Helpful Hints for Anyone Thinking about Cambridge Summer School.

Helpful hints for those of you thinking about coming to Cambridge

1. Read the books at the library before you get to Cambridge. They will help immensely, and it's not worth paying $200 per course when you can't bring them abroad anyway. Rest assured, they will have a good library here for you to borrow from, and a good faculty one that you can photocopy once you have an idea of what you want to do. Sign up for online downloading of materials; that way you get your book lists as early as your professors hand them in.

Bring your laptop. DO IT.

2. Bring your laptop. DO IT. It won't get stolen or broken if you take good care of it (especially if you are living in Wolfson court, since it's not a tourist hotspot). It's not worth going to the computer lab, which closes at 8pm, if you're doing three or four essays. Bring your Ethernet cable from IUP, it works here. Some colleges (older ones) you have to pay extra for internet. I'd say just pay it if you must. Email your essays to yourself, and print them out at the computer lab. You get 200 free sheets of paper.

3. Don't procrastinate. There's a lot to do here in Cambridge. Tours, talks, fun, pubs, etc. If you're here to do essays, make sure you do your homework first...

Sounds simple but it's tougher than you'd think.

4. Don't buy an adapter. They don't work. Wait until you get here to get a laptop adapter (available in a place called Curry's Digital, which is by the open air Market Place...ask around for it). It costs 8.99 pounds. Bring appliances with batteries (alarm clock!!) Make sure your laptop can handle 240v. Usually the cable you have will have a box on it somewhere; read it. If it can't handle it, buy a new cable with a converter built in before you leave the States. It's worth it.

5. Pay as you go cell phones are around 40 pounds with 5 pounds free time built in. I didn't buy one because you can buy 5 pound phone cards from the porter and call from the building. If you're only staying for three weeks...get used to not using your phone. They're not very popular here in Britain anyway (it's nice). People don't go walking around talking on them all the time. If you need one, though, they're there.

6. There ARE atms (cashpoints in british) that don't have any charges. One is NatWest, which is across from Borders and Boots near the open air market. Don't use any exchange places...make sure you get some cash before you get to the airport.

7. The open air market has the cheapest stuff. T-shirts, gifts, postcards, fresh fruit, etc. Just go there, trust me. The stuff on king's parade is waaay overpriced.

8. Get your coach ticket from the airport BEFORE you get to the airport. I spent 35 pounds on a two way ticket, but I didn't know you can get drastically reduced prices on the National Express website. It's called "funfare" I believe. About 4 pounds to get from London Heathrow to Cambridge.

9. Lunch...it's a tough situation. I brought PB from the states (they don't have it here...) and wanted to make myself sandwiches. The problem is that the bread you buy here goes bad in two days. I don't know why, but it just is. (At least, from the supermarkets anywhere remotely close to where you can walk). I bought aluminum foil and started taking food that I didn't eat from breakfast for lunch. Cold hashbrowns, yay!

10. Refill your water bottle. Buying it gets expensive.

11. Bikes cost 35 pounds and you have to put down a 40 pound deposit. You can decide if you want to risk your life for faster transportation. Riding your bike gets hairy in town. It's very crowded. But if you live in a place far away from town and the Sedgwick site (like Wolfson Court) you might want to get one.

12. Maids will clean your room. I personally don't like this (they move your things and threw away some water bottles that I planned on refilling...besides, I'm very clean and like my privacy). They will make your beds and change the linen every week. You CAN put up a note to make them leave your room alone, though. But they will go in once a week to clean. HIDE your things. It's annoying to see that your things have been touched/moved. If you're picky like me, that is.

13. Go into King's College Chapel. It's amazing. 2.5 pounds, but worth it. In fact, take a formal tour and buy a small guidebook (costs 1 pound at the chapel). It'll make you appreciate Cambridge more. Visit the Museums, and have a good time.