NEWNHAM COLLEGE Cambridge the alternative prospectus
Newnham College Cambridge Alternative Prospectus Things to do and not to do at Newnham. #1 Do not have
So then, what s this all about? << Hello! Welcome to Newnham! What s this? I hear you ask. This is our Alternative Prospectus. Unlike the big official one, this little prospectus has been written solely by Newnham students to help give you an impression of what Newnham is really like as told by the people who eat, sleep, work and play here. Hopefully you re looking at applying to Cambridge, and you re probably trying to choose which college to apply to. This might sound daunting, but it s not as bad as it sounds. With any luck this prospectus will encourage you to choose Newnham as the best place to spend your time at Cambridge, because frankly, it s amazing but please do ask if you have any questions that we don t answer here! You can email jcr.access@newn.cam.ac.uk, which will go straight through to our student Access Officer who will be able to answer any queries you might have. Of course the best way to find out exactly what Newnham is like is to come and see for yourself! If you want a look round do come to one of our Open Days or email adm@newn.cam.ac.uk if you d like to arrange a visit another day we re more than happy to show you around. an essay crisis whilst sunbathing. #2 Don t start 1
Newnham Explained 2 every sentence with yeah, yeah, in my gap year.
Right, let s get this out of the way! Newnham is a women s college. And that s a good thing. However, its all-female status has attached to it a few negative myths and stereotypes that sometimes need a bit of de-bunking! Newnham is a great place to live and work, and it s great to be part of a community that has been at the forefront of women s education for over a hundred years. Continuing this tradition, we are always looking forward to the future and better equality in the still very male-dominated world of university research and education. << We re a supportive bunch of feisty, go-getting women, not a bitchy girls boarding school or ladies finishing college. And we re defiantly not a convent! Basically, there is no typical Newnham student, so don t worry if you don t think you fit the Cambridge stereotype, many different sorts of people come and study here. We come from all different countries, races, religions, education systems, backgrounds and sexualities. All we have in common is that we re all girls and we re all interested in our subjects. We all get along great, we re a non-denominational college with a high state school and international student intake, and it shows in the strong, supportive community we have here. Newnham is an excellent place to explore the wider world of Cambridge University. Our students get involved in all sorts of things: you can play lacrosse for the University; write for a student newspaper; direct a play at one of the theatres; practise any number of instruments; get ready for a night out on the town and plan your world domination from here. We have some amazing surroundings too: pretty Victorian buildings and some of the best gardens in Cambridge; William Morris wallpaper and antiques in our rooms, and we re situated just 10 minutes walk out of town (no tourists trying to take photos of you here!), just opposite the Sidgwick site where most of the arts lectures are. It s also very easy to get to the science sites in town and in West Cambridge. Sorry boys, no matter how much you might want to, you can t apply! #3 Do run along the 2nd longest corridor in Europe 3
What are college facilities like? << 4 in your gown pretending to be Batman. #4 Don t turn
Where to begin? We have some fantastic facilities here that you can make use of; probably the two most important ones though are the library (we do have to do work occasionally!) and the wonderful gardens, although we have other things too Library Our library is one of the best-stocked libraries of all the colleges, because not so long ago women were not allowed to use the main University Library, so the library at Newnham simply had to be brilliant. Today of course women are allowed to use the main library, but we ve kept our tradition of having a great College library going. There are around 100,000 volumes in total, and if you want something you can t find the librarians will be more than happy to buy it for you. Half our library is a beautiful old Victorian creation, the other bit is new and all modcons. There s a large IT suite, a group study room and a photocopier too. All the desks have Internet connections so you can bring your laptop along and try not to get distracted by your email whilst you write your essay Gardens Possibly one of Cambridge s best-kept secrets, our gardens are simply stunning, especially in summer. We re allowed to walk on the grass here (something many colleges have odd ancient rules about and don t let you do) and you ll find plenty of people revising on the lawns in summer topping up their tans at the same time. Old Labs There was also a time when women weren t allowed to do science practicals with the men in the departmental laboratories, so we built our own labs at