The New Petrean The MCR Guide for Peterhouse Students from Peterhouse Students INTRODUCTIONS 4 Welcome 5 The MCR Committee 6 Key College Contacts 7 ARRIVAL 8 When to Arrive 9 Getting to Cambridge 9 Getting to Peterhouse 9 Maps 10 YOUR FIRST DAYS 12 Upon Your Arrival in Cambridge 13 Computing 14 Mailing Lists 14 UPayChilli Account 14 Matriculation 15 YOUR FIRST WEEKS 16 Registering with a Doctor’s Surgery 17 UK Bank Account Set-up 17 Register with Police 18 University Library Borrowing Rights 18 Insure Your Belongings 18 Induction Events 18 Getting Around Cambridge 19 SUPPORT 20 Welfare 21 Financial 22 Academic 23 Accommodation 23 CAMBRIDGE CRASH COURSE 25 How the University Works 26 Term Times 27 Tutors, Supervisors, and Advisors 27 A Brief History of Peterhouse 27 The MCR (‘Middle Combination Room’) 28 Peterhouse Facilities 29 Sports Clubs and Societies 30 Meals 32 Formal Halls 32 May Week 33 Dress Codes 33 Around Cambridge 35 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & DISCLAIMER 40 INTRODUCTIONS Welcome First and foremost: welcome, and congratulations on beginning your graduate course at Cambridge! Peterhouse was founded in 1284. It is a simple and brief statement, but our college’s life has been neither simple nor brief. It is supremely difficult to summarise almost 800 years of history. You could wax lyrical over the historical events our college has shaped and been shaped by. You could mention some of our most famous alumni, among them a Prime Minister and an Archbishop of Canterbury. Or you could think of all the remarkable things they have brought into the world: from computers to jet engines to poetry and laughter, and, most importantly, the bassline of one of the greatest songs ever (it’s Creep, by Radiohead, if you’re wondering). It is easier, however, to describe what Peterhouse is today: a vibrant, eclectic community of people from all backgrounds, lifestyles and disciplines, united by open minds and bright ideas. No matter what you study, how you like to spend your time, or how long you intend to stay here in Cambridge, you are welcome here, and encouraged to make the most of what is offered by our college and the wider university. In the most literal terms, the MCR offers you a cosy common room in Old Court - where you can pick up your post, have a cup of tea or browse Netflix. But the MCR can also offer you a whole host of events, ranging from candlelit formal dinners to lazy weekend brunches, and everything in between. Most importantly, the MCR is a community where we look out for one another, learn from one another, and grow together as scholars and as people. As a part of that community, we hope you can get involved in as many ways as you can, both in your first few days – known as freshers’ week, packed with events to help you meet people and settle in – but also in the quieter moments of the weeks and months beyond. The following pages are an introduction to Cambridge, and Peterhouse, but it is by no means exhaustive. Please do not feel shy in approaching one of the Committee if you have a question that you can’t quite figure out – even if we can’t find you the answer, we will find you someone who can. Similarly, you will find that there are lots of people in college that you can turn to for support and advice for any concerns or anxieties you may have - or if you simply feel out of sorts. No problem is too trivial, or too small. We hope you are excited about what lies ahead: on behalf of the whole the MCR, we are so happy to have you as part of our community, and look forward to meeting you. Sarah Sheard, President On behalf of the MCR Committee 2019-20 The MCR Committee The MCR Committee is an elected group of students who are responsible for representing postgraduate students and their interests within College. Sarah Sheard As President, Sarah is responsible for President overseeing the work of the Committee and [email protected] the general direction of the MCR. Our Secretary, Alex, handles administrative Alex Tsompanidis issues and queries, both from within College Secretary and externally. [email protected] Sam Woodman Sam is our Treasurer, and he is in charge of any Acting Treasurer (until 27th October) financial matters relating to the MCR. [email protected] Ava Lage Social Secretary Our two Social Secretaries, Ava and Jordan, [email protected] organise a plethora of social events throughout the whole year, ranging from swaps to film nights. Get in touch if there is a particular event you'd like to see on the calendar! Jordan McKittrick Social Coordinator [email protected] Jo is the MCR Welfare Officer, and she is Joanna Neville always reachable should you need to