Sidney Sussex College Freshers' Guide 2013

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SIDNEY SUSSEX

FRESHERS’ GUIDE 2013

SIDNEY SUSSEX

FRESHERS’ GUIDE 2013

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Contents

A welcome from the Freshers’ rep……………………………………………………………… 3

A welcome from the SSCSU president………………………………………………………… 4

Why we love Sidney! ................................................................................................................... 5

People around College ………………………………………………………………………… 6

The College …………………………………………………………………………………… 8

Packing Tips …………………………………………………………………………………... 10

Accommodation ………………………………………………………………………………. 12

Finance ………………………………………………………………………………………... 14

Before you arrive ………………………………………………………………………………. 15

Arriving at Sidney ……………………………………………………………………………… 16

Freshers’ Week ………………………………………………………………………………….. 17

Sidney Sports and Societies …………………………………………………………………….. 19

Cambridge University Societies and Events ……………………………………………………. 22

Nightlife …………………………………………………………………………………............ 24

Subject Reps ……………………………………………………………………………………. 25

The Guide to Cambridge Lingo – The Sidney A-Z ……………………………………………. 28

Credits …………………………………………………………………………………………. . 30

Map ……………………………………………………………………………………………... 31

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Hello Freshers!

Congratulations on becoming the next generation of Sidneyites.

I hope you’re excited about arriving in Cambridge, there are

certainly lots and lots of people at Sidney excited to meet you.

I’m Charlotte Burns – Sidney’s Freshers’ rep 2013. Along with

the freshers’ committee, I’ve been busy planning Freshers’

Week to make sure the start of your Cambridge experience is

truly memorable.

Whether you chose Sidney or Sidney chose you, you should be

pleased to know that you are about to become a member of a

brilliant college. Of course there are all the attractions such as

being opposite Sainsbury’s, having top quality food served

daily in hall, beautiful gardens, cheesy bops etc. But what

really makes Sidney special is the people here. You will be

joining a highly diverse community of students, most of whom

you will get to know really quickly due to Sidney’s small size.

The college setup means that if you have a problem, there is always someone to help (99% of the time this

person can be located in the porters lodge) and if you have a spare moment of time, there will always be

some way to fill it.

Our first year at Sidney has been equally challenging and exciting – you’ve got a lot of fun to look forward

to! Cambridge embodies the motto ‘work hard, play hard’ and Sidney provides you with everything needed

to accomplish this.

This guide has been written by current 2nd years to provide you with a taste of what’s to come.

Unfortunately we can’t answer all the questions you have about coming to Cambridge within these 30

pages. For some extra insight Sidney’s website has a virtual tour of the college, and on YouTube you can

find a video created during Freshers’ week a couple of years ago

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bcgmqp3rP4).

Finally don’t forget to join the facebook group

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/sidneysussexfreshers2013/ ) where you can meet others in your year

and have any outstanding questions answered by current Sidneyites. Plus feel free to email me

([email protected]) or your subject rep with any remaining queries, large or small.

Looking forward to seeing you all in October!

Charlotte Burns

Sidney Sussex Freshers’ Rep 2013

A welcome from the

Freshers’ Rep

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Hello, and welcome to Sidney! We can’t wait to meet you in Freshers’ Week and introduce you to Sidney life. My

name is Poppy and I am the current SSCSU President. SSCSU stands for Sidney Sussex College Students’ Union,

and it’s our job to represent the views of all Sidney students to senior members of college and across the

university. We also organise Access events to bring as many excellent students to Sidney as possible, as well as

Ents and Welfare support to make sure your experience of Sidney is both supportive and fun.

SSCSU officers are chosen through elections twice a year to represent all aspects of Sidney life, and new Freshers

will be joining our team by the end of Michaelmas term. We are all

here to answer your questions about anything related to life in

Cambridge: from how aspects of college run, to how you can

access the services provided in college and across the university.

There are around twenty SSCSU positions available to

undergraduates, and we hope that you will get involved with your

Students’ Union by getting to know our team, coming to Open

Meetings (more on these soon) and running for positions yourself,

of course!

It’s worth mentioning that SSCSU isn’t the only Students’ Union

in Cambridge: you’ll probably hear about a university-wide union

called CUSU (Cambridge University Students’ Union). CUSU

provides even more welfare support and organises campaigns that

affect all colleges, including support for International Students and

the Women’s Campaign. It also represents Cambridge at the NUS

conferences.

I love being a student at Sidney for all the reasons you will hear

about in this Guide and more. Everyone says Sidney is one of the

friendliest colleges, so I’m sure that you will quickly feel at home

here and make friends for life. Sidney students are well known for

their enthusiasm and dedication: for example, social events during

Freshers’ Week are almost entirely organised by undergraduates on behalf of SSCSU – congratulations to

Charlotte and her team! I look forward to meeting you all when you arrive, in the meantime (or at any time during

the year) if you have any questions please email me at [email protected].

Poppy Morris

SSCSU JCR President 2013

A Welcome from the SSCSU

President

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So clearly you are Cambridge material, because you’ve made the most

intelligent decision of your life by choosing Sidney Sussex. Here are the top

five reasons why Sidney rules!

Amazing Community

We are, without a doubt, the friendliest, funniest and most welcoming people

in Cambridge. You can’t walk through college without bumping into people

you know, and before long you’ll be spotting friendly faces all around town.

Staff and students are all here to help you out, from the day you arrive to the

day you realise you never want to leave, and there’s such a huge mix of

personalities so you’re sure to find friends in no time. Welcome to the college

with the best community spirit in town!

Fantastic Location

Lady Frances Sidney knew what she was doing when she decided to build her

college directly opposite the social hub of Cambridge student life:

Sainsbury’s. Thanks to her genius, we have all manner of exotic goods from pineapples to pizzas, baked beans to

Bacardi – right outside our front door. Everything else you could possibly want from a city centre – clubs, shops,

cafés and all – is within a five minute walk. Very satisfying when you hear people who’ve had to make the half hour

trek from Girton College!

Beautiful Gardens

Hidden away where the tourists rarely find them, Sidney gardens

are the perfect place for a picnic, a lazy afternoon in the sun, or a

quick bit of snowman-building. Unlike practically everywhere else

in Cambridge you can walk on most of the grass (apart from the

front two courts, and the Master’s garden). That’s right, feel free to

walk, roll or read on the green stuff to your heart’s content.

Brilliant Bar

Sidney bar is the social hub of the college evening life; there’s always a lively and cheerful atmosphere in bar. The

bar is pretty much student run and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, such that there’s little point in going to

Sainsbury’s to pre-drink in your rooms – instead people just come to the bar! The bar is there for your every social

need. If you’re having a night off people hang out here with friends, have a few drinks and snacks, play some pool,

darts or try to beat Chris Tarrant on the quiz machine. If you need a snack and a soft drink on a library break, or

somewhere for communal study during the day in the dreaded exam term, Sidney bar is the place to go. It’s also the

only job allowed by the college, so you can get yourself trained in weeks 2 and 4 of Michaelmas and then be able

to pick up shifts when you want an evening off.

Social Events

As well as all the societies and sports teams, Sidney offers loads of

ways to get involved in college life. We have a very active Students’

Union which hosts regular (often entertaining) Open Meetings, termly

Bops for you to show off your fancy dress making skills, and plenty of

talks, groups, charity nights, and random, fun stuff for you to enjoy

throughout the year!

Why we love Sidney!

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Master: Professor Richard Penty.

Basically the head of the college. A fellow in engineering, he was elected during

this past year and so is quite new to the role. You will be able to meet the master

and some of the other senior fellows at the master’s dinner you will be invited to

at some point during your first year.

People around college

Senior Tutor: Max Beber

The fellow who is in charge of the tutorial system and the educational

performance of the college as a whole. Occasionally spotted in full biker

gear after taking a ride on his motorcycle!

Director of Studies (DoS)

Each subject has a separate DoS, who is in charge of your academic welfare and will organise supervisions. Most

people know their DoS quite well and at the very least you will see them at the start and end of term. S/he is also

the person to come to if you have an academic problem.

The Chaplain: Revd. Paul Brice

Conducts services in the chapel and he is happy to speak to any member of the

Sidney community, in complete confidence, on any matter of concern. Hosts the

very popular port and muffins evenings every Wednesday, and married your

college parents at the end of this year.

Tutors

Your personal tutor is the person to go to if you have any general worries or a problem with work that you don’t

want to see your DoS about. Because of this they always teach a different subject to yours.

