Reflecting on my time at Cambridge

Applying to Cambridge? About to start at Cambridge? Perhaps I could interest you with... the reflections of someone on the other side.

I finished my degree in Psychological and Behavioural Sciences (PBS) at Emmanuel College in 2020. But it went by so quickly, I never had the time to collect my thoughts about the experience. Today I am proud to say that I finally have, so WELCOME to a discombobulated set of reflections about choosing to study at Cambridge University. Do I regret my choice? Better watch and find out.

I'm sure I'll have forgotten something, so if there are any more topics about Cambridge you'd like me to cover, I'm all ears!

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro
0:32 Culture (the Cambridge Bubble)
1:52 People
3:06 Social Life
4:29 Colleges
6:45 Support Systems
8:38 Careers
9:58 Diversity
11:50 Drinking Culture
12:58 Cost

Who am I? 🙋‍♂️
I'm Francis, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at Oxford University. I previously did psychology degrees at Cambridge (Undergrad) and UCL (Master's). I upload videos every few weeks about psychology, university life and occasionally self-improvement.
Feel free to have a browse of the channel🫶

For enquiries, please go to:

[FrancisMadden]

So I finally graduated from Cambridge after finishing 1.5 years ago🥳 let's spill some TEA.

[borderlands]

Young people who are already networked by school and professional family ties, will have those connections reinforced by Oxbridge's networks. The rest need huge personalities to break into those networks, or academic brilliance that makes new ties. Larger than life personalities tend to succeed whatever their academic background - or lack of it. Genius is absorbed into Oxbridge structures. Given the workload, it's difficult to see how short terms of intense study allow for the creation of networks while maintaining academic rigour in conventionally bright, unconnected students.

[MiaTesta]

the bit about networking and just not really knowing how to do it!! yes. i just didn't know how to make use of the resources and i feel like that's definitely another subtle disadvantage we face. i was at oxford (also from a low income background) and found a lot of it super weird lol. congrats on graduating finally - i'm still waiting on mine!! (also big relate to the algorithm only liking our oxbridge content lmao)

[kinchan]

hahaha i love this subtle sarcasm towards life at cambridge - we definitely have this bubble in oxford as well :D - great video bro!

[driftingsnow]

Excellent work, Francis. The Bubble has changed in some ways since the early 1970s. It appears that a lot of what I experienced myself there as an innocent lad from Up Norf hasn’t changed in the last decades, It also appears that there have been some big changes, both good and bad from my viewpoint. I’ll be seeing some of The Bubble myself over the weekend: I’ll be joining some friends from the College for a 50 year reunion do. Certainly, you *can* make friends for life there: I did. Your thoughts on an early start to thinking about a career were spot on based on my experience. The best advice I got was from the Careers Advice service. Half an hour of their time and it changed my life, for the better. It’s never too early to get in a bit of thinking about the future, and never is a good time to stop.

[Knappa]

I agree with most of what you said. The eight week term was a mystery even to an antique like me when I was there many moons ago. Why do they have to make students juggle everything to keep a precarious balance?
Make the terms 10 or 11 weeks so as to keep academic rigour while allowing for a richer social life to take place alongside.

[bugsbunny]

I feel like this is the only Oxbridge video where you really break down in depth all aspects of Cambridge life, as a student. You actually talk about the societies, which is something I've always been attracted to, but how hard it is to manage those and do the work – all in eight weeks. What really surprised me about the video is how you said the Cambridge Union is overrated. I don't think I've seen a video where the Oxbridge student talks about the Union. I had no idea you actually have to pay to attend the Union and what's even worse, you're not guaranteed to get a spot, even if you waited for like, 2 hours. I thought that anyone who attended Oxbridge had a free entry to the Union.

Based from what I've read and from other videos I've watched, what sets Oxbridge apart from other universities is the collegiate system, which I think is pretty neat studying with like-minded students in this tight-knit community. All of the other points you talked about are very much like in any other university. What really intrigues me about Oxbridge is the architecture. I wish more schools looked like it (and not some concrete block), I think it really helps with the motivation to study in a place with such beautiful architecture. At least I still attend a uni where some buildings still have a Harry Potter-esque architecture, haha. Thanks for making this video, now I feel better in never getting into Oxbridge – two unis I've never even applied to (as an undergrad at least), haha. At the end of the day, they're just universities.

[Olivia-ezwy]

I’m headed to cambs uni this Saturday for the first time so this was some really good insight to have ty man!!!

[anishadebnath]

I don't know why you aren't a bigger channel already so I have done my part and subscribed 💪 I'm applying to one of the postgraduate programmes at Cambridge for the next academic year, but I have no hopes of getting. Nevertheless this video made me feel a lot better in terms of looking at the university with less romantized eyes.

[sneezingyogurt]

Thank you for this video!!! I found the videos you’ve shared very eloquent and engaging, just subscribed :) looking forward to more psychology-related contents from you!

[teostudies]

This is such a good and genuine video! It will surely help lots of future applicants approach Cambridge with the right expectations. Well done! 😊

[gatsbyz]

You voice is pretty. Speed is very good. Very smooth!

[normancoutts]

All very even handed it seems to me and interesting to watch. Cheers.

[Kiara_Wrestler]

Good luck to everyone reading this. You can do this you will have a great time 😃

[forceninewinds]

many years ago when I was applying for universities I wanted to go to Cambridge but didn't apply for many reasons, not least because I come from a working-class background and went to a state school. I ended up at a post-92 university in Canterbury and it was the best decision I could have made, it provided all the pastoral support I needed, the challenges I wanted from the History course I was on, and tutors who knew their stuff.

I would say to anyone applying to university is to look outside of the Russell Group as well as within the RG, sometimes the 'lesser' universities will be the best one for an individual and even more so when it comes to postgraduate study.

Oxford and Cambridge have come a long way in the last decade or so, but compared with other UK universities they still have a long way to go. I just hope they keep going and don't regress.

[Likes_Trains]

Wish I had watched this half a year ago!
I just started here this year, I'm in Homerton college and it's dawning on me how inconvenient the location is. I'm heavily regretting choosing it :') Didn't get the chance to visit Cambridge before getting my offer.

I'm missing the traditional Cambridge life, hoping I can get a taste for it somehow in my time here.

Anyways, thank you for this video, it's great to hear your experiences!

[Rami]

I really like this video, I had a misconceived notion that Oxbridge students were total snobs but this helped to change that toxic way of thinking. However, looking at your LinkedIn profile, I can definitely say that the academic profile of students that attend hasn't changed one bit haha. Greetings from an engineering undergrad at Manchester.

[LukeFaulkner]

Was it really £150 to attend a single event at the Cambridge Union? Back in 2009 I paid a similar amount at the Oxford Union but that covered lifetime membership and enabled me to meet several of my heroes in person (Vladimir Ashkenazy, Roger Moore, etc.)

[thecharlesmc]

cambridge local here! re 'reality checkpoint' lamp post; it was to warn the drunks that they have to appear sober as there's a police station very close by.

[jamesfarley]

Literally NEVER noticed reality checkpoint! Fab video as ever! 🎊