contact Welfare & Equal Opportunities Officer her regarding a welfare issue: she can lend a [email protected] sympathetic ear and point you in the direction of helpful resources. Our First Year Representative, Alicia, is Alicia Mavor responsible for organising and running First Year Representative Freshers' Week and making sure that our new [email protected] students have as smooth a start as possible when they join Peterhouse Key College Contacts When you join the College, you don’t just have to learn the names of your fellow students: there are all the College staff to get familiar with too. This table details many of the key College contacts that you might come across over your first few days, or prove helpful over the course of your studies. Ms Bridget Kendall Master The Master is at the helm of the College, [email protected] and is also an active participant in MCR (the Master's Secretary, Alison social events. ! Pritchard-Jones) Ms Amanda Farnsworth Master's Partner [email protected] The Master's partner is a keen supporter of (the Master's Secretary, Alison the MCR and College sport, in particular. ! Pritchard-Jones) Revd. Dr Stephen Hampton The Dean is responsible for overseeing all Dean & Senior Tutor students' academic and personal welfare [email protected] during their time at the College. Prof Steven Connor Prof Connor is available to assist students Tutor for Graduate Affairs & Graduate with personal, academic and welfare-related Tutor for the Arts issues. He serves as an advocate for the [email protected] MCR in College affairs. The Graduate Tutor for the Sciences Dr Christopher Lester can assist students with personal, Graduate Tutor for the Sciences [email protected] academic and welfare-related issues. Mr Gerald Meade The Head Porter is responsible for running Head Porter the Porter's Lodge and ensuring the general [email protected] security of the College. Revd. Jennifer Adams- The assistant chaplain oversees Chapel Massmann services in College and can tell you who to Assistant Chaplain and Welfare contact for welfare issues. Coordinator [email protected] ARRIVAL When to Arrive Most rooms will be available to incoming students in the first week of October. You can move in during this week whenever you prefer. However, you will need to liaise with the Accommodation Manager and inform her of your day of arrival. She will then inform the Porters, who will be expecting you at the Porter’s Lodge and who will provide you with the room key. If you have a particular reason (e.g. an academic course before your main course of study) it is often possible to arrive in late September. Again, you must liaise with the Accommodation Manager. The Accommodation Office will then calculate this rent for September based on the number of nights and your room’s monthly rate. We strongly recommend that all students spend Sunday night (6th October) in Cambridge, as your presence is needed on Monday (7th October) for Matriculation. If you move in too late, you might not have time to purchase a gown or attend the scheduled induction talks on Monday morning. Getting to Cambridge If flying to the UK, it may be most convenient to fly to London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted etc.) for ease of transport to Cambridge. The closest airport is London-Stansted. Direct buses to Cambridge are available from all of those airports, with travel durations varying widely (trips of approximately 1 to 3 hours). In the case of Stansted, a direct train to Cambridge is also available (trip of approximately 30 mins). If you are coming from Heathrow, catch the London Underground (Piccadilly Line) to King’s Cross Station from where you can get one of the regular trains to Cambridge. We recommend checking timetables and reserving your bus/train connection to Cambridge before arrival and allowing plenty of time in the day for the transfer to Cambridge. If travelling by train, a useful website for checking train times and booking tickets is http:// nationalrail.co.uk. Your destination should be “Cambridge Station”, NOT “Cambridge North”. You can book coach travel in advance via the National Express (http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx) or Megabus websites (https://uk.megabus.com). Your destination should be “Cambridge – Parkside” or “Cambridge – Centre”, both of which refer to the stops by Parker’s Piece Park in the centre of town. Incidentally, these bus stops are very close to the Peterhouse residencies on Parkside and Warkworth Streets. If you make a connection in London, we recommend the CityMapper app for all details on how to use the London underground and transfer from station to station.