A naked torso leaned out of the second floor window of Great Court, and addressed me in a generic foreign accent:

‘How long is the queue for hall, can you see?’

‘Errr. Normal length?’

‘Pah.’

The torso retreated and the window slammed. There really are some very special people at Cambridge.

Not all, however, are special in the same manner as this particular impatient, uninhibited diner. Many, indeed the majority, are quietly and unassumingly exceptional. This is perhaps why I distinctly remember thinking, in my early days at the college, that an autograph book would have been of more use than my address book. I quickly established that a musician who ‘dabbles, mainly for pleasure’ took their Grade VIII at 10; anyone who ‘enjoys sport’ has at least represented their county, if not the country; and, in one memorable case, the kindly

white-haired man who expressed ‘an interest in Astronomy’ turned out to be the Astronomer Royal, and Master of the College to boot. It put into even greater perspective those few misguided souls who thought that a Fresher’s Facebook Group was a good place to post the edited highlights of their CV, although I remain to this day fascinated by which note you can reach in a U2 song, so please tell me again if you see me around college. That said, you’re probably unlikely to be found outside in daylight hours, so this may present quite a challenge.

Trinity Library is a haven of knowledge and academia. It is only after you arrive, however, that you realise how loath librarians are to actually lend their books. Thus I get the impression that, like a jealous husband whose wife is on business, the librarians lie awake at night during the (utterly counterproductive) one day loan period, envisaging their precious in the hands of another and muttering darkly. Suffice to say that, when checking out a book, I’m never sure if the cheery “back tomorrow!” is addressed to me, or directly to the book.

Hall is somewhat daunting to a Fresher, as you are greeted by portraits of Masters and notable alumni, Harry Potter-themed decor, and a stack of omni-damp trays. However, you soon adapt to this, realising that Byron didn’t even make it into the 100 Greatest Britons (another triumph of the popular vote – isn’t democracy fun?) and that, contrary to the beliefs of most ‘new-age’ arts students, it’s kind of silly to see everything through the lens of mediocre children’s fiction.

Even after you have got used to your surroundings, however, the hall queue is still an excellent opportunity to study all the characters and types at Trinity. There is great satisfaction to be

Issue No 19

The Independent Trinity Newspaper since 2007

IN BRIEF 2

MISS ADVISE 4

SPORT 8

Kindly sponsored by

travisty.co.ukWednesday 13th May 2009

A Fresh(er’s) PerspectiveRecently elected as our new Magpiety, and taken possession of an ancient stuffed bird, Jack Lewars knows better than most what a weird and wonderful place this college is. In a light-hearted look back over the past year, he demonstrates his ‘incalculable wit’ as he muses on his experiences as a first year and what he has learnt about our very own Trinity College...

Continued on the next page...

Alex Williams on the Great

Welfare Debate3

Trinity’sFashion

Icons5

2 IN BRIef Wednesday 13th May 2009travisty.co.uk

had in observing that every stereotype you envisaged before arriving is not only here but also dovetailing their behaviour to fit your expectations perfectly. Thus you encounter the mathmo doing algebra in the Hall queue (after all, what sweeter way to while away an idle wait?); the syntactically-challenged football team; the musicians, always gently humming, from a lack of showers if not from the oozing of their innate talent; and the RAG worker, looking paradoxically rather guilty (although guilt is wonderful motivation for the odd bit of charity work –

ask a Calvinist).

Ultimately, however, it is the variety of Trinity which is one of its greatest charms. After all the readjustment, bewilderment and confusion of settling into new surroundings, this is surely the most prominent message of the first year: get to know these people – after all, one day they might fail to make the 100 Greatest Britons.

It’s exam term and even I, the cheeriest of them all, am struggling to come up with tired puns to assign to the dedicated contributors to this newspaper.