College! No longer needed for microscopes and Bunsen burners, the Old Labs building is now a well-equipped and muchused performing arts space, which can be booked and used by anyone. JCRs We have three common rooms (JCRs) equipped with sofas, daily newspapers, TVs and a DVD player. Great for catching your daily dose of soaps, and for the film nights that are run regularly in college. Art Room The art room is stocked full of arty bits and pieces that anyone can go and be creative with. If you loved making stuff as a kid, this place is like a dream come true! Dark Room Yes, we have a dark room! Join the Photographic Society and you can be trained to use it and develop your own photographs. College Bar One of the cheapest bars in Cambridge, complete with pool table, table football and board games. A good place for a relaxing midessay pint for organising your thoughts, and conveniently close to the library... Also the location of comedy nights, bands and other College ents. up to brunch on Sunday morning with a dodgy pull 5
At Newnham you have a choice about where you eat every day, unlike some colleges where they make you eat in their buttery a certain number of times a term. Here you can do just as you like. Here are the options: Buttery We ve just had a brand new buttery and eating area built (finished in 2007) it s amazing, with café-style seating, comfy sofas and a big plasma screen! Meals there are fairly cheap, and there are two meat and one veggie options each meal, plus salads and sandwiches. Halal and kosher diets are also catered for. Great if you don t know how to cook or can t be bothered with the short trek to the supermarket for ingredients. Kitchens Fancy yourself as the next top chef? You won t be disappointed. We have some of the best kitchen facilities at the University here. All kitchens have hobs, a fridge and microwave, and most have an oven. Many have tables and chairs so you can entertain guests, and nearly all have lockable cupboards to prevent people borrowing your key ingredients when you re not looking. And to top it off, lovely cleaners come in and clean them every weekday. Formal Hall A three course silver-service meal for around 6? Bargain. Formal Halls take place in all colleges, here ours happen around once a week. Bring friends, wine, dress up a bit if you want to and enjoy your food being served to you for once. Brilliant atmosphere in the beautiful old college hall and pretty good food makes for a great evening in. << What do I do about food? 6 from Saturday night. #5 Don t suggest making the
What are the rooms like? << So what s it like to actually live here? It s certainly very different from living at home, and you ll be living here for at least 8 weeks at a time. So what makes Newnham special? Accommodation For student accommodation, ours is very good. Our rooms are quite big as student rooms go, there is great variety, and all are fitted with Internet and telephone points. Some rooms are big and old with antique furniture and balconies; others have sinks, fitted wardrobes and loads of storage space. Whatever you re after, there ll be something to fit your lifestyle. And the best thing is, we pay the same rent for every room, so you can choose to live wherever you like, without having to worry about being able to afford it. Strapped for cash? you won t have to choose to live in a small, cheap room (unlike at some other colleges). The idea is as you progress through college you re pretty sure to get a better and better room! Final years get first dibs... So how do you pick your room? Room allocation here is done using a random ballot system. This means that within each year group the odds are the same for everyone. We re also one of the few colleges not to have bedders (cleaners who knock on your door at 8:30 every morning to clean your room), so you can enjoy your lie-ins in peace. We re also unusual in that all our student accommodation is on site (you won t be stuck living in a house 20 minutes out of town), you re always near the central College facilities and you meet lots of people from different years and subjects living around you. And to top it off no one has to share a room here. Ever. Bathrooms Bathrooms are all girls (naturally!) so no embarrassment when you come out of the showers wearing just a towel! Laundry Run out of clean socks? We have plenty of washers, tumble dryers, irons and drying rooms for student use (and no boys begging you to do their laundry because they can t work the washers either!) garden into a car park. #6 Do fall asleep on the 7
What can I do here? << 8 window seat in the Library. #7 Don t ask where the