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The Nurse: Jenny Taylor

Jenny is in college most days in the morning. She is always very friendly and

generally knows who you are even if you’ve never spoken to her properly! She

deals with medical issues – both mental and physical - so she’s the perfect lady

to see if you need advice on that toe that hasn’t looked the same since Cindies

(see nightlife). Additionally, she is another point of call if you have a problem

you want to discuss.

The Bedders

The bedders empty bins and clean communal bathrooms and kitchens daily. They also clean your room

(hoover, not tidy, mind) and change your sheets once a week. For those days when getting up before 10am is

not going to happen (lucky you!) you can leave your bedroom bin outside your door as a sort of ‘do not disturb

sign’.

Librarian: Alan Stevens

Lives in the library during normal working hours, so never seen by the people

who do all-nighters for each essay! You can come to him if you have a problem

finding a book and in exam term he provides squash and biscuits outside the

library each afternoon, which is a nice revision break!

Student Social Welfare Officers

Hi, we're Grace and Jack and we're your elected student

Welfare Officers. We hope you're looking forward to the great

week ahead that Charlotte’s been planning for you. Freshers’

Week is such an exciting time and a great way to meet the

people who'll be with you for your time at Sidney. As your

Welfare Officers, we are here to help you settle in as smoothly

as possible. For any worries, sexual health or emotional issues,

no matter how great or small, we're always happy to listen.

We can also point you in the direction of different services in

Cambridge, always completely confidentially.

Additionally, we can provide advice on what kind of financial support is out there, who else there is to talk to,

and can be the link between you and senior members of staff. We'll introduce ourselves at the start of Freshers'

Week, but if you have any concerns beforehand, then please feel free to contact us at either

[email protected] or [email protected].

Grace Fletcher and Jack Layton

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The College

Porters’ Lodge (P’lodge)

Home to the Sidney porters, a lovely bunch

who go out of their way to help students with

any problems they have. Organising taxis

around Cambridge and back, acting as

bouncers at the Bops, directing first-years and

tourists alike- you name it; they’ll either get

the job done for you or find the right person to

help. Just prepare yourself for their very

sarcastic comments!

Post room

The pigeon holes or (pidges) in Sidney’s post room are frequently

full of surprises. Yes, there are the ordinary letters from home, but

then you also may find the occasional chocolate treat from SSCSU

Welfare Officers, random ketchup sachets, lost ties and empty

wine bottles. Pop in for some daily procrastination.

Hall

You can eat as frequently or infrequently as you like in our

dining hall, though most people come at least once a day,

usually for Dinner. Breakfast and Lunch are available Monday

to Friday and there is Dinner every night of the week, with an

incredible brunch on Saturday from 11:30-1:30pm. Meanwhile,

formal hall takes place at 7:45pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and

Sundays. Sidney students have to wear their gowns to formal

dinners, with suits for the men and smart dress for the women.

However, it is well worth the effort, the food is always

delicious and is great value for money.

Gym

The Sidney Gym is really good value, with membership at

£45 for the year and inductions throughout the first few weeks

of Michaelmas term, so that you can make the most of the

excellent facilities. The gym is great place to work out, with a

weights room as well as a main room with running machines,

cross-trainers, bikes and of course, a set of eight ergs (rowing

machines) used for both group and individual training.

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Chapel and Choir

Sidney Sussex Chapel Choir will appear fairly regularly during your

time here. We often end up performing at feasts and other special

events and are usually seen shuffling about outside chapel in our

cassocks. On Wednesdays we sing Latin vespers, the only choir in the

UK still to regularly do so, before two Anglican evensongs over the

weekend. The Friday evening service consists of serene Renaissance

music, before Sunday evensong plays host to exuberant Romantic

classics. We also go on regular tours, with recent visits to California,

Dubai and Italy, and record an album most summers. The amount of

time we spend together makes us a close knit and supportive group and

if you would like to get involved, it is never too late to audition for Dr

Skinner. If the singing is not for you, then drop in to the odd service for

some relaxation or a special occasion before formal hall.

Bar

The bar sells a variety of alcoholic drinks and responds well to

requests for new drinks, if you think a new drink would be in

high demand and it can be trialled. The full list of drinks and

prices will be available in Michaelmas, but typically draught is

about £2, shots around £1.50. The bar also sells a large range of

snacks and soft drinks, so it’s often easier to get chocolate/

crisps and soft drinks from the bar than Sainsbury’s. There’s

also a pool table (50p a play and getting cheaper), quiz

machine (50p a play) and darts board (free usage).

TV Rooms

There are three TV rooms at Sidney, in Chapel Court,

Garden Court and Cromwell Court, where a large

proportion of first-years live. Sports, and favourites such as

Take Me Out and Made in Chelsea pull in large groups of

people, whilst they are also venues for parties, movie nights

and generally just chilling out. The main TV room in

Chapel Court also has table football, various board games

and a coffee machine.

Library

Our library is located in Garden Court and is well equipped

for all your studying needs, with computers, private study

areas, and would you believe it, books! It is open 24 hours a

day; whilst this doesn’t mean you should necessarily be

there at 3am, it is certainly useful if you’ve got yourself an

unexpected essay crisis! If a book you need isn’t around you

can usually get it ordered in by speaking to your Director of

Studies or Alan, our librarian. There’s also a computer room

in the library open to everyone as well as printers, scanners

and a photocopier.

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We are so close to the centre of town that almost anything can be

bought once you get here if you forget it, but we thought it would be

useful to have a rough guide for packing. This is not comprehensive

but it should get you started! Whatever you can cram into your car you

can most likely fit into even the smaller rooms in college so don’t

worry too much about how much to bring. Inevitably you will bring

lots of things you won’t really use in your first term but surely it’s

better to have it than not.

The basics – our essential items

ID. A driving license or passport is a must for registering with

services across Cambridge, as well as for access to the nightclubs

etc.

UCAS documents

Student Finance documents. College will need to see copies of

these after you arrive if you have applied for a student loan.

Any other important paperwork: your bank details, chequebook,

insurance documents, national insurance details, NHS card (for

registering with a doctor’s surgery)

Some cash. The first few days will be hectic so it is useful not to have to rush around to cash points while

you’re busy!

Alarm clock, even just one built into your mobile phone

Chargers for all your electronic devices. Your phone will be especially crucial in Freshers’ Week

Toiletries and some clothes to suit the September-December weather

A towel or two. A tea towel for the kitchens is also useful

Washing powder, college does not provide this

A chequebook. Although internet banking is increasingly popular and it is very convenient to be registered

for this, payment by cheque is still common especially for societies’ membership and events in Easter Term

like Garden Parties and May Balls

A few smart clothes. For guys a suit with a few shirts and ties will go far, although there are some annual

dinners and end of year events that require black tie, so you may want to bring this. A normal suit will do

fine for Matriculation, where you formally become a member of the college in your first week, and for

formal hall dinners which you can attend throughout the year. For girls, the dress code is more vague: no

denim, and nothing too inappropriate for a formal setting but apart from that, anything goes. Black tie gowns

are great for the May Balls but otherwise, any nice dresses or blouse and skirt combinations will work fine.

We would recommend:

A USB stick to back up work

Some decorative things from home to personalize your room. You will have a noticeboard to display things

on, although you are not allowed to stick things straight to the walls. Cushions and throws are also a good

idea

A drying rack for clothes. The tumble dryer costs £1.20, which is reasonable, but after tumble drying our

clothes in Michaelmas we’ve learnt the hard way that some things don’t appreciate being tumble dried and

are likely to shrink!

A bike. This need not be expensive, and they can be bought easily in Cambridge. It is possible to walk

almost anywhere in Cambridge, but you can save yourself some time in bed if you have a bike. If you are

thinking about playing in sports teams the matches and training locations are often best reached by bike,

including the boathouse for rowing. It is not a problem if you’d rather not cycle though, several of us have

managed fine without bikes.

Packing tips

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Stationery, including writing paper, stapler, scissors, hole puncher, Sellotape, post it notes, drawing pins,

etc. These will all come in useful and are probably things that you’d have lying around at home which

can be a life saver while in college when making bop costumes etc. If you forget anything useful, there

is a Ryman’s practically opposite Sidney, and Architects are bound to have loads of this stuff!

Tin opener and bottle opener. Bottle opener key rings are especially useful when you are out!

A laptop, although there are computers to use in college and in your department building. You will also

need an Ethernet cable to connect to the college Internet network whilst in your room. They can be

bought here but are quite cheap on Amazon or Ebay. It’s a RJ45 network cable.

Stamps and envelopes for sending off cheques and forms

Passport photos can be very useful for photo-cards that you might get from societies, and saves you the

trouble of getting them done once you arrive.

Coat hangers

A basic medicine kit: paracetamol, plasters, cold and flu remedy etc. Vitamins may also be a good

investment, e.g. Berocca tablets.

