I’m currently studying abroad at Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University. Cambridge is very different from Caltech, but its friendly students, strong academic culture, and an in-built community via your college all remind me of the best of Caltech despite being thousands of miles away from Pasadena.
There’ll be more blogs to come about academics, the college system, clubs, and general student life while studying abroad but I wanted to start with something of a more practical comparison — time and space.
I’ve learned a lot about Cambridge by coming to understand how students and professors here talk about time and distances.
So without further delay:
Across Time and Space, A Comparative Study of Caltech and Cambridge:
| Caltech | Cambridge | |
| “Not too far” | Going to open kitchen* from your room (<2 minutes walk) | Anywhere that is less than 20 minutes away |
| “Far away” | >3 minute walk | >20 minute walk |
| “SO far away” | Betchel (5 minute walk, at most) | >60 minute walk |
| “You’re late” | showing up within the first 30 minutes of the lecture | More than 5 minutes late |
| “I’ll be there in a bit” | Could mean 2 seconds (someone who lives down the hall) or 2 hours (someone who’s trying to finish a problem set) | Could mean 2 minutes (a short walk over) or 2 hours (someone waiting for the delayed train from London to Cambridge — this happened to me!) |
| “Do you want to get food off-campus?” | Walk 15 minutes to Lake Ave (where there are lots of cafes, shops, grocery stores) | [Off campus is not a real term because everything is located within the city, the question should be “Do you want to get food in town?”] Walk to a shop or grocery store <5 minutes away |
| “I’ll see you around” | I will see you outside Red Door** tomorrow, if not sooner | Never saw this person around town for the rest of the term |
| “I don’t want to go outside” | [It’s 90+ F and blazing hot outside] | [Pouring cats and dogs outside] |
| “It’s raining!” | Light drizzle | [I learned the hard way that no one exclaims this. Rain comes and goes, one must always be prepared] |
| “Alright, let’s get started” | Professor at 9:02 A.M. for 9 A.M. class | Professor at precisely 9:05 A.M. for 9 A.M. class |
| “Ok, I think that’s enough for today, we’ll continue this next time” | Professor at 9:59 A.M. after squeezing in a last proof in a hurry | Professor at precisely 9:55 A.M. |
| [First year late to lecture] | Running to class | Running to class |
Computer Laboratory (CL), the William Gates Building
12-minute bike ride, 40-minute walk
The CL is where all computer science lectures are held. There’s a cute cafe, lots of nice working areas, and large windows optimal for enjoying what little sun you can get. The top floor of the CL is the Intel Lab, which has desktops you can connect to (perfect for a two-monitor setup)! I spend most of my day at the CL, doing work in the Intel Lab in-between lectures.
Pictured: ground floor with the wooden doors in the bottom left leading to the main lecture theatre.
University Sports Centre
10-minute bike ride, 45-minute walk.
Also in West Cambridge, the Sports Centre is the main gym for the university. It is a large 2 story building with multiple courts, rooms for exercise classes, and a large gym area. I play indoor ultimate frisbee so I come here weekly for our morning training sessions.
(View from) The Corpus Christi Boat House
8-minute bike ride, 20-minute walk.
Along the River Cam, where the rowing club is located. A brisk morning bike ride to arrive here by 7 a.m. is the way I’ve been starting off ~2 days per week. Rowing is very popular in Cambridge so even early in the morning there’s quite a number of people out along the river. More on rowing and various societies (clubs) to come.
Corpus Christi Dining Hall
<1 minute walk
Very much like the dining halls you’ve seen in the Harry Potter films, Corpus students eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner here. At the front of the hall, there is a horizontal table where only professors and fellows of the college are allowed to sit (as compared to the three, long vertical tables for students). On the weekends, the hall is packed as there’s a wonderful brunch, which serves a full English breakfast. We also have fancy formal dinners in the hall, which is a waited 3-course dinner where students are required to wear formal dress and black gowns.
Taylor Library, Corpus Christi College
30-second walk
Right across from my room, the Taylor Library is open 24/7 to members of the college. It’s a bit dark and silent but always nice and warm, so conducive to intense study sessions.
And since we’re on the topic on time, I must include the Corpus Clock, a well-known attraction of Cambridge.
The Corpus Clock
1 minute walk
The Corpus Clock was unveiled in 2008 by Cambridge physicist Stephen Hawking. It’s a strange but beautiful-looking machine with a grasshopper-like creature, the chronophage, literally devouring time itself. The clock was created by John Taylor, an inventor of the thermostat controls for electric kettles and (thus, a very rich) alumni of Corpus Christi College. The clock is really interesting to learn about, here’s the Wikipedia page, but most relevant to Corpus students is that at the top of each hour, the time rings out through the Taylor library (pictured above) by the sound of a hammer hitting a coffin. The inevitable passing of time is impossible to escape.
With this lovely reminder in mind, the sun is rapidly setting and I must make the “not-too-far-away” trek back from the Computer Laboratory to Corpus Christi College.
Bonus picture of Corpus clock lit up at night!
[*] Both the North and South houses each have their own cafeteria, available only to students which is open for grab-and-go breakfast, snacks throughout the day, and dinner on the weekdays.
[**] Campus cafe, serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and food till 2 am for students