College societies Right, so you ve got to university, now you need some societies to join! There are literally hundreds of University-wide societies that anyone can join (and Newnham students are very well represented in these), but we have our fair share of College based ones too. These include Academic societies, such as the Biologists @ Newnham group, Law Society and the Lucy Adrian Geography Society. Music and artistic ventures like the Raleigh Music Society, the Newnham Anonymous Players, the Recorder Consort and the Chamber Choir. Religious groups, such as the Newnham Christian Union and the Islamic Society. Sport at Newnham If you love sports then Newnham is a great College experienced or complete beginner, you re sure to find a sport that you like, with a time commitment you can make. Perfect! The best thing for sport at Newnham is that the playing fields and courts are (unusually) on site, so training for lacrosse, football, hockey, rugby, cricket, rounders, netball, basketball and tennis are all just a 30 second trip across the gardens ideal for lazy weekend mornings. There s also a gym, available for everybody to use, and we have use of near-by squash and badminton courts, so there really is something for everybody. Another great thing is we don t have to compete with the men s sports teams for funding, so our teams aren t simply the smaller sisters of the men s ones. Everything else in between! The JCR (the student committee who liaise with college), the Art Society, Newnham RAG (charity fundraisers), the Fair Trade Society, N-Vie (our college newspaper), and many more! Whatever you fancy getting involved in, be it organising our annual summer garden party, campaigning about college green issues or doing some fundraising for charity, you can do it here. bedders are. #8 Do watch fireworks from Strachey 9
College Welfare Coming to university is a time of change with lots of exciting new experiences, but here at Newnham there is plenty of support in place in case you need some help. The personal tutors here provide brilliant support, from problems with studies to money problems and personal stuff too. If you don t need them, fine, but if you do, they re there to get the help that you need, both inside and outside college. The student Welfare Officer can also help in looking out for your physical and psychological welfare so you can enjoy social and academic life to the full at Newnham. She can provide information, support, sources of help or just a friendly chat. Also, she and the Women s Officer can supply free condoms and pregnancy tests. We also have a student Lesbian and Bisexuals Officer who can offer support and advice. There are further facilities in the form of the College nurse, the near-by doctors surgery and the University Counselling Service, which provides free counselling for students from professionally trained counsellors with wide experience. Basically, they re just here to help you enjoy your time here. << What if something goes wrong? 10 roof. #9 Don t ride a motorbike down the corridor
Diversity at Newnham << If you re from an ethnic minority or international background, Newnham College will make you feel right at home. Newnham has a good representation of people from diverse backgrounds and faiths as well as many international students. No matter what your ethnicity be it Asian, Black, Chinese or something else entirely, or which region you come from, be it Africa, Asia, America, Australia or Europe, you re bound to feel at home here. In contrast to many of the traditional colleges, Newnham has always been non-denominational. Its history of nonconformity has created a very open-minded and liberal atmosphere that can still be felt today. You will also have the student Ethnic Minorities Officer and the International Officer representing you in College. They are there to help you deal with any problems that arise be it any extra facilities you want, or if you simply want to put forward new ideas or just need a chat. Events are also held, ranging from international film nights to cultural events. Of course, you can also always bring your own ideas into Newnham s cultural life. Or you could join one of the University societies representing every region and religion you can think of. We re also close to facilities: one of the prayer rooms Muslim students can use during lecture breaks is on Sidgwick Site right opposite Newnham. The international atmosphere at Newnham enriches everyone s student experience, as you will get to meet amazing people from a great variety of backgrounds, and our accepting and easy-going atmosphere allows all students to live in harmony. saying it s fine Emma Thompson did! #10 Do read 11
What about work...? 12 A Room Of One s Own. #11 Don t tell everyone your
Ok, so you might be in denial, but work is what you ve come to university to do, and every student has to do a lot. We might complain occasionally about the early lectures and lack of inspiration when writing essays, but really it s amazing being given the opportunity to study with some of the best academics in the world. Newnham is committed to making sure the students here get the best out of academic life whilst studying in Cambridge. << All your lectures, classes and (if you re a scientist) practicals are organised by your Department and taught in your Faculty. Only your supervisions (onehour meetings with a graduate student or Fellow usually in groups of 2 or 3) take place in College. And there are often exceptions many students have supervisions in other Colleges. You may have between one and four supervisions a week, depending on your subject. So why should you choose Newnham as a good place to study? Well, we