Mugs, cutlery, plates, glasses. Having a few spares can be helpful when friends come round for a cup of

tea.

Some of us bring

Saucepans/cooking equipment. This entirely

depends on how adventurous a cook you are and

the equipment in your nearest kitchen. It is worth

bringing a few microwave proof dishes as it’s

remarkable how much can be cooked in a

microwave and their speedy settings might become

your best friend. Of course, if cooking is your thing,

then the nearby Sainsbury’s means that you could

potentially cook for yourself every day if you have

access to a good kitchen.

Contraceptives. If you need to obtain these while you’re here then they’re available free from the

Welfare Officers and otherwise are very cheap.

Old A Level/IB notes and textbooks. This really depends if you think they might be useful for the

course you are about to start.

A printer. Some people need to print things more regularly than others so it’s up to you. These can be

bought cheaply from the local branch of Ryman’s, so it might be best to see how it goes in the first

few weeks. In the meantime, printers are available for a small charge (5p per sheet) in the Sidney

library, along with a scanner. Also often subject departments have printers available to use.

A duvet cover. College provides you with one which they will wash for you weekly but it is fine to

bring your own to wash yourself if you prefer.

We wouldn’t bother bringing

A TV: there are TV rooms in each accommodation building which is both more sociable, and if you use

these you don’t have to pay for a TV licence. It is surprising how many people will all watch the more

popular programmes, from sports matches, to reality TV series. For anything you’d rather watch in your

room or you miss whilst it’s on TV there is always BBC iPlayer and 4oD on your laptop

A toaster, kettle or other appliances. Students are not allowed these in their rooms as college cannot be

sure that they are safe, and the kitchens near each room will be equipped with these anyway

An iron. Laundry rooms have communal irons with boards, they are bulky in rooms and you may be

surprised how many of your clothes you can manage not to iron.

“I tried to pack myself in a

suitcase. I could hardly

contain myself” ~ NatSci

fresher

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Cromwell Court

“You lucky half have managed to get

Cromwell Court for your first year. Why so

lucky? Well, firstly it is incredibly social!

Everyone in ‘Crommie’ is a fresher and this

makes organising pre-drinks, movie nights

and tea breaks from work so easy. I was in

flat CE last year (which is the place to B). I

had the end room on the corridor making it

slightly larger than the others (great

advantage for making friends in freshers’

week!). Rooms have a mini fridge and a

partition wall with a massive cork board –

this is great for pinning up your favourite

photos, posters and general artsy stuff. Our

flat’s ‘gyp’ room is small but perfectly

formed, boasting a microwave, fridge, grill,

kettle and toaster. There are a couple of flats

with proper kitchens (with hobs), one of

which is situated by the TV room. Sharing a

shower between 4/5 is not as bad as you may

think - I have never had to wait for a shower!

Despite its location outside of Sidney’s walls,

Cromwell is a great base for first year

students like you. One last thing: the

Cromwell bedders are absolutely hilarious!” ~

Nick Krol, Geography.

Accommodation

Fellows’ Garden

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Garden Court

“Garden court houses the

largest fresher rooms in

college, and as only freshers

live in T and S floor, a close

knit community is always

formed. There are sinks in all

the rooms, and you share a

shower and toilet with five

others. T floor is always very

sociable, and some of the

rooms on S floor come in

pairs, with a shared front

door. Although the stairs can

be a pain, you will appreciate

those perfectly sculpted thighs

by the end of term. Living in

Garden Court means you also

live a few floors above the

library, which is depressingly

convenient!”~Sophie Tang,

Law

Sussex House

So you’re going to be living in Sussex House? With kitchens

equipped with kettles, sinks, microwaves AND HOBS AND

EVEN AN OVEN ON FLOOR 7, you must be relieved.

Sussex House is special because it’s connected to college by

a bridge so you never have to walk outside to get onto the

main college site, unlike those unlucky cromwellians. There

are three fresher floors here, aptly named floor 6, 7 and 8 (a

mystery that still remains unsolved, not even by the

mathmos!). Floor 5 is the grad floor. The grad floor corridor

is out of bounds, for those of you who do not wish to die a

most painful death…unless you want to use the gym of

course...but a 2k erg may still count as a most painful death!

Each floor has its own distinct smell, a useful tool to find

your way home after a swap, bop or a night at Fez. There are

showers and baths on each floor. People tend not to use the

baths…but the highest shower setting is very powerful,

almost cyclone worthy, so have fun with that. The

architectural layout is beyond compare with corridors that

loop around the part of the corridor which is accessed through

doors – so for those of you too lazy to open a door to get

from one end of the corridor to the other, this is a blessing.

The rooms are generally quite big and all furnished with a

bed, a wardrobe, a bookshelf, a chest of drawers, and a sink,

(apart from my room, 7.8 – at least the walk to the bathroom

counted as daily exercise). - Grace Dickinson, MML

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Finance

Finance is going to be a concern for many of you, aside from having to wait what feels like forever for Student

Finance to get their act together, you will have to learn how to manage that money responsibly whilst still being

able to have fun and take advantage of all the opportunities Cambridge has on offer.

General Costs

Your main costs will be room rent, food, and extras like societies and May Balls. At Sidney you pay for a lot of

these things in your termly ‘Bill’. This will include:

Your rent

Food bought in hall on your college card

Kitchen Fixed Charge – this is a set amount each term, but it means food in Hall is cheaper.

Other costs from the term e.g. Formals, printing, etc.

Your bill can be paid online or by cheque, debit or credit card.

Getting your Money

If you are a UK student and have applied for it, you will receive your student loan/grant shortly after you arrive in

Cambridge, once you’ve given the relevant forms to the Student Finance Manager (for the numerically challenged,

there will be form filling sessions at the beginning of term – don’t worry!). With this you have a total of between

around £3500 and £7000 depending on your household income. If you are from a lower income background you can

also apply for the Cambridge Bursary Scheme which may give you up to £3500, paid from January. Then there are

bursaries and prizes given by the colleges based on financial need, or for academic and sport achievement, along

with travel grants which you can apply for later in the year. If you budget without taking these latter ‘funds’ into

account, you should get by at Cambridge without struggling and then anything extra is a pleasant surprise. If

however, you do face financial difficulties due to unforeseen circumstances, Sidney has a hardship fund to tide you

over until your situation improves.

How to Budget

You may or may not want to have a strict budget. But either way you will of course be responsible for your

spending. It is advised that your maintenance costs will be about £7500 a year. Be prepared to spend a bit more in

Freshers’ Week. Not only will there be more events to attend, but you may also have various sign-up fees for

societies you join. The Cambridge Union, which hosts famous speakers and runs various other events, costs around

£175 for life membership (with a discount in your first few weeks), so you might want to try out a few of its open-

for-all events when you arrive to see if it’s for you. You’ll also need about £50 spare to buy your gown (essential for

the Harry Potter experience!)

Although you can’t have a job at Cambridge (you wouldn’t have the time!) Sidney is unique in that we have a

student-run bar, where you can sign up to work however many shifts you want. It’s a great way to get a bit of extra

income, and it hardly feels like work! There is also a great careers service who can help you secure internships and

part-time work in the summer holidays.

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Financial Difficulties

The basic framework of student finance should ensure that you never run out of money. If at any point you do

encounter financial difficulties, your first contact should be the Tutorial and Student Finance Manager, Mr David

Graves ([email protected]). You won’t be expected to pay your bill until you’ve received your money from

Student Finance, and you can agree a plan to pay in instalments throughout the term. The college and university

as a whole are committed to the principle that no UK or EU student should be prevented from completing their

studies due to financial difficulties, and in these circumstances David can assist with budgeting and applications

to various sources of hardship funds.

In short, Cambridge and Sidney will do all they can to make sure you’re financially comfortable during your time

here.

Before you arrive

There are a few bits and bob you should know about before you arrive at Sidney…

Freshers’ T-shirts

With a brand new design for 2013, these t-shirts will be not

only help you to identify other Sidneyites in the sweaty depths

of Fez dance floor, but will also allow you to avoid trips to the

laundry room for your first week in college. These are only £5

and the money will go straight on your college bill (see

Finance). If you really want to opt out please e-mail

[email protected] as soon as possible, but we

promise they’re better than the usual freebie t-shirts - they’ve

got the Sidney crest on for starters!

College Parents

You might be leaving home but you certainly won’t be parentless. Believe it or not at

the end of the summer term two second/third years were joined in matrimony by the

chaplain and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their offspring. They should be in touch

very soon with some handy advice (one will probably do your subject) and will be

around in college all year if you need any help. You will get to know your parents and

college sibling straight away, with family formals during freshers’ week already being

organised.