However I hope that you can all take some time out for yourself to have a cup of tea and read this latest issue of Travisty. If you’re feeling a little too guilty for stepping away from your books, then just turn straight to page 6 where Cíaran Malik shares his tips on negotiating the pitfalls of library etiquette. Otherwise we have all our usual features, including Victoria Kleiner’s fashion column. In this issue, she is shining a spotlight on Trinity’s best dressed: maybe you or one of your friends is featured!

Editor’s Letter

Soumaya Keynes

If you feel we’ve missed anyone off our top eleven (not wishing to be boringly decimal), or if you have any thoughts about any of the articles, feel free to email me (er319). You can also email Miss Advise if you want some highly confidential (we always use nicknames), if public (but we do publish), advice for any problems you may be experiencing. However Miss Advise is not your only source for sensible and sensitive support in your time of need: TCSU has two excellent and flexible (well, they must be from all that yoga) Welfare Officers and this issue, we are hearing from Alex. The ongoing debate within college about the existence of MoT and WoT is still raging in the queue for Hall and on the pages of this paper.

Unfortunately this is all you’ll be hearing from us at Travisty until next academic year. I’d like to say a huge thank you to all those graduating who have ever written an article or even picked up an issue: best of luck for the future! Particular mention must go to Andy Brown who has kept me sane since I became Editor; he will be much missed.

Well, I’m off to doll myself up for the Travisty Annual Dinner – enjoy reading the rest of the issue and make sure to enjoy every scrap of sunshine this term!

Ellie xx

fulfilling as the chance to spend 3 or more years in this ancient institution can leave a lot of us feeling debilitated by the pressure to make the most of what’s on offer, and intimidated by the footprints in which we walk. As if that were not enough, some find the issue of being snatched away from familiarity to a brand new, strange and often foreign environment terrifying, and struggle to connect with new friends and a new way of life. Cambridge is, in my opinion, among the best equipped to help students with these transitional problems. Academic contacts, Tutors, Directors of Study, the College family system, indeed the college system itself offer a readymade, intimate welcome construct that provides multiple ways of engaging with college life aside from the more obvious and less formal ones. These institutions are familiar to most students of Trinity, yet the TCSU welfare department seems to remain fairly distant from many students’ lives, with some mystified as to what we even do. The unspoken question for many seems to be: ‘What on earth are the welfare officers even for?’

This is perhaps not that surprising, as the vast majority of our most important work occurs underneath the radar. We are on call for all and any students who might need us. Whether your problems are academic or personal, we are available for private and confidential council, and without a waiting list! This can take the form of an informal cup of tea and a rant, a more reflective problem sharing, or anything else you might need, and if a problem proves to be in need of a more professional ear then we are in a position to refer you to the University or College Counselling service or, in an academic situation, to approach your Tutor or DoS on your behalf. We are also responsible for the provision of sexual health support, and as such you are entitled to free condoms, lubricant, pregnancy tests, Chlamydia tests and rape alarms.

Come the new academic year, those of you who have volunteered to be involved will become responsible for a set of college children that the TCSU welfare department will have allotted you, and you will play a vital role in helping them to settle in during freshers’ term and throughout the year. We have sought to strengthen and develop this system by reforming it, and we are confident that by reinforcing it in this way we will be able to create a more consequential, permanent and reliable system of support for our incoming students, on whose interests alone this system must be built.

The recent splitting of the welfare role into two equal and cooperative officers – one male and one female – has improved the effectiveness of the welfare department exponentially, ensuring that a welfare officer of each gender is available every year, with both having shared responsibility for the entire student body. Put simply, we are the welfare officers who are male and female; neither one of us is restricted to our own gender group in the work we do.

Yet here in college, and more pointedly in society at large, there is a growing consciousness of the necessity to recognise that men and women often have very different requirements when it comes to welfare, in style as much as content, and that this requires a degree of diverse provision within the universality of our common community. Far from being arbitrary, gender identities are natural and empowering for both men and women, and far from being divisive they are mutually complimentary. Men’s spending some time with men and women’s spending some time with women does not lead to a community divided upon gender lines; it strengthens the fraternal relationships inside each group and in turn strengthens the bond between the genders.

