Lydia RoseGrammar school, Leicestershire Second-year student,
reading
Lydia (on the left), with fellow MML student, Jen
When thinking about which college to apply to, I eventually decided on Clare because I was fed up ith trying to wade through statistics and contradictory opinions on which colleges are ‘easier' to get in to. Clare is an amazing place to be, and the great facilities and accommodation, amazing people and perfect location constantly remind me of that. All of the colleges are great, but even if I could have the pick of them all, I would never change my decision to apply to Clare. My MML interviews were not at all daunting; they felt more like a nice chat with people who were interested in the same things as I was than an intense grilling to see how much I knew or catch me out. There are so many myths about interviews, but I think that for MML it is important not to forget that interviewers know that different people have received different levels of tuition, and that not everyone has spent months/years in the country where their language is spoken/with a native speaker of it. The most important thing is to show your enthusiasm for what you really have a passion to learn- if you pretend to be enamoured with nineteenth-century French poetry because you think it will impress, you won't be able to show yourself at your best. The interviews are flexible to a certain extent, and there will certainly be time for you to share what things you think you'd really relish studying in your chosen languages. At the same time, there are so many new things to come across whilst studying in Cambridge so don't worry if you feel a bit lost and unsure of what you want to do- however, I think it's vital to show that you care enough about the language you wish to study to have read beyond the rather limited A-level syllabus. Cambridge isn't the right place for everyone who wants to study languages. Whilst oral and grammar lessons make up a fairly significant part of the course in the first year, the focus is increasingly on your level of language being a key to unlocking the great wealth of literature/film/history your language has to offer. As long as you are aware of and happy with this focus then Cambridge is a fantastic place to study. Linguists, in my experience, tend to be really fun, excited people with great plans and a love for what they are studying. I have increasingly found myself wondering at how lucky I am to have the chance to spend hours reading, watching films and chatting with friends about literature- and to call it work! In the first year you will probably do an oral exam, translation paper, grammar paper and either literature/linguistics paper in each language. Next year the optional papers I am hoping to do include Portuguese language and literature, general linguistic theory and French literature in the seventeenth century. The MML tripos is really flexible! It goes without saying that Cambridge has enough clubs and activities to tempt even the most dedicated person out of the library… and plenty to keep others out of there for most of the day! Studying and relaxing have merged for me somewhat this year- I played Elmire in a production of Molière's Tartuffe ; the chance to act in French really made me realise how rare a place Cambridge is. I've really enjoyed getting involved with the Christian Union in Clare, and have done some Open Mic singing with friends, been to some amazing gigs and plays, and also thrown myself out of a plane after a dare to do a parachute jump for charity! Applying to Clare to do MML was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made, and it's a cliché, but there's really nothing to lose! |