Wall of Faces

To help everyone with the tricky task of remembering names in the first few weeks we will be continuing the

Sidney tradition of creating a ‘Wall of Faces’ before your arrival. The pictures you provided in the SAQ

questionnaire will be displayed in each of the accommodation blocks (Cromwell Court, Sussex House and Garden

Court). If you really dislike your SAQ picture then that’s fine: please email a replacement

([email protected]) before the 22nd September and we will try and replace it before they go to

print.

16

The build up is over, you’re finally at Sidney. We

can assure you there is a lot of fun to be had on

arrivals day – it’s not all losing keys, forgetting

door codes and chasing porters! Here is an

overview of the general scheme of events on the

Saturday when most of you arrive.

Arriving at the car park or at the Porters’ Lodge at

the front entrance, you’ll be greeted by a group of

current Sidney students, eager to help. You will

also receive some important items, including your

room key and university card from the Mong Hall.

At some point, you will be able to buy your gown.

There are second hand gowns but these tend to sell

out pretty fast. Generally then, gowns are £50 so

make sure you have cash on you (or one of the

helpers can show you to the nearest cashpoint

which isn’t far at all).

You’ll be shown to your accommodation block where there will again be a bunch of current students if

you need help unloading. Now is the time to meet your neighbours and socialise; you don’t really need to do anything beyond putting your boxes and suitcases in your room, there’ll be plenty of time for proper

unpacking later.

There will be an opportunity for your parents to be taken on a tour of college during the day.

You may also wish to take them to Sainsbury’s to stock up on food – it’s literally opposite the main

college door. At 2.30pm everyone (parents, students and siblings) will congregate in Cloister Court for the

freshers’ garden party. There will be speeches welcoming you, a chance to hopefully meet some members

of your college family, others doing your subject and lots of mingling.

The end of the garden party is when you say goodbye to your family. Second and third years from your

subject will whisk you off on a brief tour of Cambridge, hopefully showing you the way to your

department (probably highlighting the quickest route to

Lolas on the way). They’ll then take you for a subject

meal at a one the many restaurants Cambridge has to

offer. Afterwards it’s back to Sidney for a relaxed

evening of college based socialising, meeting more

people and reintroducing yourself to those whose names

you’ve already forgotten.

Arriving at Sidney

17

Freshers’ Week Here’s a little taster of what you can look forward to in your first week at Sidney, furnished with pictures of us

enjoying freshers’ week 2012. It is only a taster, there will be much more on offer and the full timetable will be

published on facebook closer to the time.

Matriculation

Think Hogwarts, think great hall, think

matriculation. The first opportunity you will get

to wear your gown for a night, this involves a

ceremony in the chapel where you will sign to

officially become a member of Sidney. This is

followed by a huge formal dinner in hall, with

freshers’ and fellows dining together – take the

opportunity to ask the fellows about Cambridge

life.

Pub Lunch and Punting

The 2nd years will take you to some of their favourite pubs in

Cambridge, before heading down to the river. Punting is the

best way to explore the beauty of the Cambridge backs. Forget

the tour guides, this is the time for the students to take control.

Learn the art of punting now, and by may week you will be

nimble enough to catch the best spot for the fireworks of the

riverside may balls.

Pirate Pub Crawl

Ay me hearties! Whip out the eye patches,

stripy t-shirts and be prepared for a night of

plank walking and shark attacks. Meeting

at Sidney bar, each group will proceed

around the pubs of Cambridge, completing

challenges of the high seas presented by

several Sidney societies along the way.

Silent Disco

A staple of Sidney freshers’ week. Neon

themed – wear as many brightly coloured items

of clothing as possible. Add headphones,

switch channels, find your favourite tunes and

go crazy safe in the knowledge that no-one can

hear you singing along.

18

Family Formal

Another opportunity to wear your gown. Join your new family for a meal in Sidney Hall, and let your parents show

you the tricks of the trade.

Quiz Night

You got the grades, survived the interview – but have you got the knowledge to be crowned champion of Sidney’s

Freshers’ week quiz? A sample of the quiz nights often held in Sidney bar, choose your team carefully and prepare

to get competitive.

Treasure Hunt

Scurry past the tourists and dodge the bicycles in a mad dash around the

cobbled streets during an afternoon well spent hunting out the treasures of

Cambridge. You may find yourself negotiating with porters at colleges

you’ve never heard of before, demonstrating your acrobatics in the middle

of the city and seeing how many Spanish tourists you can cram into a

telephone box. But it will all be worth it – after all who wants to lose a

treasure hunt?

Alphabet Bop

The first of what will be many cheesy nights in

Sidney bar, with guaranteed bop juice, funky

lighting and possibly candyfloss. Formulate a

costume that represents something beginning with

the same letter as your first name (the alphabet

part), and then dance the night away to your

favourite high school tunes (the bop part). Get

creative with your costumes – previous years have

included light houses and helicopters, so nothing

is too adventurous.

Inter accommodation Socials

So it’s been three days and you’ve seen a lot

(maybe more than expected) of the people on your

corridor, but you have no idea what life is like

elsewhere in college. This is your chance to find

out. Spend the evening visiting each of the freshers’

accommodation blocks and mixing with some new

faces. You never know, that friend you made in

Garden Court may become very useful when the

journey from the bar to Cromwell just isn’t

manageable…

Alternative Ents

So all this partying can take its toll, and no doubt at some point during freshers’ week you will just want

a quiet night in. This doesn’t mean chilling alone in your room however. Join our alternative ents team

for evenings of pizza consumption, film watching, nosying in some 2nd year houses and possibly some

Countdown themed games (in tribute to Sidney alumnus Carol Vorderman).

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Freshers’ Fairs

First up is the university wide freshers’ fair – a HUGE sports hall filled with representatives from every society in

Cambridge (and lots of free Dominos pizza). You’ll sign up for so much, that you’ll forget what you signed up for.

Don’t worry though – you’ll soon be reminded by daily emails from the president of the ice cream/tiddlywinks/winnie

the pooh society…

Next is the smaller but equally exciting Sidney Freshers’ Fair, where all of the Sidney sports, charity and other

societies will be represented. A great opportunity to sign up for something you’ve never tried before knowing it will

probably be low commitment and no doubt a lot of laughs. College societies are a great way to get to know people in

other years, and build up your stash collection

Sidney Sports and Societies

Rowing

Sidney Sussex Boat Club is by far the largest society in college and for a

good reason too. Although we may not be head of the river, for such a small

college we definitely pull our weight. Close to nobody has rowed before

coming to Cambridge, but whether you’re a super-stacked muscle mountain

or have never set foot in a gym, there is guaranteed to be a place for you at

SSBC.

We have boats for serious competitors, having sent people to row for

the university; we also have boats for people who just want to turn

up and get a bit of exercise. Or if you’re averse to exercise or are of

the more vocal persuasion, why not try out coxing?

The “boatie” community within Sidney is very strong (you can

usually tell them apart, since they’ll be the ones wearing skin-tight

lycra to hall and lectures). Most people at Sidney have tried rowing

and it’s a good social point. You get to meet people from other

colleges on swaps and at the end of term you get to go to a black tie

Boat Club Dinner; a definite highlight to every term.

This year we’re hoping to send some boats over to the United

States. A couple of years ago we made our first trip across the pond

and got to row in Philadelphia. Interested? Find out about all this

and more at the Boat Club Squash in the Knox Shaw Room after

Matriculation, where SSBC will be providing more free drinks than

you could shake a stick at.

Football

Sidney has a strong football tradition, putting out two men’s teams and one women’s team each week in the inter-

college leagues. There is training every week for all teams, but the women’s team and the men’s second XI is more

about meeting people, getting some good exercise, having fun and pulling off outrageous skills, while the first team is

very competitive, battling hard with the best. The year concludes with the prestigious Ayodele Fajuyigbe Memorial

Cup, a five-a-side tournament played in May Week. There will be practice matches for all teams in Freshers’ week

and we would love to see as many of you as possible, whether a budding Beckham or more of an Ali Dia, giving it a

go.

