QMCRWELCOME
Welcome to Queens’
Firstly let us congratulate you on being accepted at Queens’ College. We hope that the MCR will provide you
with some great opportunities. If you are not already aware, the MCR is the Graduate community at Queens’
which is run by the Committee voted for by our graduate students. We organise events and help make
decisions related to graduate life at Queens’.
Included in this insider information pack is a warm welcome from the MCR President Shachi Amdekar and a
handy hints guide to people moving to Cambridge.
Should you want to get in touch to find out any further information a full list of MCR committee members
and contact details can be found on the MCR website.
To stay in touch with all the latest MCR events please sign up to the Queens’ MCR Freshers group
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/535005269870082/) and follow the MCR Group on Facebook
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/382803758492649/)
Thanks and we look forward to seeing you all soon!
Your Queens’ MCR Committee
MCR President’s welcome
*Tomorrow (Friday 3rd
October):
Graduate Registration Day, 12pm*
Hello Queens' MCR 2014!
My name is Shachi and as this year's MCR
President, I would like to extend to all new
graduates a massive congratulations and a
very warm welcome to Queens' College!
You chose very well - or got very lucky :).
And to all old and decrepit continuing
students, welcome back from a long
summer and I hope you're excited for
what promises to be a fabulous term of
MCR frivolity!
Without further ado, on behalf of the
MCR committee and particularly our Ents
Officers (Hannah, Kevin and Tom) I'd like
to present the final Michaelmas Termcard
(see below). It will tell you everything
that's on at Queens' during the first few
weeks of term - I hope you attend and
enjoy, get the most out of college life, and
really make Queens' your home!
Details for each event (times and venues)
will be emailed to you and posted on
Facebook, so please do keep an eye out
and join our Facebook groups to keep upto-date with everything.
*Tonight (Thursday 2nd October):
Welcome Drinks at The Anchor, 7pm*
For all new students, we'll be kicking off
tonight (Thursday 2nd October) with
welcome drinks. We'll meet outside The
Anchor (which is just across the street
from Queens' College Porter's Lodge), and
after a pint or two there we'll head over
to The Eagle for a pint of DNA.
This bit is organised by the graduate
tutors, who will provide nibbles, drinks
and induction talks so that you know
what's going on and get settled. The
programme is as follows:
12.00
Finger
QBar/Conservatory
Buffet
-
13.00 Presentations/Introductions of
Tutors and Staff - Fitzpatrick Hall
14.00 - 15.30 - Visa Registration /
University Card Collection - OSCR
14.15 - 15.30 - Signing Matriculation
Register (with Vice President) - Long
Gallery
15.00 - 16.00 - Tea/coffee and cake in the
President's Lodge garden (Munro Room if
bad weather)
*Saturday 4th October: Coffee Morning,
Tour of Cambridge and Wine Tasting*
This is when MCR Freshers' Week really
gets going. We are having a relaxed coffee
morning in the Old Hall, a tour around
Cambridge, and then getting stuck into
some amazing wine tasting in the Old
Kitchens! Keep an eye out for more
information.
Hope to see you this evening! :)
Cheers x
Shachi Amdekar
HANDY HINTS GUIDE
Welcome to all Queens' graduate
freshers! On behalf of the MCR, I would
like to congratulate you on your
acceptance to the University of Cambridge
and more importantly Queens' College.
Now it is time for you to plan for your
arrival in order to kick-start what possibly
will be the best academic adventure of
your life. Until the start of the term, I will
be posting some insider information on
topics
such
as transportation,
accommodation and welfare, food and
drinks etc. The purpose of this group is to
provide a platform for you to ask
questions/concerns/comments and for
current students to answer them. We are
looking forward to meeting you all upon
your arrival.
Get ready. Get excited!!!
Deniz Vatansever (Welfare/LGBT Officer,
International Student Rep)
TRANSPORTATION
Hi Everyone! The following section will
provide some useful information on
arriving at Cambridge, visiting London,
and travelling around Cambridge. Please
read the whole post in order to benefit
from quick insider tips and points of
caution. If you have any questions, submit
them as comments to this post!
ARRIVING AT CAMBRIDGE
The five main airports around London are
Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW), City
(LCY), Luton (LTN) and Stansted (STN, the
closest to Cambridge).
From Heathrow: The best route is to use
the London Underground (also called the
“tube”) for which you will need to
purchase a single ride or use your Oyster
card (£5 deposit and additional top-up
available from the kiosk machines). Take
the Piccadilly (Blue) Line to the King’s
Cross Train Station. If you have time, do
not forget to check out the Harry Potter
shop at the far end corner. Buy a train
ticket to Cambridge either from the ticket
booth or the ticket machines (some do
not accept cash, watch out!). Look for the
platform number on the display panels
and enjoy the scenic ride (55 min on
average). If you prefer you can continue
to Liverpool St. with the Central (Red) line
and take the train from there, but why
would you make life difficult on your first
day? Disclaimer: The tube does not run
between midnight and 6 am, similar to the
train
timetables
for
Cambridge.
Alternatively you can take the National
Express coach service straight from the
airport to the Cambridge city centre
(around £15). At Heathrow, just follow the
signs to the coach station. More
information
at:http://www.heathrowairport.com/tran
sport-and-directions/buses-andcoaches/coaches
From Stansted: The train station is
conveniently located on level -1. Take the
elevator and buy a ticket from the station
staff. The journey takes about 30 minutes.
Alternatively you can take the National
Express bus (~£8) or a taxi (~£60).
From Gatwick: Take the train to Victoria
Station and make your way to King’s Cross
via the Victoria (Light Blue) line on the
tube. If arriving late at night, you might
want to use the bus option.
From Luton: The available options from
Luton are to take a train or a coach to
London and continue onto Cambridge.
However, you can always take the
National Express bus directly from Luton
to Cambridge, saving you time, hassle and
money (No, we do not own National
Express shares).
From City: Take the DLR (Light Green) to
the Bank Underground Station and then
use the Northern (Black) line (the most
handsome
line
according
to
TubeCrush.net) to arrive at King’s Cross
Train Station. Buy a ticket to Cambridge
and have a safe journey.
Quick Tips:
The timetable and pricing information can
be found on the following websites:




