Freshers’ Week in Pictures

The first week of term is almost behind us, and hopefully our new students are settled in and getting used to Pembroke life.

Freshers' week, the annual tradition of welcoming new students with a series of enjoyable events from bops to society squashes, is over.  As usual both the Junior and Graduate Parlours put on a week of events to welcome new students and introduce them to College life and each other.  Starting, of course, with brunch on arrival weekend, and ending in true GP style with back-to-back cake, pizza, and games night, it's a busy week for new and returning students alike. Here's a look at some of what's been going on:

The Dean's tea party

Arrivals weekend is a flurry of moving boxes, checking pigeon holes, and working out exactly where everything is.  The Dean's tea party is a moment of relative calm, where students and families can have a cup of tea and catch their breath before diving straight back in to the business of moving to Pembroke.

The Freshers' Squash

So called because it really is a squash to fit over thirty societies and all the interested students into two rooms, the freshers' squash is a chance to sign up for societies from Football to Pie Society. All the societies are run by students, and there's an impressive range.  The more well-known societies, like rowing and rugby, the Pembroke Players and the Collage society, rub shoulders with bridge, badminton, basketball and board games.

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The Matriculation photo

Matriculation is the key event that takes place in the first week, in which students become members of the College for life. Once matriculated they are officially part of our College family, and each year gather on the library lawn for a photograph. Many current students and alumni will remember being marshaled into place by the Head Porter, while trying to make sure their new gowns are properly positioned.

There are tours of College, and of Cambridge; charity sales run by the Graduate Parlour, and a picnic run by the 1347 committee. The boat club puts on a Big Rowing Day, inviting freshers to experience rowing, many for the first time.

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There's plenty of cake, plenty of drinks, and more than enough dinners to keep a student going.  There are workshops, tours, sports trials and society nights (like the inaugural meeting of the Jo Cox feminist society, pictured below). All in all, an extremely active week!