As such the Men and Women of Trinity Societies offer an exciting opportunity to develop just this kind of communitarian and fraternal interaction between men and women, separate of each other, parallel and adjoined to (but different from) the welfare department.

Marie and I are determined to ensure that these societies provide a welcoming, supportive and friendly environment that transcends the usual fragmentations of the college social scene, and promotes more students getting to know each other. And while the two bodies can and will provide support separately, this does not make them mutually exclusive – collaboration between Men and Women of Trinity is already strong on an informal basis, and will only increase once MoT’s status is formalised.

As events are held, schemes launched and the societies’ identities slowly formed, we are confident that MoT and WoT will become a positive and vibrant part of Trinity life, that compliments and supports the already amazing community that we are so blessed with here. For ultimately that is our purpose – in providing help, advice and support both personally and through the aforementioned structures and systems, we hope simply to enable you to more fully take advantage of what is on offer, and as welfare officers and as presidents of the societies, simply to help you all get more out of your time here.

Wednesday 13th May 2009 travisty.co.uk tcsu 3

A Vision for WelfareAlex WilliamsMAle WelfARe offIceR

Besieged by essays and example sheets, pressured by exams and throttled by the seeming scarcity of time, the life of a Cambridge student can at times be an exhausting one. An opportunity as rich and

4 feAtuRes Wednesday 13th May 2009 travisty.co.uk

Miss Advise...Travisty’s resident agony aunt

What’s Hot

Dear Wanting in Wolfson,

Well, this is a tricky one, isn’t it? The main problem, of course, is the divide between you - socialising with the college staff is hardly a regular activity for most. Naturally, the more outspoken characters in hall might strike up a conversation with you and even eventually get to know your face - but this one sounds a little too in his shell for that.

You may well have to wait until next year, hoping he’s stayed on at Trinity and that he’s gained a little confidence over the summer. If you’re in college at all over the vacation break you might

Dear Miss Advise,

It all started at the beginning of this term. I came into hall for lunch one day and noticed a new addition to the kitchen staff. I’d guess he was about my age, probably in his first real job. I was instantly drawn to him with his boyish good looks and well-crafted hair. He was serving some of those delicious ‘noisette potatoes’ if I remember correctly. I asked for a portion and went to sit down, forgetting all about him.

But then last night I went to a formal to celebrate a few friends’ birthdays. There he was. Clearly it was his first formal, with the other staff giving him direction, though it didn’t seem to help his nerves. When it came to serving coffee, his hand was shaking so much he almost spilt it everywhere. How adorable! I rather wanted him to take my place so I could wait on him instead. Formal finished, and he was gone. Now when I go into hall I always hope he’s there. How on earth am I meant to do something about this? It’s not like people ever proposition Silvio!

Please help me....

Wanting in Wolfson

>> yogaAfter long hours spent hunched at our desks, pouring over text books and scribbling down notes, we all need a way to de-stress and unwind. And what better way is there than trying to twist yourself into complicated and painful positions in an attempt to find your ‘inner being’ and become at one with your body? All I can say is, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. You might find that once you’ve learned to breathe through the pain, you actually come out calmer, more focused and ready to revise!

>> puntingThe past couple of weeks, Cambridge has swung into full summer mode. And there’s nothing more tempting than blowing off revision for a few hours, and heading out of the library and onto the backs. When the sun is out, all you want to do is soak up the rays on river, with a punnet of fresh strawberries and glass of champagne. It’s just a shame that only the first-year Historians and English students can actually enjoy it without feeling guilty...

>> trinity LibraryIf there’s one term in which you’ll venture into the library this year, it’ll no doubt be this one – the library is most definitely the place to be. But unfortunately you better get there early as seats are filling fast. It is in fact so popular that librarians are taking measures to prevent people from reserving a space and there have already been heated contests over certain seats …let’s hope things don’t get ugly.