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Rugby

Sidney Sussex RUFC has a proud history of plucky comebacks, flair rugby and beating other colleges despite only

having twelve men available. That’s why we want you to sign up in Freshers’ week, to help us turn gutsy defeats

into thumping victories and avoid the League of Shame. Players of all standards are welcome, from complete

beginners to club rugby virtuosos, with a sense of fun being at the heart of everything we do. We are the smallest

college to maintain an independent team rather than merging, so all of the squad look out for each other on and off

the field, including those members who don’t play due to ‘injury’ or cowardice, but join us pitchside and in the pub

afterwards. With a tour to America

coming around soon, there has never

been a better time to get involved,

particularly with two trophies that need to

be reclaimed this season. The Dashwood

Cup was retained by the Old Boys, as

hopes of a stunning ‘cupset’ faded in the

second half. Most dishearteningly, in a

game blighted by disallowed tries and

injuries, we lost the Wallace-Hadrill

Shield to our sister college St. John’s,

Oxford, a title that must be regained on

home soil this winter. So come

and join in for a (fancy dress)

game of touch in Freshers’

week, we’d love a big intake of

players before we kick off

another cracking season.

Tennis

Sidney tennis is as strong as it’s ever been, with strength in depth throughout the squads. With men’s, women’s

and fellows’ teams in operation, there’s always someone looking for a knock up. Despite a disappointing early

exit in Cuppers this season, the previous year Sidney men made it to the semi-final beating Trinity on the way, a

performance we’ll be looking to improve on this year.

Squash

Sidney has a small yet dedicated squash team with a huge range of talents ranging from potential university players

to complete beginners, everyone is welcome to play. The squash court is free to use for students, simply book the

court then sign the key out, all of which can be done at the Porters’ lodge. In Michaelmas and Lent there are weekly

games in the college league, furthermore Lent term brings Cuppers, a knock-out competition between all colleges.

Last year Sidney managed to reach the third round before being knocked out by finalists Downing. There is also the

College squash competition, where one can win pride, fame, and great fortune to become Sidney Squash Champion.

A much sought after accolade!

Hockey

With an intercollegiate league throughout both Michaelmas and Lent terms, and the Cuppers league, Sidney

hockey is great to get involved with. Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned hockey veteran there is a

place for you on the team. During Michaelmas and Lent there will be a game most weekends plus hopefully a few

training sessions at the start of term. There’s no need to worry about equipment either, Sidney has shiny new kit for

this season, as well as plenty of spare hockey sticks available to use. Currently Sidney sits in the lowest division,

and there is the potential to do very well this season, so we are looking forward to you coming and giving hockey a

go in the very near future!

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Netball

Ladies' and Mixed Netball gives you the opportunity each

weekend to get some exercise and socialise with people from

all years. The Ladies' team were promoted to the second

division this year, and we hope to maintain this success

next year. We normally play a short match of 8 minute

quarters each weekend, so it isn't a huge commitment. We're

hoping for a big fresher intake this year - so please get

involved! Ability varies hugely, but all that is required is

enthusiasm. If you're interested in mixed netball, it is slightly

more vigorous than ladies' netball, so be prepared to be

squashed from time to time! There are netball brunches and

dinners to look forward to, and the occasional swap. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible come

along for a game!

Mixed Lacrosse

Joining the mixed lacrosse team at Sidney is something you won’t

regret. It provides a great opportunity to meet people in different

years, stay active and embrace the competitive spirit of

intercollegiate sports. It is a low commitment with short games

once a week. There is a wide ability range, with plenty of novices,

and in freshers’ week there will be an opportunity for everyone to

give it a try. This year we held an impressive winning streak and

successfully moved up a division! So, if you’re looking for a way to

keep active, promised yourself you would try something new, or

just like lacrosse, come along in freshers’ week.

Cricket

Sidney has a pretty young team having lost a lot of players in the last two years but we are developing well and are

starting to run some of the bigger teams close in the Cuppers t20. Players of all ability are welcomed! We do a few

indoor nets in Lent - so no urgent need to bring any equipment you may have for first term - and then a lot of

outdoor nets and games in Summer term. We share grounds with Johns which means we have great grounds,

excellent training facilities and lots of equipment that you can use if you don't have any. After a great Ashes summer

make sure you get involved, there is plenty of coaching knowledge about the squad so you can develop your skills

gradually. Even if cricket isn't your main sport it is a great way to take a break. Our season opener is a spring bank

holiday match against a squad of Sidney alumni from 1986-90 and is a timed game (about 35 overs max). It’s a

great occasion, and we are planning to have some more informal games with college and the grads with BBQs.

Email [email protected] with any questions or to be added onto the cricket mailing list.

May Ball Committee

This year we will be holding a May Ball. They are special events which you will hear lots about throughout the

year. Sidney's Ball is biennial and hence you will have few opportunities to be involved in such a large scale event.

We have left the security position on the committee open for a fresher so if you are interested get your applications

in when we contact you!

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Christian Union

The Sidney Sussex Christian Union is essentially a group of Christians who meet each week to encourage one another

as we seek to share Jesus with other members of college. We therefore aim to have an outward focus, putting on

events throughout the year, such as a May Week BBQ, where people could enjoy some great food and hear a talk

about what Christianity is about. We're putting on a free breakfast on the first Sunday of term (the 6th October), which

everyone is welcome to come to, whether you'd call yourself a Christian or not, to enjoy some food and chat to new

people. Then some of us will be heading along to churches nearby, so you won't have to go alone if you want to come,

though obviously there is no obligation to go. We're also going on a short getaway before the start of next term as a

college group, across 2nd-3rd October (Wednesday and Thursday before Freshers’ week) at a cottage on the Suffolk

coast, and we'd love for any Freshers who wish to, to join us. Do drop us an email if that is something you'd like to do,

or if you have any questions, at [email protected] (Pete Thompson) or [email protected] (Kenneth Wong). See you

in October!

Sidney RAG

RAG stands for ‘Raising And Giving’, and it’s how Cambridge University raises money for charity. As well as

university-wide events such as ‘Jailbreak’ (pairs being sponsored to get as far away from Cambridge as possible in

36 hours, with no money - last year’s winners reached Sydney), colleges have their own teams of RAG reps who

organize college-based events. RAG in Sidney plays a major role in providing enjoyment and raising money for

worthwhile causes at the same time. Recent Sidney RAG events include a haunted pub-crawl or ‘Ghost Crawl’ at

Halloween, ‘Chained’ involving tactical donating as pairs competed to be handcuffed together for 24 hours, speed

dating with other colleges, and ‘Battle of the Bands’. A ‘Nearly Naked Calendar’ was also created along

with popular canvas ‘RAG bags’. Huge amounts of support from students and staff all helped Sidney raise over

£15,787 last year, second only to Trinity. We really hope Sidney’s enthusiasm for RAG will continue to grow, and

you can help out by getting involved! Visit http://www.cambridgerag.org.uk for more information and find us at the

Sidney Freshers’ Fair.

Cambridge University Societies and

Events

Here at Cambridge we are extremely lucky to have a huge variety of University-wide societies in addition to those at

Sidney, ensuring we have something to cater for all tastes. The best thing is that many of them are very cheap, or even

better, completely free! Whilst there isn’t space to mention all of them, we’ve profiled a few here, and as mentioned

earlier you can find out more at the Freshers’ Fair.

Cambridge Union Society

The Cambridge Union hosts famous speakers as well as running various other events. Just this year we had the

opportunity to see Jerry Springer, Katie Price, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and David Milliband as well as countless

other business leaders, politicians and celebrities. And only last week I was shaking hands with the President of

Albania! The weekly debates and high profile speakers' events alone are well worth the membership fee, not to

mention cocktail workshops, fitness classes,the members' bar, garden parties and Balls. Plus your Union card will

get you amazing discounts at shops and restaurants across Cambridge.

For more info check out the Union online (www.cus.org or on Facebook), head over to the stand at the University

Freshers’ Fair or go to the Union building itself - it's no distance at all from Sidney, so no excuses! Remember that

there's a discount on membership if you sign up before or during Freshers' Week!

23

Sports

As you might expect, the sports scene at Cambridge is huge. As well as the usual team games, such as rugby, football

and netball, there are also water sports, martial arts and racket sports as well as plenty of other more unusual and

extreme sports if you’re into something different. If you’re not the sporty type then never fear, because spectating can

also be good fun! For a full list of sports societies here at Cambridge, as well as links to their websites, you can visit

http://www.sport.cam.ac.uk/university-sports-clubs/index.html.

Journalism

All you budding journalists out there are in for a treat, as there are plenty of

free student newspapers looking for contributors across a wide variety of

areas, including news, fashion, features, sport, arts, comment and lifestyle.

Our two broadsheet papers are The Cambridge Student (TCS) and Varsity,

whilst their younger tabloid rival, known as The Tab, will be edited by Sidney

Student Jonny Singer this coming term. If you are interested in helping, make

sure to investigate at the Freshers’ Fair, if not, they’re still enjoyable to read!

