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Jesus College
“The College of the Blessed Virgin May, St. John the Evangelist and the Glorious Virgin St. Radegund, near Cambridge” is more commonly known by its other name – Jesus College. Tucked away from the tourist drag and set back on Jesus Lane, the old convent of the nuns of St. Radegund is probably most well known for its beautiful grounds and buildings.
A Jesus student
The buildings range from the 12th century College chapel and medieval cloisters, which are among the oldest buildings anywhere in the university, to the obligatory 60s concrete number. Accommodation, one of the College’s greatest assets, is probably the best to be found in Cambridge. In your first year you can expect to live in one of the main College courts in rooms ranging from vast ‘sets’ with separate bedrooms, studies and ‘gyp’ rooms (kitchenettes), to bed-sit rooms with communal kitchens, to en suite rooms, some with balconies. Recently the College spent £10 million renovating North-Court making them some of the most desirable student rooms in the College. Second and third years have the option to move into College house which are so close to College that they might as well be inside the walls.
Personal kitchen facilities have improved in recent years (though in some rooms they still aren’t fantastic) but if cooking isn’t for you then let the College cook for you. ‘Caff ’ is open everyday and the food is fantastic; weekly highlights include ‘your menu’ Mondays, Sunday Carvery and Saturday Brunch. If you’re looking to impress parents or just have a meal with friends, our very Cambridge ‘Formal Hall’, a three-course meal served in hall for under £5, would be perfect. After which you could head out and sample some of the City’s nocturnal delights or head down to the College bar which is extremely popular and always busy.
Jesus has a reputation for its sports but certainly not all ‘Jesuans’ play sports. But if you do want to play then a huge bonus is the onsite rugby, football and cricket pitches as well as tennis (inc. grass) and netball courts and gym. There’s a lot of College support for its sports teams which culminates in June with the major rowing event of the year which sees almost the entire College turning out to cheer on our boat club.
Best thing? The people
The College’s library is brilliant. It contains almost all the books you’ll need for your first two years, and many more specialised books for research topics, and, along with the computer facilities, it is accessible 24/7. Like the rest of College, it is a tranquil and open space full of artwork, providing a soothing antidote to the ravages of exam term. The library, and the College as a whole, is fully wheelchair accessible.
Past the bricks and mortar, the thing that makes or breaks a College are its people. The students are hugely active in all fields of university and College life and this is demonstrated through the strength of the JCSU (Jesus College Students Union) and the May Ball, which are both run by students. You’ll find lots of people who are like you and lots who aren’t, but with the strong collegiate atmosphere and its exciting eclectic mix of undergraduates, you certainly won’t fail to find friends.
Worst thing? Red and black are hard colours to dress with..