Train – www.nationalrail.co.uk
Bus
–
www.nationalexpress.co.uk (Choo
se the first Cambridge option, and
don’t forget to print out your
ticket. Ticket sales are online or
telephone only! The bus drivers do
not sell tickets and they will not let
you on board unless you have a
valid ticket.)
London
Underground
–
www.tfl.co.uk (The
journey
planner is fantastic! I would
definitely suggest buying an Oyster
card as it saves a lot of money in
the long run and might be the best
investment you have ever made.
The TubeMap app is also a useful
resource for planning your
journey.)
The tube and the trains stop
running at around midnight. Plan
your journey accordingly.

The information desk at the airport
and the station staff are always
happy to help.
TO/FROM LONDON
The six main train stations in London are
Victoria, Paddington, King’s Cross,
Waterloo, Liverpool St and Euston. For
travelling
between
London
and
Cambridge, the most convenient route to
take is the First Capital Connect trains to
King’s Cross (average 55 min); however,
the tickets are rather pricey, so you might
want to consider going to Liverpool St
instead, using Greater Anglia trains. If you
are coming from north and changing at
Euston, the Euston station is about 10
minutes walking distance from King’s
Cross - a good opportunity for you to
stretch your legs. Again: do not forget to
check the National Rail and TFL websites
for updated information. Especially over
the weekend some tube lines tend to be
closed for scheduled engineering works.
Otherwise, you can also take a coach from
Victoria Bus Station to Cambridge.
AROUND CAMBRIDGE
The main mode of transportation at
Cambridge is cycling (or walking)! I know
some of you have not been on a bike
before or need to brush up your skills; the
following websites provide information on
such courses:
http://www.outspokentraining.co.uk/
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/resources/tr
aining/
There are a number of places where you
can buy first hand or used bikes. If your
course of study is longer than a year I
would definitely suggest for you to invest
in a relatively cheap “new” bike -
sometimes the repair of a used bike can
cost more than a new one. The following
website is particularly useful when buying
a second-hand bike:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/w
orkshop-what-to-watch-for-when-buyinga-used-carbon-frame-23020/
Here are some bike shops. Make sure to
shop around before you commit (yet,
don’t spend too much time, because the
best bikes tend to sell out quickly,
especially when you are competing with
thousands of others :D)
http://cyclesmith.eu/contact.html (He
very helpful, quick and honest!)
is
http://www.camcycles.co.uk/
http://www.benhaywardcycles.co.uk/
http://www.stationcycles.co.uk/
Points of Caution:



Wear a helmet! They might not
look cool or may mess up your
hair, but as long as it protects your
brain
(says
the
clinical
neuroscientist) you must wear it!
Plus, you can always put on Power
Ranger stickers to boost up the
cool factor of those gears.
Don’t forget to buy a set of lights:
red for the back and white for the
front. If the police stop you with
no lights on, the fine is around £30
in addition to a lovely criminal
record.
Get mudguards. The droplets will
eventually form a line on your back
no matter what, but try your best
to avoid them.