Music

With a Chorus, a Chamber Choir, and four orchestras covering a range of musical standards and styles, Cambridge

University Music Society (CUMS) caters for a diverse group of over 500 performing members, several of whom

are Sidney members. They put on regular performances which are really great value for students. There are also

groups to cater for those who prefer a variety of other musical styles, including jazz and folk.

Drama and Comedy

If you fancy being up on the stage, you’ve come to the right place. We have The Cambridge Footlights, a world-

famous comedy troupe based in the ADC Theatre, who first aired the talents of some of the foremost British

comedians and actors of this century. They stage an hour of original sketches and stand-up called Smokers every

fortnight at the ADC, which anyone can audition for. In addition to this, various college drama societies across

Cambridge will be holding auditions for parts which all students are free to audition for, and even if you only fancy

a small role, you will be able to find some outlet for your creative talents.

Subject Societies

If lectures and supervisions aren’t enough for you, most subjects have their own associated societies, which anyone

can join. These are fantastic because they attract some really excellent speakers from outside the University, who

often give fascinating and thought provoking talks. Again these are really cheap to participate in, so getting

involved is a steal. Most also hold social events so that you can get to know the other members outside of talks or

workshops. You can find out more about specific societies at the Freshers’ Fair.

Varsity Trip

The Varsity Trip is the largest annual student ski trip in the world,

with over 3,200 students attending last year. Don’t worry if you’d be

a newbie on the slopes, as the Varsity Trip is the perfect place to

start skiing or snowboarding! Usually around 30% of participants on

the trip are complete beginners and many of these are Freshers. It is

a great way to end your first term at Sidney and have some fun with

your friends without the worries of any work. Visit

www.varsitytrip.com

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Wondering what you will be doing in the evenings at Cambridge? The wonderful thing about the town is that there is plenty to

keep you busy, whatever your preference —whether that is an alcohol-fuelled night at Fez, a chilled catch up with friends at

Sidney Bar or a civilised night at the ADC theatre. Below is our take on what Cambridge nightlife has to offer!

CINDIES: Welcome to Cambridge’s most cheesy club. But

don’t be put off—this is the best club that caters for everyone’s

music taste, from Daft Punk to Taylor Swift. You may even hear

the odd Disney classic making an appearance during the night.

The dance-floor is especially electric on Tuesdays and

Wednesdays—the challenge is to see whether you’re fit enough

to handle the “Dirty Double” each week.

FEZ: You’ve been transported to Morocco... Well, not

exactly but Fez does at least live up to all its music hype.

Music ranges from House to Dubstep to its “Propoganda”

night every Friday, where indie-lovers coalesce. You’re

bound to find a Sidneyite rocking out the dance-floor tunes

any night of the week. This is a favourite of the college, and

why not? We ARE the edgy college. With its location just

off Sidney, a very rapid transfer can be made from bop to

Fez on a Friday night.

Bars: The Fountain, The Vaults, Ta Bouche and La Raza are

popular choices for an alternate (and a very civilised) night

out in Cambridge. The Fountain is a favourite venue for the

university’s ArcSoc (Architecture Society) nights—these

showcase the students’ creative edge and provide a very

special night of martinis, dressing-up and even life drawing.

Bars are great for catch up with friends within or between

colleges—not to be missed!

LIFE: With accommodation located metres above Life,

you’re never too far from all the fun. This is arguably

Cambridge’s biggest club, but don’t expect to see it in all its

glory till much later into term! Drinks are very competitively

priced here, especially on spirits and mixers. Saturday nights

see the return of the ‘hot-tub’ (who actually wants to go in

it?) while Sundays and Fridays are very popular with

Cambridge’s societies and clubs.

Ents and Bops: Sidney boasts fantastic bops every terms but

for those wanting to venture out the college walls, Emma and

Clare have great ‘ents’. Clare Cellars hold one every Friday

night. Shot bars, comfy sofas and DJ sets cater for everyone’s

taste—you can be as crazy or as chilled as you like. This is a

great for ‘pres’ before hitting up Life. Each week sees a

different music set, and their Jazz nights are a favourite for

Cambridge students.

LOLA LO’S : Located just off the Market Square, Lola Lo’s is

a Hawaiian escape from all your work troubles. Split over 3

floors, you’re bound to find a level blasting out your favourite

beats. The highlight of this club is its roof-top terrace. After

several hours downstairs, this is a welcome relief to the sweaty

dance-floor below. Slightly more pricey for drinks than the

others, but drinks range from your classic Jaegerbombs to

tropical cocktails and pitchers. Thursdays and Sundays are the

most popular nights here.

Meals out: You may be joining the world of the ‘student’ but

don’t forget to treat yourself once in a while. And Cambridge

offers a great selection of eateries, from Byron to Wagamama.

Don’t forget to exploit your student discount—Wildwood offers

25% off! And it’s fantastic. Also students here like to organise

‘swaps’ - these are meals out with other students from different

colleges to a curry house. It’s a great way to meet other students

from all sorts of subjects (and to boast about Sidney). You’ll

meet friends for life!

The Junction: For music lovers and the like. This venue

showcases the very latest in music—from chart music to

indie and alternative bands. Live music is such a fantastic

way to spend your nights here and help you to hold on to

some sort of reality within these busy 8-week terms!

“Are you guys having a good time?”

“All da ladz. Mathletes vs. athletes”

NIGHTLIFE

25

AMES (Asian and Middle Eastern Studies)

Georgie Thompson, ([email protected])

Congratulations for choosing the best subject at

Cambridge - Arabic! You will never be bored

studying Arabic at Cambridge due to the sheer

diversity of the subject: history, language, culture,

literature, religion... so you can find out what you really enjoy. There's a fair

bit of work but it's definitely manageable, and there's lots of time to do other

fun stuff too. Also as a small subject you get to know all the other Arabists

on the course really well, which is really cool. Unfortunately I won't be able

to meet you until next year as I am in the Middle East on my year abroad,

and there are no other Arabists at Sidney, but if you have any questions,

don't hesitate to email me. (N.B: Camille Lardy, 2nd Year Anthropology,

follows an AMES paper and will be a student point of contact in College if

you want - [email protected])

Subject Reps

Architecture Janine Dela-Cruz ([email protected])

Sidney Architects, get ready for 3 years of making

crazy models, roaming around Cambridge with your

drawing tubes and Tindalls bags and finding yourself

awake at ridiculous o'clock! Nonetheless, you've

picked an awesome College for Architecture - we're

small in numbers, but you'll have plenty of close friends from all the other

Colleges, which not many other subjects can claim! Enjoy the benefits of

living next to the only art shop in Cambridge, finishing exams early, one

week in Naples, ArcSoc events, the Sidney Desiyn Group (the only

College-specific Architecture society in the University!) and the wonderful

feeling that you're doing the coolest subject! Enjoy your summer, don't

hesitate to email me and sketch, sketch, sketch!

Classics Charlotte Jacobs ([email protected])

Hey guys, well done for getting in and can't wait

to meet you all! Classics at Sidney has been a

great choice for you. The Classics department in

College are keen for all the undergraduates and

graduates ( a small but close group of people) to

meet up throughout the year - we even had a mock Symposium last year!

Supervisions usually take place with the other Classicists in your year (3-5

people) but lessons and lectures allow you to meet the Classicists

University-wide. I'm sure you'll have a great time and I hope you're really

looking forward to it!

Economics Alistair Smith ([email protected])

Congratulations on your offer and your good taste

in choosing Sidney and the Economics Tripos!

Sidney has a great community within College and

you'll get to know the other Economists well. Your

DoS is fantastic and will support you throughout

the year as well as supervising Macro. The five

first year Economics papers cover a great breadth of material so you'll be

exposed to many areas of Economics. The year is really a great challenge to

look forward to. But Cambridge is much more than your subject. I look

forward to meeting you and if you have any questions just fire me a quick e-

mail and I'll be happy to help.

English Elias Wynshaw ([email protected])

Well done on making your offers, and welcome

(in advance) to the elite group of literary

scholars known throughout the world as Sidney

English. You'll find that it's a very close

community here - there are five or six of us to a

year - and that there's also a pretty strong

personal relationship between the students and Fellows (you do get to drink

with them a few times a year, which is always a riot). Depending on your

priorities, the highlight of your first year may be Shakespeare term, when

everyone else has exams and you'll be reading the greatest poetry in the

world in some of the most amazingly pretty (and tourist-free) gardens in

Cambridge. Outside the highly personalised teaching, probably the

academic highlight of reading English at Cambridge is the libraries. The

English library is modern, well-supplied and has a very helpful staff, while

the University Library has at least one copy of every book ever published in

the UK. So, if you like to read and think and write, you couldn't have wound

up at a better place to do it.

