We swapped Cambridge degrees for a day and here’s everything we learnt

I decided to write this article for one reason and for one reason only. To prove once and for all that geography is more than just colouring in. (HA! I made the joke before you did.)

My name is Emily and I am a second-year Geographer at Newnham. My friend (who, spoiler alert, is no longer my friend after this article) is called Cat and is also at Newnham. However, she studies Physical Natural Sciences.

I thought that maybe, just maybe, Cat would be a viable option for me to swap degrees with for the day. I can go to her chemistry lectures, and she can come to my volcano lectures. A Phys Natsci and a Geographer – what could go wrong? Cue “Freaky Friday: Cambridge version”.

A day in the life of a Geographer with Emily:

6am: I wake up for my rowing outing. I know this has nothing to do with geography but I need to put it in here somewhere. Rowing is my entire personality at this point.

Cat’s rating: 0/10 – “I was sane enough to not join Emily on this venture. It was cold and it was far too early. All rowers are psychopaths.”

8:45am: Straight after I get off the river, I panic cycle to my first lecture of the day which takes place at the Geography department on the Downing Site.

Cat’s rating: 5/10 – “Why is this building on Downing site?! Emily always claims to be a #womaninstem but she is wrong. Still gets half points because I turned up fresh and clean and she was sweaty and gross from rowing so I got to rub that in her face. ”

 

9:05am: The lecture begins. This is just one lecture in a series called “Citizenship, Cities and Civil Society.”

*clears throat*

In this second year module, we learn all about what makes a “citizen” a citizen, and the spaces in which people are included and excluded within the city along lines of gender, race, class, ethnicity and sexuality. Postcolonial citizenship is also discussed –  the question of how people realise their claims to citizenship in formerly colonised countries. Fractured civil societies and governments provide an uncertain backdrop for social movements and other creative strategies to take place as people attempt to come to terms with the contested nature of their own citizenship.

Not making colouring-in jokes now, are you?

Cat’s rating: 8/10 – “Okay even I have to admit that this is interesting and I didn’t fall asleep in a lecture for once BUT… I can’t give full marks out of principle.”

10am: The lecture finishes and I cycle back to college. At this point, I would usually chill, procrastinate starting my next essay or… Whip out my colouring pencils for that map I’ve been meaning to finish since the start of term. I’m kidding, of course. During the break between my lectures, I usually research my career options.

Cat’s rating: 0/10 – “You have no career options.”

2pm: After lunch, the geographers reunite at the Chemistry Department with our North Face puffers and walking boots at the ready. This lecturer has his own Netflix documentary so I take some time to fangirl before the lecture begins. We learn about volcanic risks and management which is classic geography… So much for proving that Geography is more than just crayons and DIY volcano projects. Let me just cry into my baking soda, vinegar, and red food colouring.

Cat’s rating: 0/10 – “This is why I don’t do geography. While the lecturer’s stardom was cool, I got scared that the world is going to end. Also, Emily never shuts up about how she got a first in a volcanology essay in first year so I am spiteful.”

3pm: Without a break (STEM life is hard), our next lecture about Climate begins. I am the first person to admit that I prefer human geography so a lot of the numbers and maths and physics goes over my head. I’m not planning to answer this question in the exam so it’s fine… Right?

Cat’s rating: 2/10 – “I enjoyed this because I DO understand numbers (at least I hope I do) BUT again, I got scared about the world ending and the climate crisis… How do geographers do this every day without crying?”

4pm: After getting back to college I finally make a start on that essay. Cat tried too. Her attempt is below.

Cat’s rating: 10/10 – “Reader – Emily did not do any work on that essay. She laughed at my attempt before we started playing cards and eating chocolate. As soon as it was socially acceptable we cracked open a bottle of wine of whatever happened to be on sale at Mainsbury’s. The highlight of the day.”

And now the tables turn…

A day in the life of a Physical Natural Scientist with Cat:

9am: Ugh. Morning. Why did I agree to do chemistry? Luckily for Emily, this isn’t one of my Saturday morning 9ams so I am at least vaguely conscious. We head over to my second home (Chemistry department) and take our seats amongst the other Newnham Natscis. Time to get started on an inorganic lecture. The first module of this term is transition metals, and today we were talking about σ-donors, π-donors, and π-acceptors, and their effects on the Δ_oct of coordination complexes. Thrilling stuff.

Emily’s rating: 1/10 – “σ-donors, π-donors, and π-acceptors. Didn’t realise Cat did Classics. I also didn’t understand a single thing in this lecture. One point because compared to rowing, the 9am start was a lie-in. Plus, I don’t have to sit through this nonsense again xoxo.”

10am: In between lectures I usually head over to the Whale Cafe at the Zoology Museum to reminisce over the days when I was a Bio Natsci in my first year… I miss it. ANYWAY time to do some Chem A supervision work! I would show you Emily’s attempt but it’s bold of you to assume that she even wrote anything down.

Emily’s rating: 7/10 – “Nevermind the supervision work, the Whale Cafe has arguably the best cake in Cambridge. Nothing to do with Phys Natsci but I had a WHALE of a time.”

12pm: Time to head back over to the Chemistry lecture theatre to have a nap… I mean do a Chem A lecture! This one is on symmetry and bonding, and I’ll be honest I was paying more attention to Emily looking like she was about to cry at things like ‘symmetric irreducible representation’, ‘group theory’, and expressions like S_AB=∫ψ∗_Aψ_Bdτ rather than the actual lecture. Me too bestie, me too. 

Emily’s rating: -5/10 – “I thought the Matrix was a film. There was, in fact, no Keanu Reeves in this lecture. Very sad, much confusion.”

1pm: Finally back at college, where we grab some lunch from the buttery and head to the Iris to do even more supervision work. This time it’s pharmacology essay plans, and Emily finally has an attempt worth sharing!

Emily’s rating: 2/10 – “Never again. I hope my biology teacher doesn’t read this.”

5pm: Time to head over to Selwyn for choir rehearsals. For you musos out there, we sang plainsong responses and Nunc Dimittis, Lassus’s Magnificat Sexti Toni, and Bebbington’s setting of “I sing of a maiden”. Do with that information what you will. The service was at 6:30pm when Emily graced me with her presence once more as a member of the congregation (sadly the choir director wasn’t impressed with her brief audition so she wasn’t allowed to sing with us). After the service, we gathered in the antechapel and discussed how decani and cantoris were a beat out for half the anthem over a glass of sherry – never has a more Cambridge sentence been written.

Emily’s rating: 7/10 – “Decani and cantori. *Scoffs in posh*. Greek alphabet in the lecture and now Latin at choir? I swear this girl is doing the wrong degree. The music was good though, extra points because one of the pieces was called “Sexy Tony.” I mean, come on!!”

11pm: Much to the disappointment of Emily, we parted ways for sleep at this point after a long day of ACTUALLY being #womeninstem, and I fell asleep watching a lecture I missed because I was busy being a geographer the other day – the sacrifices I made for GEOGRAPHY? Outrageous.

Emily’s rating: 10/10 – “I was finally able to sleep. Even though we need FAR more female representation in Phys Natsci, I will not be volunteering as tribute.”

Overall, we both have a newfound respect for each other’s degrees and highly recommend going to your friend’s lectures if you can, just for the experience. However, swapping degrees meant that we spent far too much time with each other and we will not be speaking again. It was nice whilst it lasted.

Featured Image Credits: Photo taken and edited by Emily Cooper 

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