Do service the bikes regularly. The
companies mentioned above can
provide that at a nominal charge.
Alternatively, you can also use the bus
system. The main bus routes are given
below:
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/NR/rd
onlyres/4463639E-ED12-4ED5-AA208D364A02D632/0/CambridgeCityMap.pdf
The ticket prices range according to your
destination and are sold on board. For
those of you working at Addenbrooke’s or
the West Cambridge site, the Uni4 bus
provides a direct route with discounted
prices when you show your student card.
There are also a number of taxi
companies, mainly useful after an
exhausting night out in town. Finally,
walking is a cheap and healthy mode of
transportation. The pedestrian and cycling
paths are clearly labelled and are
wheelchair friendly.
The most well-known Taxi companies are
Panther (which also has an app for
booking) CamCab and A1. When booking
you will be asked for your current location
and the destination you would like to go.
Around central Cambridge the price might
range between 6-20 depending on the
distance and traffic.
Hope this post gives you a general idea
about transportation to and around
Cambridge. If you have any questions
please post comments.
Wishing you all a safe journey!
ACCOMMODATION


Hello again to all new graduate students! I
hope you are enjoying the sun wherever
you are. The following section will outline
some
general
information
on
accommodation matters at the University
of Cambridge. Please keep in mind that
every college has a slightly different policy
on housing for graduate students. While
some guarantee college rooms for three
years, others require you to find your own
accommodation after the first year. Thus,
I strongly recommend that you carefully
read the housing section of your college
website for specific information.
COLLEGE ACCOMMODATION
Housing is usually allocated via a ballot
system. The ballot procedure, application
deadline, type and pricing should be
available at your college website. Surprise,
surprise: the rule of thumb is that better
rooms are usually more expensive. At
Queens’ College for instance, only a
limited number of rooms at the main site
are allocated for graduate students, while
most stay either at the Owlstone Crost or
the college-owned houses around
Cambridge. A similar set up is also in place
at all other colleges.
Points of Caution:
If you are asked to provide a list of top
choices for a housing ballot, make sure to
consider:


The location of your department
(believe me, cycling for 20 min in
the rain is usually not a great start
to an exciting research day).
The type (big OR small, first floor
OR basement, next to the
bathroom etc).
The number of residents (and the
number of bathrooms).
The price (you don’t want to be
spending all of your allowance on
housing).
PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION
Although all of you will be allocated a
college room in your first year, a few
brave soldiers may want to consider living
in private accommodation. In any case,
the following section will be useful during
your second, third year or fourth years.
The student registry, guidance on the
statues and ordinances, terms of
residence suggests that “all full-time
graduate courses require you to be in
residence in Cambridge for a minimum
period of 3 terms if you are registered on
a full-time basis. In order to satisfy the
University's residence requirement you
must reside within the University's
precincts; that is, within the 10 mile radius
of Great St Mary's church, Cambridge
throughout your terms of study, unless
you have specific permission to live
elsewhere.” Living more than 10 miles
away from the city centre is not very
practical anyway.
When
searching
for
private
accommodation your first point of contact
should be the University Accommodation
Service. After signing up for an account,
indicate the specifications of your housing
choice and search through available
properties. The website not only lists
university/college owned properties, but
also private landlords, and a few letting
agencies. The biggest advantage of this
service is that you don’t need to pay for
agency fees if you get the property
through them (which can normally sum up
to £100 including the reference checks).
Sign up for weekly e-mails and most
importantly stay on top of your game.
There is an unbelievably high demand and
very limited supply.
Points of Caution:

http://www.accommodation.cam.ac.uk/

The alternatives are the housing websites
and letting agencies:
www.rightmove.co.uk

www.zoopla.co.uk
The abovementioned websites are
informative when obtaining a general idea
about the housing prices and availabilities.
However, they are frequently not updated
on time and you might end up calling the
agencies just to find out that the property
has already been let. I would advise you to
check the agency websites instead and
give them your details. Here are a few
that operate around Cambridge:
http://www.inter-let.co.uk/
http://www.sab.co.uk/
http://www.accentproperty.com/
http://tuckergardner.com/