Engineering Jess Mason ([email protected])

Excellent, you'll soon be studying the best subject

at the best College in Cambridge! Get ready to be

worked hard, but have so much fun along the way.

You'll be introduced to StephSoc, the College

Engineering Society, where you can enjoy

fortnightly engineering talks (including free wine)

followed by Formal Hall, where it truly feels like you've entered Hogwarts!

Additionally there's the Cambridge University Engineering Society that

sends a weekly email of all things engineering-related, and puts on a

fantastic Garden Party that you can look forward to in May Week! The great

thing about Engineering is that all your lectures and labs are in the

department, a 5-minutes bike down the road. You'll have several

supervisions a week which will be at College or at the department. During

these you'll go through example paper questions with your supervisor. Get

excited to study Engineering at Sidney!

Geography Izzy Woolgar ([email protected])

Congratulations! You've done really well to get this far. Life as a

Geographer at Cambridge is great. Why? Loads of reasons, including the

fact that as a general rule Geographers are super

sociable, so you'll make loads of friends in other

colleges soon enough. The phrase 'work hard play

hard' will become your mantra - there is lots of

time to do both. The Chorley Society is Sidney’s

very own geography society and is a great way for

listening to top researchers (as well as having some

lovely meals and wine!). Finally, the course is so

varied that you're guaranteed to find something

you love. I'm really looking forward to meeting you all soon, and

meanwhile hope you're having a great summer!

26

History Pete Thompson ([email protected])

Hey Fresher Historians, congratulations on

your offers and we're sure you'll adore Sidney!

The Historians are a really tight-knit group

who you'll no doubt have loads of fun with.

You'll learn to love our dear Director of

Studies, Dr Fulda, and have the opportunity to

have some lively and rather off topic debates with your fellow Freshers

during HAP classes (that's Historical Argument and Practice, something

none of us really understand, a year on). You'll get the chance to enjoy free

College wine during Confrat Formals, that's the College historical society,

while hearing some big name speakers. With your Prelim exams out of the

way at the start of the summer term, you'll have the best term Cambridge

can offer, to the jealousy of everyone else! No doubt you all can't wait until

October!

History of Art Lydia Mills

([email protected])

Congratulations on getting into Sidney to

read History of Art and becoming a member

of one of the most alternative departments in

Cambridge. With world famous art

historians for lecturers and supervisors

you’ll be sure to find the course living up to all your expectations. Varying

class sizes and opportunities for specialization allows plenty of room for

originality and creativity. We share a department with the architects, so

watch out for the ARCSOC parties and get creative!

HSPS (Human, Social and Political

Sciences) Armin Kammerlander, PPS

([email protected]) & Camille Lardy,

Arch&Anth ([email protected])

Dear future HSPSers! You are the first

generation of your kind, and within days you'll probably know more about

HSPS than we do. The wide range of subjects you can choose from will give

you an insight into the important things in life, from political philosophy to

male pregnancies among the Hua of Papua New Guinea! The University

provides excellent resources for your studies, like the Haddon and SPS

Libraries, the amazing Arch & Anth Museum, and public lectures offered by

the ominously-named, but quite inoffensive, CRASSH. Sidney is a great

place to study humanities - its strategic location near the clubs offers never-

ending opportunities to observe group dynamics in ritual partying ;) We're

looking forward to meeting you in October, and expanding the number of

social scientists at Sidney - maybe we can start our very own College

society! Get excited, enjoy your summer, and see you soon! x

Law Henry Moore ([email protected])

Be prepared to be offered free food, free drinks and free

goodies. Whilst studying Law at Sidney, you will

inevitably meet representatives from major law firms,

who will sponsor events, organise free dinners and

encourage you to join them when you graduate. There is,

of course, no obligation to join these firms, and many of

us go along for the freebies. As well as these glamorous

events, Sidney has its own Law Society, which will have a Welcome

Drinks event early in Michaelmas term, and, in Lent term, will award

handsome cash prizes to those skilled at 'mooting'. Anyone wishing to

learn more about mooting should join the CULS, which offers beginners'

mooting competitions and training events. Whilst studying hard, always

think about the future, and take advantage of the excellent careers events

on offer at Sidney and elsewhere in Cambridge.

Linguistics Ben Turner ([email protected])

Dear baby linguists/ linguisticians/ ChomScis

(we're still very much fighting the battle of

differentiating ourselves from our fellow

MMLers in terms of what we call ourselves, so

basically pick whichever feels the most

comfortable :D) Congratulations on your exam results and for being edgy

enough to pick Linguistics. My name is Ben and I am the only second year

Linguistics student at Sidney. By default, that makes me your Subject Rep

and I am thrilled at the prospect. My job is to provide support and answer

any questions you will have. As Subject Rep I will have your back when

you draw your first syntax tree, pronounce your first palatal or attempt

your New Zealand accent for the first time (trust me, it will be abysmal). A

word of warning: if you don't feel confident yet with Classical Chinese

syntax or the development of morphology in young children's speech in

indigenous South American tribes, then you are really going to struggle

here. I am of course completely joking and I wish you the best of luck with

your studies. Enjoy what's left of summer and get ready for one hell of a

Linguistics-fuelled year.

MML (Modern and Medieval Languages)

Bethany Randall ([email protected])

Félicitations/ enhorabuena/ congratulazioni/

Glück wünschen (sorry if I missed your

language, I only have 150 words!) on choosing

the best subject at the best College! We're a

small, close-knit group at Sidney, but everyone

does different combinations of languages and you'll have translation and

grammar classes in the Faculty with people from other Colleges, so it's a

very sociable subject! As an MMLer you have the joys of cheese and wine

nights, tequila tastings, foreign film nights, salsa classes and other exciting

things to look forward to, which are organised by the different language

societies. We can't wait to meet you in October, but feel free to drop me an

email if you have any questions beforehand. ¡Hasta luego!

Music Laura Harrison ([email protected])

Massive congratulations on getting into

Sidney to study Music! Although there aren't

many 'musos' here, we are a diverse but

closely-knit bunch and we're all really looking

forward to meeting you! Music at Sidney is

great fun, and the course covers pretty much

every aspect of music. So whether you enjoy composing in the style of

Palestrina or Schubert, or can't get enough Wagner (like me!), you'll soon

get into the swing of things. In terms of practical music making at

Cambridge, the opportunities are literally endless! Check out the CUMS

website for a start. There will also be the chance to get active in Sidney's

Music Society - always a source of muso fun! Don't hesitate to drop me an

email if you have any questions.

Medicine Becky Jordan ([email protected]) &

Noemi Hughes ([email protected])

Congratulations on getting into the most

stimulating course in the country! First off -

really enjoy your summer. As for preparations,

follow the advice from your DoS but don’t stress.

Definitely make the most of Freshers' Week as well! Just to give you a bit of

a heads up on the course itself: you can look forward to doing human

anatomy (FAB) starting with the upper limb (with fun dissecting!) and then

physiology (HOM) and biochemistry (MIMS). There are ample

opportunities for socialising too - the Sidney medical and veterinary society

is very active here as is the University MedSoc society hosting events such

as the MedSoc Ball! Looking forward to meeting you soon!

27

Philosophy Ollie Clarke ([email protected])

Firstly, well done on getting into Sidney, and more

than that, on choosing by far the best course.

Philosophy here is really interesting and the

course is surprisingly broad. You're not expected

to know everything though, so you can focus on

the areas that interest you the most, which is great.

Some people are put off by Logic, but pay them no heed - it's easy once you

grasp the rules and see how everything links up. We are a small subject, but

all that means is we're a close-knit group who look out for one another. If

you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop me an email and I look

forward to seeing you in October.

Mathematics Emma Clark ([email protected])

Congratulations! You made it through STEP - that

is no easy feat! Welcome to Sidney, maths is a

fairly small subject here, with six Mathematicians

per year, which makes it a perfect size for everyone

to work together. In my experience maths is hard

work but rewarding; compared to most sciences

subjects there aren't as many contact hours but the examples sheets are

usually a little bit longer. Also maths is very different here that school so

the most important thing you can do when you arrive is take your time to

adjust to this new experience. The Allen Society is the maths society at

Sidney, we have talk and dinner events 2 to 3 times a year so that we all get

a chance to see each other in a slightly less work-oriented environment.

There are a couple of other maths societies that are University-wide if you

are interested in joining those as well. Well done again for making it here -

you obviously love maths and so will really enjoy it here. We look forward

to meeting you!

