Hi! I’m Romany, a Linguistics student at Christ’s college, Cambridge. Unlike lots of my friends, I didn’t put a lot of cost-benefit analysis into which college I applied to; I did a tour of Christ’s as part of an outreach programme and it just felt… right. After that, I felt like there was no need to look at other colleges. It is old and pretty without being intimidatingly grand (sorry King’s and Trinity!) and every member of staff I spoke to seemed kind and friendly; it felt like a nice place to be. Another big plus was that Christ’s is very central, which is extremely helpful if (like me) you’re good at getting lost, because you never have to stray too far from college. The final thing that sold it to me was size; I knew I wanted somewhere small enough to feel like a community, but not so small I’d be the only one doing my subject in my year. Christ’s, with about 450 undergraduates, is a happy medium. I think I made the right decision; I can’t imagine being anywhere else!
One great thing about Christ’s which I didn’t know when I applied is that they are a relatively rich college. This means they are generous with bursaries and if you need money for something specific (for example, if your laptop breaks, you need new headphones or some equipment for part of your course) they are often happy to help pay for it. They also have a book grant to help first-years pay for textbooks they might need, and sometimes give money for travel to different countries if it’s relevant to your course. Food and accommodation at Christ’s is good value compared to other colleges too. Finance was something I was really worried about before I went to university, but I can safely say that it hasn’t been a problem, mostly because of all the support my college has given me.
The accommodation at Christ’s is very varied: there are modern rooms with en-suite bathrooms as well as rooms built in the 15th century with exposed beams and a nice cottage-y feel to them. College also owns a row of houses a few minutes’ walk away from the main site which lots of 2nd year students choose to stay in. There is enough accommodation for students to stay in college-owned rooms for their whole undergraduate degree if they want to, which means cheap prices during term time and no dealing with private landlords! I really liked my room in first year: the rooms with shared bathrooms tend to be quite large to compensate, they are often quirky shapes and have loads of character, plus the views out onto Third Court and the Fellows Garden are beautiful. One thing to bear in mind is that the Gyp rooms (kitchens) can be quite small, only two or three people can fit in at once. However, with everyone working on different schedules, there was rarely a time when we all wanted to use the space at the same time, and most people like to eat in Upper Hall for at least a meal a day anyway.
Christ’s college has plenty of quirks! The college is known for having some well-known alumni, including Charles Darwin and John Milton, which are referenced in the form of a life-size statue of Darwin in the grounds of the college, and ‘Milton’s mulberry bush’ (literally, a very old mulberry bush) in the Fellows Garden, which is a really calming place to be, especially in the summer. We also have an outdoor pool which is open in the summer term, if you like jumping into cold water after exams are over, this is the place to go! We also have some foxes who live on the grounds, and a college cat called Rocket.
If I could change one thing about the college, it would be its reputation: students from other colleges often associate it with being very intellectually focused and pressurised because Christ’s is usually high in the academic league table for Cambridge colleges. I didn’t know this until after I applied and I haven’t particularly felt the academic pressure from college, but its worth knowing that Christ’s has a geeky reputation – even by Cambridge standards! Another thing to be aware of is that although Christ’s is very close to the centre of Cambridge, it’s a 15-20 minute walk to the Sidgewick site, the main hub for Arts and Humanities lectures and supervisions. Having said that, it’s a nice walk, and a good opportunity to catch up with your course-mates before a class!
Everyone I’ve met at Cambridge loves their college, and it’s not possible to make a ‘bad choice’ when choosing which one to apply to. I’m glad I applied to Christ’s; it is a practical choice in terms of size, location and facilities, as well as having beautiful buildings and gardens, lots of quirky features and a friendly atmosphere which makes it a comfortable place to be.