! to! procrastinate?! Just! walk! through! Main! Court! Worst:! the! ease! of! procrastination! can! make!it!hard!to!work!
Sam!Martin!3!Medicine! Best:!how!can!you!pick! one! good! thing?!! The! people,! the! location,! brunch,!the!wheel!! Worst:! The! fact! we! don’t! have! a! Catz! cat.! We!need!a!Catz!cat.!
Scott!Warin!!3!Law! Best:! someone’s! always! on! hand! to! brighten!up!your!day! Worst:! we! need! a! more! diverse! application! pool! #accessandadmissions!
Simon!Sowerby!3!Law! Best:! unlike! dogz,! you! don’t!need!to!take!catz!on! walks! Worst:!logistically!it!can!be! a! bit! of! a! pain! to! move! in! and!out!at!the!end!of!term!
Yu!She!3!Maths! Best:!being!so!close!to! lectures,! when! you! realise! you’ve! woken! up!late.!Again.!! Worst:! more! big! trees! and!fields!
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SUBJECT REPS The Subject Reps are those who you can contact for any help before or after you arrive. They’re all lovely people (we guarantee) so talk to them about anything – work or play related. They will be sending you a Subject Guide, designed to help you adjust even more smoothly to the transition to live at Catz. ASNaC3!Emilia!Henderson! !
AMES!–!Colette!Howarth! !
Classics!–!Abbey!Hornett! !
Economics!–!Ed!Stuart3Bourne! !
Engineering!–!Will!Fulwood! !
English!–!Rachael!Hodge! !
Geography!–!Anna!Rogers! !
HSPS!–!Laura!Spenceley! !
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History!–!Harriet!Hall! !
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Land!Ec!–!Louise!Houston! !
Law!–!Katie!Patrick! !
Maths!–!Harry!Elliott! !
Medicine!–!Ronneil!Digpal! !
MML!–!Alice!Skupski! !
Music!–!Jonny!Venvell! !
Bio!Natsci!–!Maddie!Winder! !
Phys!Natsci!–!Stuart!Cummings! !
Vet!Med!–!Emma!Tarrant! !
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Theology!–!Agnes!Jones! !
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A FINAL MESSAGE We do hope you are having a great holiday and are excited to come to Catz. It really is a friendly college with a down to earth and unintimidating atmosphere, which will help you to settle in and get your bearings in what will be a hectic first couple of weeks. Please don’t be put off by all the official jargon, which the College has sent to you. We hope that this guide has calmed some anxieties, answered some questions and given you at least a flavour of what Catz and Cambridge are like. In addition to this guide, you should be receiving a guide specific to your subject in which current 2nd Years have shared their wisdom. These will be distributed by the Subject Reps. We really recommend you look at both of these guides, and as always, contact us if you have any questions, big or small! As this year’s Freshers’ Reps we are really excited to meet you all. And hope that you enjoy the work we have done to make your first week and year a memorable one.
See you in October! Love Mikey and Beth
We'd like to thank everyone who contributed to the production of this guide Compiled by Beth Cullimore-Pike & Michael Zervos A Catz JCR Productions ™ 2013
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Welcome To The Family!!