PBS (Psychology and Behavioural Studies) Sam

Andrews, Third Year ([email protected])

Congratulations Psychologists! A lot of students think

they're doing the best subject but not many can say

that they straddle both the sciences and the arts. Also,

although we get equated (a lot) with Freudian

psychoanalysis from non-psychs, the "can you read my mind?" questions

are pretty empowering! You've chosen the best College as it is right

opposite Sainsbury's (nothing can compete with that!) and the other

Sidneyites are a fantastic bunch of participants people. We also have the

best DoS. He is quite literally the psychology God. We're currently a rare

breed at Sidney so all three of us are really looking forward to meeting you

and expanding our numbers. Don't hesitate to email if you have any

questions and we'll see you very soon.

NatSci (Natural Sciences) Emily Pycroft, Bio ([email protected]) & Sam

North, Phys ([email protected])

As a Natural Sciences student

(NatSci) at Sidney, you'll be part of

a large community with Natural

Sciences typically being the largest

of any of the subject groups in the

year, which means there is always

another student to talk to or work through a problem with! When you arrive

at Sidney, you'll automatically become a member of the Wilson Society - a

group of all the NatScis in Sidney, which is a great opportunity to meet

second, third and fourth years. The Wilson Society organises social and

academic events, for example this year we've had a Black Tie dinner, a

Formal swap, and a talk from the Careers Service. Unlike other subjects,

you will have several labs a week which are great for meeting friends

outside of the College. There are two Directors of Studies (DoS) for Natural

Sciences and both are always on hand to help with any problems.. If you

want to get involved with things outside of College you might like to attend

talks from BioSoc, or try your hand at science-communication with BlueSci

and if you think you might like to work with children in the future then

Time Truck might be for you! If that's still not enough, there are loads of

science-related attractions to visit in Cambridge including the Museum of

Zoology, Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, the Whipple Museum of the

History of Science and the Botanical Gardens. We look forward to meeting

all of you!

Theology Lara Pleydell-Bouverie

([email protected])

Well done on getting into the fun and beautiful

College that is Sidney Sussex! I'm the only

Theologian in my year at Sidney but it's meant

that I've made some great friends in other

Colleges and around the Faculty. It's a sociable subject and no doubt you'll

soon experience a classic Theology swap with the theme 'New Testament

vs. Old', or something equally as silly. You will soon be introduced to the

joys of Greek (it's really not that bad) and the diverse papers that range

from sociology to philosophy and ethics. I look forward to seeing you in

October!

VetMed (Veterinary Medicine) Matt Ashford

([email protected])

Hi, I'm Matt, the Vet Rep for this year. VetMed is a

small subject, at Sidney there are usually two vets per

year which creates a tight-knit community of Sidney

Vets. The small subject size, combined with our

timetable including lots of practicals (making friends over a preserved limb

may seem a strange concept now, but soon you'll be telling everyone about

the latest dissection room gossip!) mean that you will have friends from

many different Colleges. Much of our teaching is with the Medics and so

you'll get to know them really well and soon learn they have an ability to get

twice as stressed over the same work as us, the key is not to take them too

seriously! Have a great summer and we look forward to meeting you in

October!

28

Guide to Cambridge Lingo – The Sidney A-Z

A

ADC: Amateur Dramatics Club, around the corner from Sidney Architecture: UHU glue, cardboard and Stanley knifes make for a great night in.

B

Backs (the): The bit beside the Cam which shows the back of colleges such as Trinity and Kings, nice to sit on. Black tie: Formal wear, men: dinner jacket, dress shirt and bow-tie; women: evening dress. For May Balls, etc. Boatie: Rowers and coxes, they get up ridiculously early, wear lycra and only ever talk about rowing. Bop: Disco in the bar, great music, fancy dress, crazy ‘bop juice’, bound to be a great night.

C

Classics: Seem to read an unsettling amount about incest. College card: Student ID, pays for hall, opens doors, etc. Also usually has a cringy-looking photo of you. CUMS (lol): Cambridge University Music Society CUSU: Cambridge University Student’s Union

D

Deaned: Like being sent to the principal, but way worse. Three strikes and you’re out (joke!). Drinking societies: We have four! The Roundheads and the Porcs (male) and the S.L.A.G.S and the Sybs

(female). Freshers also tend to make their own during the first year. E

Economics: Which country will you bankrupt/ruin next? Engineering: It’s all about the lego and bridges English: One will most likely/compose poetic verses/in secret notebooks (spot the cheeky haiku) Ents: The entertainments team, of four people. The organizers of bops and other fun events throughout the

year. Ergs: Rowing machines/exercise done on rowing machines. A favourite topic of boaties, always on about so-

called “split times” F

Formal: One of the occasions where you might believe you are at Hogwarts. Can you manage to go to every college’s formal during your time at Cambridge?

Freshers’ flu: Generally not real flu, simply the result of a week of no sleep, a few beers and much mingling. As per man flu, everyone is convinced they feel worse than they do.

G

Geography: Essentially a degree in colouring in. The only ones who still get to go on field trips! H

Hermes: The University’s internal email service. You will get hundreds of emails a day until you learn to block the societies you enthusiastically signed up for at the freshers’ fair.

History: First years use reading glasses by day, shot glasses by night! History of Art: Did you know that you ‘read’ a painting from top left to bottom right, unless of course it’s the

wrong way up… HSPS: People who don’t study it will never be 100% sure what it stands for (Human, Social and Political

Sciences). Lucky you, doing three degrees at once. A new course combining PPS and Arch and Anth. I

Informal/smart casual: A dress code a step down from formal, but not the same as casual. For guys a shirt and trousers will do, and anything nice for girls. No denim please!

J

JCR: Junior Common Room. Located in Chapel Court, it has a big TV and a table football.

29

L

Law: Read books. A lot of books. And even have their own carefully guarded section of the library. Never get into an argument with a lawyer!

Land Economy: You will actually spend more time defending your subject than studying it. LGBTQ: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning. CUSU LGBT run a LGBT parenting

scheme for freshers and events throughout the year, visit: www.lgbt.cusu.cam.ac.uk/freshers M

Maths: ‘Mathmos’ are rarely spotted. That person on your corridor that you never see? Probably a mathmo.

Matriculation: Officially becoming a Sidney-ite, includes a posh meal and a photo your gran will love! May Ball: Actually in June. All night black tie events with tickets ranging from £80 to £200 May week: Also in June, a whole week to celebrate the end of exams! Medicine: Medics epitomize ‘work hard, play hard’. You may never trust a doctor again MML: Modern and Medieval Languages. Actually required to go on holiday, it’s just not fair.

N

NatSci: Abbreviation of Natural Sciences, preceded by bio or phys. Natural Sciences: Have Saturday lectures, and will never be okay with that

P

PBS: New course to confuse people about for 2013. Straddling linguistics, psychology, sociology… the list goes on.

Philosophy: Students found in coffee shops looking brooding. Will question literally everything you say. Pidge: Your pigeon hole. Source of leaflets, procrastination and occasionally chocolate P’lodge: Porters’ lodge, endless source of directions. In fact they’re like a cross between our dads and

Wikipedia. Port: Fortified red wine with a high alcohol content. Very common in Cambridge. Punting: Part of the pomp of Cambridge. An activity on the river Cam using a long pole to direct a

‘punt’ (wooden boat). Much more of a challenge in reality, very rarely involves a swim. S

Sent down: To be expelled…see ‘deaned’ Squash: A society’s meeting organized to encourage membership. Also a flavoured drink. SSCSU: Sidney Sussex College Students’ Union Stash: Clothing for various clubs and societies. Rowing stash = lycra onesie. Soon you will know Suicide Sunday: first day of ‘May Week’ Supervision: Individual or small group (1-4) teaching and discussion with an expert in your subject Swap: Intercollege lively night out, with guys from one college and girls from another. Typically

themed, associated with ‘Drinking Societies’ T

Tab (the): Online Cambridge Uni newspaper, run by students, for students. Terms: Michaelmas, Lent and Easter Theology: There is no right or wrong answer, let your imagination run free

U

UL: University Library. Supposedly a location for liaisons, but mostly the arena for a fight to the death over that last copy of your set text. Make sure you don’t get locked in.

V

Varsity: A uni newspaper, sports matches between Cambridge and Oxford, and yearly ski trip Vet Med: Permanently in the library, or playing with cute animal. It’s a balanced life.

30

Credits

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through this guide and that it has at least given you some idea of what you have

to look forward to this October. Obviously we haven’t been able to fit in everything about Sidney into this guide,

so it is just a taster of things to come.

Once again, we congratulate you on making your offers, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

The Fresher’s Guide Team 2013

George Cooper, Guide

Coordinator

Charlotte Burns,

Fresher’s Rep

Nick Krol Camille Lardy Will Searle

31

Map