Do not fear, freshers: 10 common misconceptions about Cambridge University

Going to uni is inherently scary – it’s the unknown. And it’s okay to be a bit freaked out.

I’m not going to lie I was quaking in my little boots because I was under the assumption that my college only accepted me to fill a place on their course (this is delusional). However I’ve been there, done that (twice, long story) and I want to dispel some of the misconceptions about being a fresher at Cambridge.

Sorry in advance if your mum has sent you this and now expects you to enter the university with the confidence of a third year. I’m a student, not a miracle worker.

1. You’ll miss out on the ‘uni experience’

We do have friends, I promise x

I *will* cry if I come across this stereotype again.

My friends went to unis up and down the country, some of whom are in their third year now. Cambridge students don’t really miss out – generally, people work during the day and go out in the evening.

In most colleges you can choose to share a student house with your friends and host house parties and cook together in the way which is associated with uni life.

Cambridge may have a higher workload than most universities, but it’s up to you how you spend your time – you can choose to be more introverted and spend most of your time studying or enjoying hobbies alone, or you can offer your room up to host whatever excuse for downing a cheap bottle of wine your friends have come up with now – someone has always met a deadline worthy of celebration.

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Cambridge has lots of opportunities for making friends and living life – many sorely miss it when they leave. Many societies exist purely for the pub socials (looking at you college sports), and many people have friend groups they’ve met in supervisons from other colleges. Besides, there’s always someone hoping to drag you to some event (“I promise you, the talk on the value of classical perceptions of gender on modern indie video games is really interesting”).

Jcrs (common rooms), bars and communal faculty areas (such as the Arc Cafe/ buttery for humanities students) also mean that you can always find somewhere which is alive and social. If you’re worried about the nightlife part of the “uni experience”, I’ve got a section on that too.

2. Cambridge is expensive and I won’t be able to afford it

Oh boy *incorrect buzzer sound*. This one is objectively wrong – I don’t blame you if you believe this (it’s such a common misconception even my teachers in school unknowingly told me I’d be better off somewhere cheaper), but it’s just not true.

Cambridge is one of the most affordable universities in England. Ranked second, actually, because of it’s unique accommodation system. Cambridge colleges offer uni-owned accom for the entirety of most undergrad degrees, meaning rent is heavily subsidised by the incredibly rich behemoth that is Cambridge University. Most colleges paid off their debts hundreds of years ago, and can afford to keep rent cheap.

Even at the most expensive colleges, rent is significantly lower than most universities because Cambridge students only pay for the term time accommodation. If you’re not in college, you move all your stuff out – inconvenient, but it decreases your rent!

Heating, water, college food and electricity are subsidised, and most societies are free and funded by college/ the university. This is not standard at universities in general.

Also there’s lots of free drinks. My college once ordered so much port the students were called in to drink it all.

3. The accommodation will be cold

This is the chilliest looking image of college I can find… and it’s not even snowing

For some reason I come across this question from potential students/offer-holders a LOT.

Thinking back, I was actually disproportionately worried about this too. I came armed with an electric blanket, layers of clothing and my entire winter wardrobe. It was so hot in my accom that my parents wanted to get out ASAP when they visited.

To actually answer this question, heating varies a lot. The age of the buildings isn’t the main factor – it tends to vary by college and accommodation block. Often the fact that you room is a couple hundred years old causes no issues; college being stingy is another matter! First year accommodation is usually in newer buildings with better heating, so it tends to be less of a concern.

Luckily, all colleges turn on heating in the winter (Michaelmas/Lent terms), however it depends on the college as to when the heating is turned on. I would advise brining jumpers and waterproof coats regardless – it’s still England and you still have to go outside.

The good thing about university is that students have a voice – if you’re worried about being cold, email college.

4. Nobody fits in unless they’re uber-intelligent academic elite

I’ll let you in on a little secret – Cambridge students are usually really good at one hyper-specific thing and then oblivious about everything else. Most of us can’t figure out how to open a door or use an induction hob.

I’ve explained to multiple people how to do laundry and have friends who I’m convinced will die because they have no common sense and buy things off random strangers off Facebook Marketplace (please don’t do this).

I know maths students with the social intelligence of a rock and nat scis (natural science students) whose reading experience is limited to Harry Potter. Trust me, the only thing which you’re expected to be great at is your subject. There is no one “type” of Cambridge student.

“Fitting in” is a myth – uni is place for people from across the world, different in every way, bound together by an extreme passion in one subject. You’ll find your people – you just have to look for them, be it in Polish Society or a group of people who you taught to punt in Freshers’ Week.