>> SeLf check outSAs if by magic, they appeared. Gone were the long queues, the endless waiting only to be met by the blank faces of bored cashiers. They had arrived. But now, with an even more annoying voice, persistently asking you ‘Have you swiped your Nectar card?’ and to ‘Please place the item in the bagging area.’ Don’t those touch screens just make shopping so much more fun though?

Email Miss Advise with your problems attravistymissadvise@googlemail.com

even pop into hall and see him. There probably won’t be many people around, so this could be the chance to try something - even just asking how he is.

The other option, of course, is to discover his name, stalk him on Facebook and find out where he goes clubbing. Not that Miss Advise could ever suggest such behaviour....

Miss Advise

Wednesday 13th May 2009 travisty.co.uk feAtuRes 5

What’s NotTrinity’s Best Dressed

There are, of course, many reasons we should feel proud to be Trinitarians. Not only are we one of the oldest colleges, but our architecture is consistently impressive (save perhaps for Wolfson, but even that icon of sixties idiocy has its supporters) and everything a fashionable student could possibly need is never more than a five minute walk away. But the style and fashion sense of those living within the many walls of this college is a subject that has been too often ignored.

So, in a bid to remedy this appalling neglect, Travisty presents a highly subjective, and by no means exhaustive, list of the best dressed in college, in no particular order. Those featured had to stand out from the crowd in some way, either by an innovative use of colour, or by personalising a piece they wear, and, of course, by appearing elegant and stylish whatever the occasion (or lack of). So congratulations to those who made it onto the final list out of many nominations...

Will Kynan-Wilson: Deserves high marks for his bold use of colour and innate sense of style.

Lucas Krupp: Wears anything and everything well - could step into a photo shoot at any moment.

Jules Chou-Lambert: Responsible for bringing the gentleman’s scarf back into fashion.

Robert Thomas: Always immaculately turned out, even in

the early mornings, when this particular correspondent is trying to avoid being noticed in her dressing gown on the same staircase.

Max Hayward: Cravats - that says it all.

Guy Stagg: Wears white tie with the air of a 1920’s gentleman out to enjoy an endless night of champagne and waltzing.

Taymoor Atighetchi: Adds a personal twist to traditional styles.

Margaret Walker: Brilliant and bold sense of colour.

Georgia Hart: Always the height of style - and full marks for wearing heels during the day!

Marie Louise Frevert: Endlessly fashionable - always looks ready to step onto a yacht in the South of France.

Sarah Durban: Classically elegant - pearls are always right.

Victoria KleinerfAculty of fAshIoN

>> the apprentice While this season’s Apprentice has proved to be incredibly entertaining, it does make you wonder at the supposed business know-how and entrepreneurial talent of these people. I suppose there isn’t really that much difference between Cedarwood and Sandalwood essential oils... only a few thousand pounds. But I’d hate for the BBC to have intentionally dumbed down the programme this year; after all, the last thing we need is another reality TV show that’s run one too many series and lost any kind of quality it might once have had.

>> St. john’S crippS buiLdingIt’s that awful modernist block by the river – grey, square and uninspiring. Even if it has now got a Grade II* listing from the English Heritage, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s totally out of place in its ancient surroundings, and that it puzzles every tourist who is told by their punting guide of its historic and architectural merits. But still, this is St John’s we’re talking about – not every college can have a Wren Library, I suppose.

>> Swine fLuFor the hypochondriacs among us, the last thing we needed during exam term was the prospect of a deadly influenza pandemic. Every cough and sneeze sets us on high alert, there is compulsive washing of hands and general social distancing at the slightest mention of an illness – so please, would you mind covering your mouth when you cough, at the very least?

>> Skinny jeanSEnough is enough. Girls, let’s face it, our bodies weren’t meant to be all straight up and down. We have something called HIPS. And it’s just depressing when you catch sight of a GUY, yes a GUY, who has managed to squash himself into jeans that are SKINNIER than yours. I say, bring back curves this summer.

