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10 things to do in Cambridge post-exams

Fun ways of enjoying Cambridgeshire without breaking the already broken bank

#exam season #exam season cambridge #the tab cambridge guide ely grantchester Guide post exams

For many of us exams are finally finished or are extremely close to being over (hang in there scientists) and we are all looking forward to May week and lots of free time in the sun up ahead. So here are some of the Tab's suggestions of things you can do in Cambridge to make the most of freedom without pushing the boat out too far.

1) Visiting Ely

Ely is a beautiful town only 15 short minutes away from Cambridge by train. The train there and back will only cost you around £3-4 and it is so easy to get to.
There are lots of lovely walks to do in Ely, the Cathedral is stunning and it’s just a great way of getting out of the Cambridge bubble without venturing too far.

2) A college 'Cam Dine With Me'

This summer my clever friends have devised a Cambridge 'Chompkins Table' between five colleges where we each cook one meal and provide one alcoholic concoction for our guests. This way we all get four free dinners and get to explore new colleges whilst meeting new people – what more could you wish for?

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3) The Botanic Garden

The Cambridge University Botanic Gardens are situated in East Cambridge (yay Homerton) and are FREE to university students. Just flash your camcard and you'll be able to enjoy the beautiful gardens and have a picnic with friends.

4) Visiting Grantchester

Grantchester is only a short 15 minute cycle from Cambridge city centre and a great place to swim and cool down from the hot weather (which is currently non-existent) whilst pretending that you're literally anywhere but England.

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Who needs the Mediterranean when you have the Cam?

5) Watching May Bumps

May Bumps is a must for any Cambridge student. Whether you row or not, come and cheer on your college and enjoy seeing them either bump or get bumped on the Cam whilst relaxing and eating ice cream.

6) Punting

Punting is another Cambridge classic and something you can never get tired of. What could be more fun than trying to drunkenly steer a boat along the river and crashing into each other?

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Strawberries, Prosecco and Punting

7) The Fitzwilliam Museum

The Fitz is another free way to spend a couple of hours if you're bored and stuck because it's raining. Some of the current exhibitions being shown are a Lennox-Boyd fan collection, an urban exhibition called 'Palaces in the Night' by James Whistler, a display of Henry Moore's 'Hills Arches' and the Frua-Valsecchi collection – cultural!

8) A college bar crawl

This one needs no explanation.

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The only way a bar crawl should ever end

9) Outdoor Cinema

'The Favourite', 'The Grand Budapest Hotel', 'Back to the Future', and 'The Great Gatsby' are all being screened by Enchanted Cinema during May Week. With tickets at the price of a night out clubbing, it's a great alternative if you can't stretch yourself to yet another night out drinking (if that's even a possibility).

10) Visiting St Ives

St Ives is another quintessentially English town and is less than an hour away by bus. This beautiful market town is full of little shops and cute cafes ready to be explored. Basically Cambridge but slightly different and fewer students.

All images are author's own.