Cambridge Calling

Having conquered internal exams, Fourth Form and Lower Sixth boarders departed for a one-night residential in Cambridge last weekend. The brief was a mix of post-exam decompression and forward-planning for the many pupils considering a future application. 

A brisk city tour took in the usual landmarks, from the Cavendish Laboratory to King’s College Chapel. A tactical stop at the Cambridge University Press bookshop allowed several pupils to satisfy some impressively niche academic interests, an exertion balanced by the consumption of ungodly amounts of ice cream—strictly for stamina, of course. 

The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly meeting up with four of last year’s Upper Sixth leavers, now settled in as Cambridge freshers. They were remarkably generous with their time during their own exam period, offering our current pupils an unfiltered look at student life, their respective courses, and invaluable advice on navigating the admissions process. This insider experience continued at Fitzwilliam College, where we were privileged to have a behind-the-scenes tour unavailable to the average tourist. 

While thunder the previous afternoon threatened to derail our plans, a morning spent punting on the Cam proved that delaying our trip to the water was a wise decision. It was a thoroughly successful two-day trip, leaving the boarders inspired, well-fed, and ready for the remainder of the summer term.