Make sure to check the property
websites REGULARLY (probably
every hour or so :D).
Do not forget that you will also pay
for utilities such as gas, water and
electricity. If you are sharing with
3-4 people, that might reduce the
cost.
Full-time students are not required
to pay council tax. You can obtain
a letter from your college
confirming your status. Beware
that if you are sharing with a nonstudent you will need to pay
council tax, so choose your friends
wisely https://www.cambridge.go
v.uk/students-school-leavers-andapprenticesThe letting agents will also conduct
a credit check to make sure you
can pay the rent. If this is your first
time renting a property in the UK
you will not have a credit history
making this procedure a little
trickier. They usually ask for 3-6
months in advance or a massive
deposit to compensate for the lack
of trust. In any case, prepare
yourself to pay a month in advance
and 2 months’ rent in deposit
(start saving now!).
http://www.savills.co.uk/estateagents/savills-cambridge.aspx/
http://www.bradshawsresidential.co.uk/l
etting-agents-cambridge/
It is also useful to walk around Cambridge
and check out any properties to rent. Even
if the property has already been let, a
signpost with the agency information will
be available.
BEDDING
One item you will urgently need is
bedding! If you are an international
student or don’t own any pillows or duvet,
bedding is usually provided by your
college for a nominal fee (price varies
depending on the type of animal that
donated its feathers/fur for your comfort).
Alternatively, you can purchase one at
John Lewis or order it online (use your
college as the delivery address):
http://www.johnlewis.com/ourshops/cambridge
http://www.johnlewis.com/homegarden/bedroom/c6000074
OR the following stores at the Beehive
Centre: HomeSense, Dunhelm, TK Maxx
and Next Home, and Debenhams, Primark
or BHS at the Grafton Centre are
alternative places where you can purchase
bedding.
All the best,
Deniz Vatansever
(Disclaimer: As the Graduate Union, we do
not endorse or recommend any particular
businesses around Cambridge. All
information provided is for practical
purposes, and any purchase made is done
so at your own risk.)
WELFARE
Hi everyone, I hope the preparations are
going well! Looking forward to meeting
you all very soon. This week, I will be
providing some vital information on
welfare at Cambridge. Listen up and be
prepared for an awesome time! Keep in
mind that the information provided is only
a taster. If you have any further questions
throughout your time at Cambridge do
not hesitate to contact your college
welfare officers, nurses or tutors!
REGISTERING WITH A GP
The very first official TO-DO upon your
arrival is to register with a general
practitioner, a.k.a. GP! The choice of
medical practice does not matter, but
“location” should be your determining
factor since the GP will be your first point
of contact when you catch a cold after
swimming in the river Cam (you will
probably catch more than a cold if you do
that) or need any regular prescriptions.
Don’t forget to obtain a letter from your
college before going to the medical
practice and be prepared to battle with
10,000 other students who will also want
to register. You can purchase your
medicine from any drug store, most
conveniently at Boots or Superdrugs. The
current prescription charge is £8.05 and
aid may be provided for students in
financial hardship (ask your welfare officer
for more information). Similarly, you can
also register with a dental practice and
receive service at a nominal fee.
Disclaimer
for
International
Students: Depending on your course of
study, you may be asked to go through a
health check via the Occupational Health
Office, where you will be asked for
general information on your vaccinations
or previous check-ups. Make sure to bring
such documentation from your home
country, otherwise you might be asked to
have the vaccinations once again, and
unless you have a particular fetish for
needles, I wouldn’t recommend it. In
addition, although the NHS provides free
emergency care, some conditions may not
be covered. Please check out the
following website to find out more:
http://www.educationuk.org/global/articl
es/health/
SEXUAL HEALTH
QUIT SMOKING
Irrespective of your level of sexual activity,
it is always advisable for you to have
regular sexual health check-ups and luckily
there are two sexual health clinics at
Cambridge: one called the Laurels and
another at Addenbrooke’s Hospital Clinic
1A:
Want to stop smoking? Your GP will be
more than happy to help (they get points
for helping people quit :P). After your
initial consultation, the nurse will provide
you with nicotine replacements such as
inhalers, gums, patches etc. In addition,
CAMQUIT runs a great service with lots of
information and weekly support groups.
https://www.sexualhealthcambs.nhs.uk/i
nfo_laurels.phphttps://www.sexualhealth
cambs.nhs.uk/info_addenbrookes.php
The booking system for appointments is
very easy and I am sure you will find the
staff very friendly and helpful. Any
information regarding your visit remains
confidential and only you will receive the
result of your tests.
http://www.camquit.nhs.uk/
Also, don’t forget to order your quit
smoking pack from the NHS website,
which contains a useful information, and
most importantly a poster and lots of
stickers for you to mark your progress.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
MENTAL HEALTH
University life can often be overwhelming
