The trials and tribulations of 2017’s freshers

The Cambridge Freshers’ Week can be a bit of a daunting prospect for incoming offer holders. After all, this is the week in which you’ll make your first impressions and set the tone of your time at Cambridge, right?

We spoke to several of last year’s freshers to find out some of their best stories from freshers’ week, and they’ve given us a real mix of experiences. Call it a veritable feast of in-sesh-tigative journalism…

(For the sake of complete article immersion, where individuals wish to remain anonymous, I’ve replaced their names with the names of Subway sandwiches).

Alice – St Catharine’s

“After helping a friend ‘recycle’ a bottle of rum and splitting some tequila shots with a generous friend, I went to a subject social that wasn’t for my subject to take part in drinking games. Fast forward a couple of hours and I found myself in A&E. I’d been thrown out of ‘Spoons, and tripped and concussed myself after trying to run back to college. This was on day three.”

Liam – Gonville & Caius

“Sign up to try everything and anything in freshers’, but don’t feel like you need to make it your best week in Cambridge. It’s totally fine to come out of your shell when the time’s right.”

Cecily – King’s

“What we expect of freshers' week is designed for a very specific type of person and if that isn’t your thing you will still make friends and fit in as much as the people chugging VKs every night! Also, even if you feel like everyone is so much smarter than you, they're really not. They may know lots about one thing, but you know lots about another!”

A classic blurry, confusing freshers' photo

Isy – St Catharine’s

“During our first bop in freshers' week I took full advantage of the £1 tequila shots and had a great time getting to know everyone. And by that I mean getting off with two guys and two girls, one of the guys being my supo partner for every supervision throughout the year. We quickly agreed that was something we shouldn't repeat…”

Flora – Clare

“Nobody has any experience of stand-up, Polish or water polo so first term is the best time to start. Everyone is a massive nerd – don't worry about trying to be cool!”

No one forgets their first bop

Steph – Girton

“I got so drunk on a pub crawl that I missed my matriculation photo the next day. And maybe also because I went to Girton external accommodation at 2am on the promise of a jam doughnut and a can of Dark Fruits…"

Ross – Gonville & Caius

“My first night in Cambridge was the first time I ever went out. I arrived at Cindies and headed straight for the loo. The combination of urine and vomit was a perfect omen for how the year would go.”

You'll make loads of new friends – even if some of them are a cardboard cut outs called lilith

Millie – Churchill

“The only thing that matters is just to throw yourself into freshers’ week! Enjoy yourself and try everything!”

Colin – Emmanuel

“My first reaction on meeting University Challenge's Bobby Seagull during freshers’ week at Emma was to (drunkenly) ask for a selfie. After the deed was done, I proceeded to turn straight into the sandstone column behind me.”

the hard-earned photo itself

Flora – Clare (An actual BNOC)

"I remember this really obnoxious boy in college sidling up to me in Freshers' and telling me a list of all the girls who would be BNOCs in Clare. And telling me I was too small to be a BNOC…"

Trying punting is a must

Charlotte – St John’s

“Don't get with your college parents only to get a new family and get with them as well. You'll accidentally keep calling them daddy all year un-ironically and it won't be pleasant for either of you.”

Not everyone's freshers' week is exciting – and that's ok!

Chloe – Corpus Christi

“Talk to everyone, because the people you will be friends with may not be the people you meet first. Try to go out as much as you can, but don't feel pressured to! Your college will have other things on (especially events that don't revolve around alcohol…) Don't stress too much about work in the first week – making friends is more important!”

Vincent – St John’s
"If you don’t remember your Fresher’s Week, it probably went well."