General Admission in hindsight: an alumnus' advice
General Admission takes place this week. Wondering what to expect and what might come next?
We asked Daniel Edward (Corpus Christi 2011) what advice he would give to a graduand before their ceremony and where he is three years later.
How does it feel to graduate?
"At the exact moment of graduating – with the quiet click of the automatic camera to my right – I was both relieved to finally be off my feet and unsure of where to look whilst the Master said his incantations* conferring me the degree of BA Hons in Politics, Psychology and Sociology. It did not last long at all and very quickly I was being ushered towards the doctors' exit to collect my degree certificate and breathe a sigh of relief. I was much less nervous than I had expected I would be and inside I was beaming when I scuttled off with my certificate (I hadn't fainted, nor had I tripped over my gown when standing up from kneeling... and no one had noticed my illegal spotty socks)."
"But it wasn't until I saw my Directors of Studies waiting outside Senate House that I actually smiled openly - inside everything seemed too serious and proper for a grin, but the line of fellows from Corpus waiting outside Senate House to congratulate you added a good dose of frivolity to the end of what felt like a momentous morning."
*We'll leave demystifying the Latin to this handy guide on the Cambridge Students site.
I hadn't fainted, nor had I tripped over my gown when standing up from kneeling... and no one had noticed my illegal spotty socks.
What advice would you give to a graduand?
"The best advice I could give to a future graduand is not to stress too much about graduation - being paraded through town is surprisingly fun, the ceremony itself is fairly short (if your surname falls towards the beginning of the alphabet) and the atmosphere afterwards, on the Senate House lawn and back at College, has a great spirit to it."
"My second piece of advice – and I hope I took note of this myself – is to include your family as much as you can in the day. We spend month upon month cooped up in some library in Cambridge but family members still see the city (and University) with the same awe that we experienced in freshers' week. It's easy for us to overlook parents' and other family members' contributions and support to our time at Cambridge, so make sure those that have made the journey for graduation day feel like they're part of the celebrations!"
And what came next for you?
"After graduating I joined Royal Caribbean as an entertainment presenter. I work on board their cruise ships for seven months at a time hosting shows, events and activities all over the world. I have also spent some time volunteering with local radio stations and working on TV productions when I am in the UK. I'm a trustee at a local hospital radio station in London and won an award this year at the national Hospital Broadcasting Association awards ceremony. My aim is, and has been for as long as I can remember, to work as a presenter. I love the idea of being able to do a job where you are allowed to be yourself. I also enjoy putting other people in the spotlight and making them feel like a star."
Include your family as much as you can in the day. We spend month upon month cooped up in some library in Cambridge but family members still see the city (and University) with the same awe that we experienced in freshers' week.
What motivates you?
"I always knew I wanted to be a presenter. What I learned at Cambridge is that those who work hardest put themselves in the position to achieve the most. It's not about what your area of interest is, it's about how you apply yourself to it. My career goal is to do what makes me happy. For some it's money, for others it's status and prestige, for me it's how many people I can make smile in a day."
"I studied PPS and focused on psychology, which I absolutely love. If I hadn't already had the aim of being a presenter then my degree would definitely have led me happily into a career in social psychology. You never know, it might still happen! I would love to present some psychology documentaries and have set up a YouTube channel to help psychology students engage with the subject."
How has Cambridge shaped you?
"Cambridge taught me to think fast, to question myself and then think better. I also learned a lot about myself as a student, including important skills like time management and how to work effectively with other people."
"Having emerged on the other side and entered an unusual workplace where I am travelling all over the world, working with colleagues from over 70 different countries, I can see that the intensity of a Cambridge degree prepares you to apply yourself to whatever you choose. No Cambridge prospectus will ever say 'Study at Cambridge, work as an entertainer', but 'Study at Cambridge and be the best in your field' can be applied to us all. We've learned how to work for our achievements and that's an extremely valuable lesson."
See details of ceremony dates, what to wear and the practicalities of degree congregations