Davy Evans
Comprehensive school,
Yorkshrie
First-year Natural Sciences Student
Read through the colleges
section of the university prospectus and you will be confronted
by 29 variations of the phrase “Our college is the best college
in the whole wide world”. So when I came up to Clare (not
up in a geographical sense – this can get quite confusing at times),
I was pleasantly surprised to find that in fact the person who had
written the Clare entry in the prospectus hadn't been exaggerating.
It's an awesome college, and Cambridge is an awesome place to be.
Workwise, there also tends
to be a lot of propaganda being bandied around about all of the
different subjects. Some of it is true, and some of it isn't.
It is true that
there are more Natural Scientists in Cambridge than there are people
in the world.
It is true that
Natscis have Saturday morning lectures.
It's not true
that Saturday morning lectures are the spawn of Satan, but then
again, they're not the highlight of my week.
It's not true
that there is a stereotypical Natsci.
It is true that
Natsci is the best subject, and all other subjects are shadows of
this mighty one. In all seriousness, no other subject gives you
quite the same amount of choice, variation and lectures. I'm glad
that I chose to do Natsci, over any other subject – it can be incredibly
fulfilling.
The quality of teaching
in the college is superb, and in the university it is also, on the
whole, brilliant.
There is a massive network
of academic support available for everyone, no matter what subject.
There is always someone to help.
It's not true
that all Natscis spend all of their time at work. Only some
do - and it's not true that if you're a Natsci you don't
have time to do other things as well.
I am involved in many things
here that bear no relation to my course, and after a few weeks you
can quite easily find the right balance of work and ‘nonwork'. I
play every week and regularly perform with the University Ceilidh
band, I play sax in a uni-wide big band and set up Clare's very
own jazz band – Gatehouse Jazz. I was also in the comedy revue this
year (which promises to be an annual event).
For Natscis who like to
do natsci from dawn till dusk, there's also the Whiston society,
which organises really interesting talks every term (from people
like David Attenborough).
Finally, it is
true that in Cambridge, and especially at Clare, there will be a
great number of people on your wavelength. Whatever you like to
do with your time, there will be people here that you can do it
with. |