The Travisty Committee

Editor.......................Ellie ReedsDeputy Editor........Jase TaylorWebmaster............Pete CalvertTreasurer............Nathan Kettle

This Issue’s Contributors

Jack LewarsNatasha PesaranAlex WilliamsVictoria Kleiner

Chris DeaconSoumaya KeynesCíaran MalikJamie Rutt

6 Wednesday 13th May 2009 travisty.co.uk

Surviving the Library:Top Tips from an Old-Timer

cíaran MalikBooKWoRM

I might not have come anywhere near the top of my Tripos, but I’ve spent a lot of time in the library. With my time in Cambridge nearly over, I thought I’d take the opportunity to offer up some advice, taken from five years of experience. Here are a few tips for those of you new to the trials and tribulations of library survival in the run up to exams.

1) Claiming a space. The librarians are going to try their hardest to spoil your plans of marking out an area for yourself. Make sure you come in early, lay out some writing and for that ‘I just left for a moment’ look be certain to put a pen on top. Fool proof.

2) Claiming a ‘taken’ space. There are an awful lot of suspicious looking desks where people look as if they ‘just left for a moment’. With so few windows in the library there is going to be a lot of competition for a seat with a glimpse of the real world. If you really want that desk, stake out a desk nearby, if they aren’t back in an hour I say its fair game, shift their stuff and move in. For added authority, get friends and move in together!

3) Avoiding death-stares while talking. Libraries are meant to be silent and you will get some nasty looks the second you open your mouth. If you’re feeling lazy and can’t be bothered with leaving to carry on your chat, try pointing to a page of writing while you talk. It should buy you an extra ten minutes of conversation before the huffing and puffing begins.

4) Sharing the joke. YouTube usage during exam term rockets as people look for a quick distraction from work. If you’ve found something funny, it’s your responsibility, nay your DUTY to show anyone who looks up at you.

5) Sitting diagonally. If you join someone who is sitting alone on a table then you can’t sit opposite them unless all the other seats are taken. It’s the rule.

6) Late night snacks. I’m not supporting or encouraging sneaking food into the library. But if you have skilfully made it past the watchful eyes of the librarians, then the spoils should go to everyone on the table. This is also useful for making more friends in the library who won’t steal your seat and will fight to the death to protect yours from being taken.

7) Going for breaks. If you’re just getting some water, going to hall or going to play a quick round of Mario Kart you have to invite everyone you know on the way out. It helps make those breaks more fun... and you’ll look really popular as you walk out with several people in tow.

8) Avoid first year English and History students. They sit their exams at the start of term (which don’t even really count) and so will be done by now. They will come in the library to write essays and read, but don’t fall for their tricks: they don’t understand the stress you’re going through.

9) Actually leave the library every so often. Some of you may have already seen me this term walking in and out of the library every couple of hours, and on more than one occasion I’ve felt the burning stares, silently screaming ‘you can’t just saunter in, only to leave again in an hour!’ at me. But you’re the same people who I’ve caught having a whispered conversation in the library for 10 minutes. Why

Wednesday 13th May 2009 travisty.co.uk 7

Heard it on the Radio

CUR1350, the student radio station for Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin Universities, was awarded a community FM licence by OFCOM (the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries) on Tuesday 17th March 2009, after broadcasting on AM wavelength to Cambridge since 2001. The station is now gearing up to re-launch as a new community radio station aimed at bringing together all students, staff, academics and alumni from both universities.

With big plans to revolutionise student life in Cambridge, CUR1350 aims to be the number one place for information for all students, from societies and sports teams to advice and up and coming events and live music. The team currently behind CUR1350 have worked closely with OFCOM and various student community groups to secure the coveted community radio licence which will see the new project launch on FM radio in Fresher’s 2010. Until then, it will continue to be broadcast on 1350AM and online at www.cur1350.co.uk

This will be a very exciting time for everyone at CUR1350, from presenters and the news team, to management and the advertising team. As the station becomes a 21st Century Media Hub, it’s the perfect time to get involved. For more information on how to do so, visit the CUR1350 website.

