In many ways, arriving in Cambridge is like arriving in Wakanda (if you haven’t watched Black Panther, go do that). Now that might seem random, but I see no easier way to explain it. At a certain arbitrary point whilst driving into Cambridge the world that you know falls away. You arrive in an alien place with buildings far more extravagant than those that you are used to. You roam a city imbued with a culture and language reminiscent of your own but one you are not quite native to.
You hear words that you have never learned and cultural references you have never heard. It is disorientating, a real culture shock. You find yourself surrounded by people who sound so posh it feels almost anachronistic like you’ve found yourself in an episode of The Crown. It can seem like a lot to manage, even from the beginning.
It is easy to become ensnared in the cultural enigmas of Cambridge. Ironically enough in the summer on 2021, I naively started to put my thoughts together about a big expose of Cambridge culture. I planned to talk about classism and how it was woven into every fibre of the institution. About how wealth and status permeated into every aspect of life. About how privilege felt heavy in the air.
And I was right… kind of. There are problems. You meet the occasional Tarquin or Tiffany who like to remind you of all the places they have been on holiday, of their chalets and holiday homes. There will be those that snicker when you say where you’re from or those that mock the way that you speak. Occasionally, you might have the displeasure of meeting someone so sheltered that they unironically think it is harder for private school kids to get into Cambridge, or my personal favourite, that Oxbridge specifically hates their private school.
But is it as bad as I thought it would be? No, not really.
Sure, the Latin before formal dinners is weird. I mean formal dinners themselves are pretty weird. I can remember standing with my new friends moments before my matriculation dinner and questioning the reality I was in. If you look from a distance Oxbridge life really does look a bit like a satirical parody of British schools by an American who has only a loose recollection of the Harry Potter films. Gowns, candle lit dinners, great halls….
It is so easy to get caught up in all of the nonsense. Navigating the toxic landscape of these elite universities can be very difficult at first. Trying to reconcile your personal identity and the pride of your struggle with the opportunities and peculiarities at Cambridge can be difficult. I have seen debates about the status of college puffers (college branded puffer jackets), of whether its elitist or not to be a member of the Cambridge Union etc, etc — but my advice is just to try and ignore it.
One of my main takeaways of this year has just been to not bother myself with these things. Despite what some people try to say, you are not a “class traitor” for enjoying the opportunities available to you at Cambridge. Be unapologetically you, even if that version of you is different to how you are at home or thought you would be when your arrived here.
This is not to suggest that there are not real tangible problems. Cambridge has a lot more work to do to adequately support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is all well and good encouraging students to embrace aspects of Cambridge but unfortunately there are financial barriers to a lot of things that are considered part of the ‘Cambridge experience’.
It is no secret either that Cambridge has a serious mental health problem which is also something that can affect your experience. Cambridge is academically rigorous and highly competitive which can itself manifest problematically but combined with the toxic culture it really can be a recipe for disaster.
The harsh reality is that with all things at Cambridge you have to swim, or you’ll drown. You hear plenty of shit, but you can’t let it drag you down or you will never escape it. You learn quickly to find those that help keep you afloat and to stay away from the Priti Patels who want you to crash and drown for trying to survive in a place they don’t want you in. Below all of the toxicity, Cambridge really is an amazing place filled with mostly amazing people.
So yes, Cambridge is weird, sometimes cruel, but it has been an incredible experience thus far and one I would encourage any prospective applicants to take up. But to any students struggling with this right now just remember to not let it anchor you and above all — just keep swimming.