for us all, especially in the first couple of
months. If you ever need any help
concerning stress, eating disorders,
counselling or any other aspect of mental
health please do not hesitate to contact
the University Counselling Service
(http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/),
which is an excellent resource for all
mental health matters. Alternatively, you
can always contact your welfare officers,
the college tutors and the college nurse
who will also provide the necessary
information. In addition, the following
local services also run at Cambridge:
The two main emergency numbers you
need to know are 112 and 999 either of
which will connect you to an operator
who will ask for the nature of your
emergency and will direct you accordingly.
DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTRE
The DRC is extremely friendly and helpful,
and the staff is fully equipped with the
necessary information on any issues with
disabilities. Please pay them a visit or
check out their website:
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/disabil
ity/
www.sane.org www.samaritans.org
BE SAFE!!!
FOOD AND
ENTERTAINMENT
Hello again freshers!!! I hope the
preparations are going well and that you
are excited about becoming a part of this
vibrant community. As the arrival date
draws near I would like to focus more on
the fun bits of Cambridge. This post will
hopefully appeal to your taste buds and
inner children!
CAFES
Cambridge is full of cafes to cater for the
growing number of tourists, sleepy
undergrads and thesis-focused grad
students. In addition to the corporate
brands such as Starbucks, Costa, and
Nero, you can always enjoy a friendly and
cosy environment in one of the
independent cafes on Mill Road e.g. order
fair trade coffee at CB1 or Black Cat, have
delicious pastries at Café de Paris, or
smoke shisha at Jaffa Net Café (shhh, it is
technically an internet café). Best places
for an afternoon tea are Patisserie Valerie,
the Harriet’s Tearoom or the Orchard at
Grantchester. About 30-40 min walk from
the city centre, Grantchester is a lovely
little village with the highest number of
Nobel laureates per square meter and a
famous tea room called the Orchard
where Virginia Woolf, Rupert Brooke and
John Maynard Keynes used to chillax and
drink their tea. Furthermore, do not forget
to check out the Grads Café at the
University Centre, with its stunning view
of Darwin and Queens’ Colleges.
RESTAURANTS
Cambridge is also blessed with an ethnicblend of mouth-watering restaurants.
Your gastronomic adventure should begin
with a full Turkish breakfast overlooking
King’s College, at Agora the Copper Kettle
(I am not biased at all :P). Some colleges
also allow non-member students to have
brunch or lunch in their own buttery and I
would highly suggest you try Queens’ or
Pembrooke. In addition, the Stickybeaks
and the Rainbow Café offer great
vegetarian options. You can also explore
the market for exotic foods e.g. an ostrich
burger on a Saturdays. As for dinner, I am
absolutely in love with Nando’s (chicken),
Pizza Express and Wagamamas. The local
gems include Efes (kebabs), Curry Queen,
Bedouin (Algerian), Loch Fyne (seafood),
Cau and St. John’s Chop House. If what
you are after is a culinary firework then
you should check out the one Michelin
star “Alimentum” and the two Michelin
stars “Midsummer House”; I guarantee it
will change the way you look at food.
NIGHTLIFE
Though every night has the potential to be
turned into a tunnel-vision pub crawl, the
end of the week is usually when grad
students finally manage to have some
time for non-academic activities (just a
tiny bit). College MCRs and bars always
offer a great deal of fun for cheap (around
2.20 a pint, yes, I can see your jaw
dropping). Browns, the Anchor, the Mill,
Cambridge Blue, the Empress and
Kingston Arms are great pubs to take your
colleagues and enjoy a pint of lager or ale,
and do not forget to check out the winter
and summer Cambridge beer festivals.
Another option is to stop by for a cocktail
at either the Snug, All Bar One, Vaults, Ta
Bouche or Baroosh. If you still have the
energy then get ready for a club night at
Lola Lo, The Place, Fez or Ballare (Cindy’s)
or Vodka Revolution (where the
Cambridge LGBT+ night called “Spectrum”
will be held every Monday).
ACTIVITIES
Cambridge also offers a number of social
activities. Make sure to check out the local
ADC theatre and the Picturehouse where
you can enjoy a romantic movie with a
glass of wine. Tenpin bowling at the
Leisure Centre, concerts and parties at the
Junction or a quick trip to London are
alternative options. For a quieter evening I
would suggest a bike ride around
Cambridge, reading a rare book at college
or university libraries, walking through the
zoology and Fitzwilliam museums or art
galleries, and my personal favourite
“punting on the river”. While some
colleges have boats on the river others
offer discounts with the private hires. The
CUSU Societies Fair will be held on the 7th
and 8th of October when you can sign up
for a number of sports clubs and cultural
societies.
Overall, I am sure you will always find
great activities and other people with
similar interests to enjoy them with.
Because grad students tend to be a little
more isolated, I would highly recommend
you to make some extra effort to meet
people, attend freshers events or organize
your own “monopoly nights”, and
generally just MAKE THE BEST OF YOUR
TIME IN CAMBRIDGE.