(SBR) Graduate Freshers' Guide 2018–19
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St John’s College Samuel Butler Room (SBR) Graduate Freshers’ Guide 2018–19 SBR Welcome Welcome to St John’s! This is an informal guide put together by members of the ‘Samuel Butler Room Committee’ – the graduate committee at St John’s College. The collegiate system is central to Cambridge life, and St John’s College has one of the liveliest graduate communities. We hope you’ll take full advantage of everything St John’s and the SBR have to offer. Settling into a postgraduate course, a new city, and perhaps a new country, while getting used to the peculiarities of Cambridge and College life, can be a bit confusing. This guide, which has been written from personal perspectives, with tips and advice gathered from many Johnians, has three aims: 1. to explain how to get to St John’s; Yale: a mythical beast with horns that can swivel in 2. to introduce you to graduate life here; and any direction. Two yales are found on the Great Gate 3. to help you prioritise the stuff you need to do when you of St John’s, as the heraldic beasts of the College’s arrive. foundress. 2 Who/what is the SBR? The Samuel Butler Room (SBR) Committee are your graduate The Samuel Butler Room (the SBR) is in I staircase in First Court representatives in College. We organise events and activities (go through the ‘Great Gate’ and turn left). The room, named in throughout the year for St John’s graduate students, provide honour of the Victorian polymath, is the College’s Middle welfare support and can advocate on your behalf with any Combination Room or ‘MCR’ (Cambridge speak for ‘common College issues. room for graduate students’). We run many The SBR has free tea events in the and coffee, books, first two weeks boardgames, TV, of Michaelmas cinema system, WiFi, term (Freshers’ Wii, stereo, piano and Fortnight). We pool table. hope you’ll get You are welcome to involved as (attempt to) study in much as possible the SBR, but there are – it’s a great also two graduate study chance to meet rooms – the Fred other new Sanger Room opposite graduates and the SBR (I staircase, current students. Check your SBR welcome pack and your emails First Court) and Room for a timetable when you arrive. 4, 1 All Saints Passage Check out our website, sign up to our Facebook group, and follow (Corfield Court). Your us on instagram for the latest updates! university card opens both rooms. 3 SBR Events The SBR hosts ‘Lightning Grad Talks’ throughout the year. These Besides Freshers’ Fortnight, the SBR committee organises major brief talks provide an opportunity for you to present your annual social events, including a Halloween party, a Christmas research and hear about the research of other Johnian graduates dinner, a themed dinner in March and a garden party in June. We in a relaxed atmosphere. also put on walks to Grantchester village, bar quizzes, potluck dinners, film nights, barbecues, pub and theatre visits, and many more activities. Check your welcome pack and emails for the SBR term card, which has all the details. The SBR Committee heartily welcomes new members to help out with academic, social, and welfare events - elections are in October and March each year, so chat to a current member if We also organise ‘swaps’ with other Colleges and universities (a you’re interested! group of St John’s graduates going for dinner at another College or a weekend trip to another university, before hosting a group of their students at St John’s). 4 PART 1: Getting to Cambridge – Train From Heathrow Airport: take the Underground (Piccadilly Line) Trains from London: London King’s Cross station and London to King’s Cross Station in central London, then take the train from Liverpool Street station have direct services to Cambridge. These King’s Cross Rail Station (KGX) to Cambridge Station (CBG). Try to trains leave about twice an hour from each station, depending on get an express train, which leave weekdays around quarter past the day and time. Services from King’s Cross make fewer stops on and quarter to the hour (check times) and take about 50 minutes, the way and are generally faster. You can book advance tickets at rather than an hour or more for this leg of the journey. The total discounted prices: www.nationalrail.co.uk. Trains are often price for the entire journey off-peak is about £30 (2 hours). labelled by their final destination (usually Ely or King’s Lynn on fast trains from King’s Cross), which can be confusing, so make From London