Your Room -
You will either live "in College" in a dorm or in College-owned houses that are outside the main
College grounds. College dorms are either made up of (a) vertical communities called
"staircases," which have a couple rooms per floor, or (b) standard corridors, like halls at MIT.
Because you will be exchanging places with a Cambridge second- or third-year, you will most
likely get the room they would have had. Because second- and third-years usually get to choose
their housing earlier than first-year students, the room you get might be one of the nicest the
College has to offer. However, some Colleges may simply place you in first-year or graduate
accommodation. All the same, that could still be just as nice as anything the College has to
offer, depending on which College it is. The room sizes throughout the University can vary from
the size of a McGregor "coffin" to a room four times that size. You will not have a roommate, as
roommates are very rare at Cambridge (they only exist in some Colleges and even there, only
upon request or special arrangement). Along with the basics of a bed, closet, dresser, desk and
chair, some rooms may also have sinks, basic bedding, and en suite bathrooms.
In the summer before you leave for Cambridge, your College may send out a [freshers'] guide
for all incoming students that will give more specifics on what you need to bring. Most rooms
will come with pillows and either a blanket or a comforter/duvet (but no duvet cover). Some
Colleges will supply and change sheets once a week while other Colleges may have sheets to
rent. Often, though, the cost of renting linens can be high - around £25 a term - so it's probably
in your best interest to buy a cheap set at the start of the year. If your College doesn't supply
everything that you would like, no need to worry: sheets, lamps, etc. are easily purchased in
Cambridge. See section 3.2 for details about where such things can be purchased. Also you
might be able to sell these things to next year's CME students, so you might not end up spending
that much when it's all said and done. Ask a past CME student of your college for advice on
what the college provides.
- Kitchen/Kitchenette -
In general, rooms have a kitchenette (if not a full kitchen) nearby, with a shared refrigerator, a
hob with two burners, a microwave, and a sink. (Some Colleges put small fridges in each room.)
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You can cook pasta and soup easily, but anything else might be cramped. Still, some people can
prepare feasts with these relatively bare accommodations. The off-College houses and some of
the nicer rooms might have more extensive facilities, like an oven or full stovetop. Wherever you
live, you will at least have some access to minimal kitchen facilities, comparable to what you
might find in, say, McGregor. - Laundry -
Laundry facilities will either be located somewhere on College grounds or in your off-College
house. Prices vary from free to £2.40 per wash and dry cycle. Some Colleges also offer to clean
your laundry for free (within a given weight limit per week), returning it about a week later. - Security -
CCTV (Closed Circuit TV) cameras monitor many parts of College and University buildings and
surroundings (including off-College housing). In addition, College porters are monitoring
College surroundings most of the time, if not all of the time. Nonetheless, Cambridge University
is by no means a closed campus; in fact, it is much less so than MIT, as there is no defined
University "campus", with Colleges and departments scattered throughout the city. College
grounds, however, are usually fenced off and gated, and those gates are locked at night. Thus,
generally speaking, College grounds are more protected than MIT's campus. However, there
have been incidents of muggings and beatings around Cambridge (just like in Cambridge, MA).
The best advice, when you're out at night, is to walk in groups and well-lit areas. - Moving out -
You will most likely be asked to move out of your room during vacation times because many of
the Colleges rent out space for conferences and other functions. Generally you'll be allowed to
leave posters on the wall, but everything else must go. Most Colleges do provide a limited
amount storage space, but you may have to apply for it ahead of time. Or you can opt to stay in
your room during vacation (a fair number of MIT students do this over the break between Lent
and Easter terms), but you will probably have to request permission ahead of time and pay extra
rent for this period, £7-£15 a night depending on your room and your college. Also, staying over
vacation doesn't necessarily guarantee that you'll be able to keep your room. If your college
requests you to move out during this period, though, try talking to your tutor or the CME office,
especially if you think taking time out to move might interrupt your study schedule. As a general
rule to follow for the year, sometimes you'll be amazed at what you can get if you just ask.