Cambridge experiences - advice please!

[Baies2003]

DD has a really achievable offer from Cambridge, as well as several others. I absolutely don't mind which Uni she goes to. She is pleased to have the offer, and recognises that a Cambridge degree will likely have value in later years as well as offering a great education. HOWEVER, especially after Covid, she also wants to have a lot of fun at Uni. She is under the impression that Cambridge students are all very academically focused, and there won't be any parties and clubs of anything. So - she feels torn. I can't advise her, because I didn't go. So my question is - if you have a child at Cambridge (or, I guess, Oxford) are they very studious, or are there opportunities to let loose and be foolish as well as study? She has joined the pre-Uni chat, and everyone seems very focused on studies - but I'm assuming it's self-selective, and the kids like her are just in the pub and not in a chat room? I don't know. Would really appreciate some insights. Thank you

Have a read of this thread and the previous one.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/4187726-oxford-and-cambridge-current-students

There are so many clubs to join: www.cusu.co.uk/communities/clubsandsocs/

There's a real mix of people there. Many like clubbing, parties and going to the pub, others not so much. I'd read up on May ball antics to show that some can be really very silly.

It is hard work there, there's no doubt about that. But it's important that they balance it with what ever sort of fun and interests they enjoy.

I've not got a child at Cambridge but I live there and several of my friends teach at the uni.

I can assure you that there are certainly quite a lot of partying and hard drinking students here! Every college has its own bar and nightlife. The city itself is small and nightlife is a bit limited but the colleges make up for it.

DH went to Cambridge and was very serious, never really went out and partied, but he says he was in a minority. That was years ago but I think it's still the same.

My DS is at Cambridge and prior to Covid, he did have lots of fun. Not just the May balls, there were also formal dinners, sport, societies etc. He made some lovely friends too. He is proud to be there.

Having said that, the workload has been immense and the course has been tough. In 2nd year, he met up with some old school friends who were at other unis (Bristol, Durham, UCL etc). He said he felt a bit down when they talked about how little work they had needed to do.

You may get more responses if you ask MNHQ to move this thread to the Higher Education board, OP.

My DD is a 4th year engineer, which is one of the higher workload courses. She's had - covid notwithstanding- a great work-life balance. She works hard, and is pretty disciplined about it, but there are societies, parties and general social life.

I’d be interested in the answers as my son is hoping to apply to Cambridge next year. I’m sure every Uni in the country has kids who like partying!!

I went graduated from Cambridge a few years ago now but yes there was partying and clubs! One of the differences for collegiate universities (Durham, Oxford, etc also) is that a lot more socialising is done within college so it’s a smaller group of people you spend most time with - but of course there are uni-wide social events and clubs too.

When my DS was at Cambridge there seemed to be a party every night of the week in his college many of them requiring fancy dress for one reason or another. I remember him on the phone to us saying ‘my friend has just walked by dressed as a carrot’. He chose to celebrate his 21st there and not at home. The advantage of being based in a small college is that people get to know you and the students looked out for each other.

Most of DDs closest friends are from her course, followed by her college. But the wider group has plenty who are neither.

Oddly enough I remember talking to her while she was at a Halloween party and she mentioned her friend was dressed as a 'sexy carrot'. I've no evidence to suppose that root vegetable disguises are de rigeur.