Stansted Airport: take the Stansted Express train sure you’re on the right one - don’t be afraid to ask or look for to Cambridge. Price is about £11 (35 mins); tickets can be booked the intermediate stations each train will be ‘calling at’ on the in advance or purchased at the station. large screens in the station. Once you arrive at the train station in Cambridge, you can take a From London Gatwick Airport: take the Thames-link train to bus to the city centre and follow the map to St John’s. Buses 1, 3, King’s Cross Station, then the train from King’s Cross to and the ‘Park & Ride’ bus stop in the city centre. The U bus (£1 Cambridge. On weekends, it's usually easier to take the Gatwick with a university card) will take you within 5 minutes walk of the Express train to Victoria Station, and take the Underground to back of St John’s (enter via Cripps Porters’ lodge) if you disembark King’s Cross, then the Cambridge train. Price is about £34 for at the ‘Madingley Road’ stop. Taxis will take you directly to either journey (3+ hours). College from the station for about £10. For future reference, you can get very cheap tickets to London From London Luton Airport: no direct trains, coach services only Liverpool St by booking in advance online (often only £12 – see next page. return).These trains take longer but can save you some cash for London day or weekend trips. 5 Getting to Cambridge – Coach By coach (bus): National Express (www.nationalexpress.co.uk) goes to Cambridge from all airports. Coach is normally the easiest – although not the quickest – way to get to Cambridge. The local bus station (Parkside, Parkers Piece) where you’ll disembark is located in central Cambridge (see page 9). Taxis are available if you have lots of stuff, but the walk from the coach stop to College is only 15 minutes. N.B: For the cheapest fares, book online in advance! From Heathrow – £24 to £38 (3 hours). From Gatwick: £24 to £64 (4.5 hours). It’s generally better to take the train if you’re coming from Gatwick. From Luton: £18 to £30 (1.5 hours). From Stansted: £8 to £10 (1 hour). 6 Getting to St John’s Upon arrival Graduate students are welcome to come into residence from, but If you’re arriving by coach, you’ll likely arrive at Parker’s Piece. If not earlier than, Saturday 22nd September (unless permission you’ve taken the bus from the train station, you’ll end up on has been granted by the Tutor for Graduate Affairs). Emmanuel Street. If you arrive between 8am and 3pm on the official registration If you’re taking a taxi and you’re arriving on Friday 28th day – Friday 28th September – you will be directed to the September (registration day), ask to be taken to the St John’s registration desk in the Fisher Builder (see page 11) where you Cripps Porters’ Lodge on Northampton Street. Walk down the will pick up your keys and sign important forms. You’ll also be path and the Registration Centre is just past the car park on your given your university card - literally the key to Cambridge life. You right (ask the porters for the Fisher Building). need this card to open some doors in College; buy food in the buttery (the cafeteria) and the bar; collect mail; and print. If you arrive before/after the official registration day you should go to the Forecourt Porters’ Lodge (open 24/7) and pick up your keys. You should then go to Student Services (F staircase, Chapel Court – on the ground floor, on the left as you enter the wooden doors). The Student Services Office is open Monday–Friday, 8.30am–6pm and will also be open on Saturday 29 from 10am– 4pm and Sunday 30 September from 10am–1.45pm to assist new students. 7 8 9 The College hosts a graduate induction morning (Sunday 30th First week September from 11am in the Main Lecture Theatre in the Old Divinity Your first week or so at St John’s will likely be a manic whirl of activity, strange faces, and paperwork. If you need any help or advice, don’t hesitate to contact the SBR Committee or your School – see the maps on pages 8–9), which you *must* attend. orientation ‘buddy’. And be sure to join in with the Freshers’ Here, you will receive important information and meet the Fortnight programme of events: it’s meant to entertain and, Master, College tutors, the SBR committee, the Chaplain, and above all, provide opportunities to meet new and returning College staff. Don’t worry, though, you’ll come out of the Johnian graduates from a huge range of backgrounds, induction morning well fed, as new graduates and their partners nationalities, and research areas.