Freshers' Parties
Read the report from the 2013 Freshers' Party Workshop
During the month of September, many of our volunteer-led Alumni Groups hold parties for new students who have been given a place at Cambridge University.
Parties are held by both UK and international groups. The primary aim of the parties is to introduce new students to other new students. In addition to new students, the attendance of current First Year students is a great opportunity for experiences and knowledge of Cambridge University life today to be passed on. This experience may be a very different experience to what it was like for many of our Alumni Group members.
There is no standard format for the parties and it is entirely up to the Alumni Group to run and organise each event. The Cambridge Alumni Relations Office (CARO) will assist in passing on information to the colleges so that their new and current students can be invited to attend. Invitations are usually sent out alongside a students acceptance letter or with their student welcome packs.
Freshers' Party Feedback
Over the years we have received some great emails from students saying how helpful they have found these parties and how much they appreciated the opportunity to meet others who were coming up to Cambridge. We also find that the Alumni Groups who take part in running the Freshers' Parties also enjoy doing so.
"This continues to be one of the best things we do - really heart-warming - especially to see some quite painfully shy youngsters who don't know anyone exchanging contact details and/or going off to the pub afterwards"Â We finished at 8.00 and this year I think just about all of them then went to the pub"
Felicity Rutland, organiser of the Cambridge Society of Oxfordshire's 2012 party
"The Cambridge Society of North and West Yorkshire held its second Freshers' Party of the year, this time in Bradford on a miserable wet day, but, more importantly on a day when roads were closed and the trains were running very erratically because of the floods in that part of West Yorkshire. Despite all that, 11 Freshers turned up, together with 3 Undergraduates - one who had been to a Freshers' Party in Cumbria last year and two who hadn't been to a Freshers' Party before. Conversation was at a high level from the start as the Freshers arrived steadily and everyone mixed and circulated so that the members of the Cambridge Society present had very little to do in terms of organising the group. The undergraduate who had been to a Freshers' Party last year quietly and effectively circulated to help ensure that everyone made the most use of the evening. All of those present enjoyed the evening with several volunteering to come back to help next year, and the Group members who helped also found it a very satisfying evening."
Jack Forrester, organiser of the Cambridge Society of North and West Yorkshire's party in Bradford
"The Cambridge Society (Cumbria) held their second Freshers' Party on Monday 17 September and as we had a few Freshers who were from the same school we were concerned that they would group together and may not mix. In fact everyone got on remarkably well, ate all the nibbles and drank much of the wine and ignored our end time of 7.30"Â We finally chased them away soon after 9pm."
Kay Larkin, organiser of the Cambridge Society Cumbria's 2012 party.
"Although our party was on a very rainy day in Newcastle, with much flooding in the area, I was pleasantly surprised by how many students attended. The students proved a hardy bunch and a good time was had by all who attended and I am sure that it helped those who were slightly nervous about starting at Cambridge."
Nadine Strettle-Brown, organiser of the Northumbrian Cambridge Association's 2012 party
"Our Freshers' Party on Wednesday 19 September was a terrific success"Â It always is - the Freshers just make it so. Meeting this year in a venue very close to Great Portland Street Station, some 200 school-leavers, perhaps a little apprehensive, found themselves immediately bonding with one another. They had a thoroughly good and noisy time for 2 hours as they chatted amongst themselves and also to the ‘Student Helpers' who had generously come back at the end of their first year to tell the new boys and girls 'what it's really like'. Our Chairman said a few words of congratulations, our good friends Jan Pudney and Anna Wright from the Cambridge Alumni Relations Office were in support, the bar was open and the Freshers seemed to thoroughly enjoy the evening and make some valuable new friends."
Alastair Gourlay, organiser of the London Freshers' Party
"Thank you for organising and hosting the Fresher's Party in Reading on Tuesday 25 September. I had a great time meeting and getting to know the other Freshers and I found the evening very useful. I would also like to thank you and the Berkshire Cambridge Society for providing money and refreshments for the evening, which we all highly appreciated. Thanks again, I will definitely be recommending the Reading party to next year's Freshers."
Charlotte Lovegrove (Christ's)
"I'm writing just to say a massive 'thank you' for the London Freshers' Party, which I really enjoyed."
Michael Dunn Goekjian (Trinity)
"Thank you again for your hospitality last night - it was a fantastic opportunity to meet people since I didn't really know of anyone going. I'm sure I'll get involved with the Cambridge Society again"
Fresher who attended the Oxford Freshers' Party
"Thank you very much for organising such a lovely party. Thoroughly enjoyed it and met some very nice people who I will look out for when I arrive in Cambridge. The food and drink was delicious. Thank you again."
"I'd just like to say thank you for the Freshers' party last night. It was really nice to be able to meet other people and chat. Thanks. "
2011 Freshers' Party in Sussex
"I would really love to help and share my first year experiences with the new students, I feel my first year was definitely challenging and if I was to start all over again I'd do things differently."
Krupa Dodia (Queens' 2010)
"I went last year, and found some lovely people who I'm still friends with this year. I think it was extremely useful."
Nelli Orlova (Emmanuel College 2010).
2011 First Year Student Helpers
"We had a lovely time - as always. Lovely young people, very appreciative, polite etc. Very happy to keep doing this - it's one of the best things we do."
Felicity Rutland, Cambridge Society of Oxfordshire
2010 Freshers' Party Organiser
"I was very pleased when I received the letter; I am sure many new students, like myself, feel a little anxious to start at Cambridge, and the opportunity to chat with students already studying I'm sure will settle some nerves and give some tangible notions as to what it will be like at Cambridge. Many thanks"
2010 Attended Freshers' Party
"I would like to thank you very much for organising and hosting the going up party last week. I was naturally a little apprehensive arriving without knowing anyone and not knowing what to expect but I am so glad that I attended. It was such a wonderful opportunity to meet other Cambridge freshers before going and will no doubt be valuable when I turn up at Pembroke already knowing and recognizing a few people. The atmosphere was lovely and I felt at my ease almost immediately, despite not being such an outgoing person. I would definitely recommended the going up parties to anyone I knew going next year. Thank you very much for such a great opportunity, as well as the time and effort you put into organising and hosting the event. "
2009 Attended Freshers' Party