ve already mentioned how great the library is, but we also have a good academic atmosphere here. There s lots of encouragement to do well and all the Fellows here are female. It might sound a bit irrelevant but it s surprising how inspiring that can be in a university that is still overwhelmingly dominated by male academics. You ll get to know your Director of Studies well enough to be able to chat to them about your course, and have input with decisions about what topics you do and who supervises you, so you remain in control of your education. What s also cool is that the Fellows mix regularly with us lowly students. On Friday lunchtimes we have Pudding Seminars, people gather together and a student or Fellow will give a short presentations on a topic of interest coffee and cake thrown in for free! If you want to know anything specific about the courses that we run here please check out the College website, or contact the Admissions Office. granddad was here he wasn t. #12 Do try joining 13
If you re applying to Cambridge you have to go through the slightly annoying procedure of filling in an extra form and getting your UCAS application in early sorry, that s just the way things are All applications to Newnham are considered very carefully and most of them end up with an interview. A couple of words of advice, make sure you look over what you put on your Personal Statement before your interview as you may well be asked about it. On a similar note, please don t lie on your form, as you can guarantee you ll be asked about the one thing you wished you d done, but haven t; or the book you wanted to read but didn t. Don t let it happen to you! << This sounds amazing! The interviews themselves seem to have a bit of an unfortunate image problem There are always loads of rumours and myths about interviews circulating about and most of them simply just aren t true. Here are some things that definitely don t happen at interview: You won t be told by your interviewer: You have half an hour, impress me. You won t be thrown a rugby ball or other similar object as soon as you walk into the room with your offer of a place depending on whether or not you catch it. You most certainly will not be judged by your appearance, or any other factor. Interviewers will not mark you down if you don t wear a suit come in whatever you re comfortable in. They won t judge you on your accent, or what sort of school you went to, how many facts and figures you can reel off, if you stayed the night (or not) or if your parents went to Cambridge. All they re interested in is what goes on inside your head; it s not in their interests to frighten you, as they want to see you thinking at your best! 14 every society in Freshers Week and collapse at the
<< How do I apply? Interviews themselves differ depending on what subject you re applying for. You may have to submit some work beforehand that will be discussed at interview. You might have some prep work to do, e.g. some maths problems or a passage to read which you will then talk about for a while. You might be given images or objects to talk about as well. Don t be afraid, and if you don t understand, say so; the interviewer won t penalise you for it. Also don t be afraid of offering your own opinions on subjects and asking questions about what you re discussing You re not expected to know everything about the topic you re talking about, you just have to think about things a bit. Some science subjects may also have computerbased tests done outside of College, and other subjects may have what is known as a general interview where they might talk to you a bit about non-academic things as well as academic ones. If you get invited to interview, the letter you receive will tell you all you need to know, how many interviews you have, who they re with and when they are. When you arrive at College there will be a team of student helpers called Sheepdogs who will guide you to your interviews and answer any questions you might have on the day. If you want to know anything else about admissions or interviews please email adm@newn.cam.ac.uk and talk to our Admissions Co-ordinator, Felicity. She s not a Fellow and doesn t interview and has no say on whether or not you get a place here but she knows everything that goes on, and will be able to help with almost any problem, so don t be afraid of asking her questions! Please don t let the interviews put you off! They re really not as scary as they seem and loads of people come out thinking they ve spent half an hour talking rubbish and obviously haven t as they get an offer two weeks later. They can even be quite fun sometimes! Good luck! end of term. #13 Do go punting at midnight. #14 Do 15
Contact Newnham College Sidgwick Avenue Cambridge CB3 9DF JCR Access Officer jcr.access@newn.cam.ac.uk Admissions: Tel: 01223 335783 Fax: 01223 357898 admissions@newn.cam.ac.uk Text: Lottie Heron Design: Mark Mniszko Printed by Cambridge University Press. www.cambridge.org/printing Photos: Newnham students, Nigel Luckhurst, Mark Mniszko 16 check your emails on your laptop in the Buttery.
www.newn.cam.ac.uk #15 Do whatever the hell you like this is Newnham!!!