Station Manager Martin Steers was responsible for overseeing the licence application: “This is representative of all the hard work and dedication from members of the station, presenters, teams and the management committee over the last few years. A big thank you has to go out to all that has been involved past and present.”

The latest round of OFCOM licensing could not have fallen at a better time, with CUR1350 celebrating its 30th Birthday. Founded in 1979, the then Cambridge University Broadcasting Society set up a series of restricted licence broadcasts from the basement of a graduate house at the city’s Churchill College. Eventually reaching AM radio waves in 2001, the now “CUR1350” has grown to include the communities of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin Universities, becoming the UK’s number 1 student radio station in 2007.

Simon Ruggles, Head of Communication and Community Liaison added “Our team are extremely dedicated and are already working on providing exciting and relevant content for our community, to support the on air effort soon to be heard on FM around the city. It will be a very exciting time for us and hopefully our listeners, old and new!”

CUR1350 currently broadcasts live to Cambridge on 1350 AM and to the world from http://www.cur1350.co.uk.

Listen to Trinity’s very own Oli Stratford every Saturday, 8-10pm, in the ‘rarely cited radiotelegraphy show’, And the Villain Still Pursues Her.

CUR1350 – the Radio Station for Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin Universities, is Cambridge’s only radio station aimed specifically at students, staff, academics and alumni of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University. It is an entirely independent broadcasting service, presented, engineered and managed by volunteers. And now it will be available to an even wider audience because it’s going FM!

!

stay between the soul-sucking shelves when you can have your break outside in the (occasionally) nice weather? Step outside: together we might avoid that horrible stage of exam term where the library seems less like a calm workspace and more like an asylum with each passing day.

Hopefully my pearls of wisdom will be a stepping stone on the path to studying success and will help you negotiate the minefield of Trinity College Library. All that remains is to wish everyone (except those who’ve already finished, you know who you are!) the best of luck with their exams – I’ll see you on the other side!

8 sPoRt Wednesday 13th May 2009 travisty.co.uk

Trinity CricketAnd so Easter term begins and, whilst most are putting their heads down and running to the library, a foolhardy bunch while the hours away out on the cricket pitch at Old Field. The cricket team is a diverse bunch. We’ve lost count of the number of years old timers Simon Rees and Imran Coomaraswamy have been on the college scene. Meanwhile the fresh faces of Freshers Chris Williams and Danny Crosby have swiftly been inducted into the team.

Recent years have been something of a golden era in Trinity cricket. I think it would be fair to say that there is no single outstanding performer. Rather the team consists of a group of solid and dependable players, all of whom have contributed to the team’s success. Most sides seem to have one Blue or regular Crusader in their ranks but the Trinity team has been consistently overlooked. This is despite the side dominating College Cuppers in recent years. The superb victory in 2007 was followed by a runners-up performance in 2008. The signs so far suggest that this year could see more of the same.

The side’s success has been built the strength of its bowling unit. Whilst most sides only have 2 or 3 quality bowlers the Trinity side regularly features 7 or 8 bowlers that would fit into any other college side. The batting is solid with regular contributions from Charlie

Pearson, Rupert Wilson, Simon Rees, Chris Williams, Graham Sills, … and so the list goes on.

So if you’re looking for something to do, a break from exams, or just want to spend some time soaking up the sun then pop down to Old Field and come and let us provide some entertainment. Better still, get in touch and don your whites. New players are always welcome and we’ll make sure you get a game at some point

Jamie RuttBoWlINg us oVeR

COMPETITION RESULTSLast issue, we asked our readers to spot the ball. Here’s the photo with the ball included: congratulations to Josh Erde and Nathan

Kettle, who were joint winners. Their guesses were the closest so they each received a delectable chocolate football.