Other than that, we’re all just big kids trying to figure things out. We’re not a secret society of upper-class boys – those times are long gone. Attend a casual society and you’ll learn that even people from Christ’s and Trinity are no different to you when it comes to origami or playing Mario Kart.

5. Everyone is from the same background (posh)

If you’re from a state school background, or the equivalent of a government funded school if you’re an international student, fear not. The majority of students at Cambridge are from state schools. Don’t believe me? The stats below are an official comparison between applications and offers in 2023 – more offers are given to state school students than private school ones.

See?

Many international students you meet are funded by scholarships, and many home students are on bursaries as well – my friends are from more varied backgrounds than I’ve ever experienced in the town where I went to a state school.

Of course you will meet more people from private and public schools (elite fee-paying schools) than you’re used to if you’re from a state school background. But they’re people too!* You may be shocked at how many times you’ve not noticed someone’s background at all.

*Most of them. Some of them are a social experiment to test how out-of-touch a person can get before people notice they’re actually an alien from planet Inherited Wealth.

6. There’s no such thing as too prepared

There’s a common misconception that you can get ahead and impress supervisors by doing a lot of pre-reading/prep work. You can’t really “get ahead” before you’ve started – content differs from supervisor to supervisor and nine times out of 10 what you’ve studied beforehand doesn’t even come up and you’ve wasted your time (source: Personal experience).

However, if you have set work to prep then you should absolutely do it. A reading list? Read those key texts beforehand so you’ll have more time during term. Example sheets? Do them. Your supervisors will be unimpressed if you don’t do what they’ve set.

TL;DR: Do the prep work you’ve been set. If you have a reading list sent from your college or supervisor, read as much as possible. Don’t read anything which isn’t on the reading list because it’s silly and likely irrelevant.

7. The nightlife is nightdead

This misconception isn’t exactly wrong, it’s just coming from the wrong direction – Cambridge students can go out (we’re not locked in 15th century rooms with a 80-year-old lecturer and 500 pages of lab write-ups) but the clubbing scene is… not great.

As I’ve already discussed, if you manage your time well you can go to every student club night for a week and still get all your work done, however if you’re coming to Cam from an area with amazing nightlife, you’ll probably be disappointed by the year seven disco vibes.

While there are plenty of gorgeous, loud and bustling pubs with great atmosphere an lovely architecture, and enough college bars that you could go to a different one every night for over three weeks, the clubs don’t have a reputation for playing great music.

Clubs are still filled with other students on student nights, and you can definitely have a good time – themed nights are popular and people often go clubbing after parties or a stint at the college bar, and many bops (themed parties in college bars) end up in Revs.

8. There’s no structure and you’re expected to suddenly be an adult

Cambridge, especially compared to other universities in the UK, doesn’t expect as much independence. Rather, it’s a lot more structured than other universities. They will make you touch grass in exam term. They will make you socialise in Freshers’ Week. Don’t trust everything you read on Camfess – Cambridge isn’t an isolated void of endless studying.

As a STEM student, your day will likely be incredibly structured – labs, supervisions and lectures can easily make the vast majority of your day filled with contact hours. In humanities there is more independence, however there are still lectures most days, supervisions and classes to attend, depending on your subject.

Lectures offer a distinct start to your day, and extracurriculars, social events, talks, contact hours, sports, subject-related events and dinner in college hall can all provide structure.

9. You’ll be expected to know all the traditions

Cambridge has some crazy traditions, but don’t worry about knowing most of them. Please don’t step on the grass though. It’s not a good impression.

In terms of traditions (formal dinners, matriculation, pennying, dress codes, gowns etc.) you seriously don’t have to be concerned. Some nerd will mansplain them to you. Trust me.

10. Academics are the orchestrators of your downfall

They’re just professional neeks. They’re not evil. Supervisors are just teachers at a higher level, conducting research and teaching students in a subject they love. Supervisions or supos are just small classes chatting with these academics about your subject – if you don’t know something, ask.

Supervisors are more than happy to yap. They also give leeway to first years, as they may have no social awareness but they do have academic awareness and know nobody joins Cam a fully-fledged scholar. Though feedback can be blunt or tough you’ll be eased into it, and you definitely don’t have to worry about grades or feedback in Michaelmas of first year.

The cruellest of supervisor comments aren’t given to first years in Michaelmas – you’ll be eased in gently!

Related articles recommended by this author:

• ‘You don’t seem to be able to write’: Savage comments from Cambridge uni supervisors
• Former Cambridge medicine student jailed for sexual offences related to children
• Absolutely everything you need to bring as a fresher starting at Cambridge University