Spring 2018
Pembroke Street
Issue 9
CONTENTS Notes to My Freshers’ Week Self 4 PoohSoc 6 Pembroke Fails to Visit Another College 10 Pembroke People : Helen Jennings 14 Sporadic Soup 18 Spring has Sprung 20 Cambridge’s Best Doors 22
2.
welcome to our
spring issue With spring comes new beginnings, and this has never more true than after this year’s relentlessly grim winter. The magic of Pembroke blanketed in (real!) snow for days on end couldn’t stop some students breathing a palpable sigh of relief when the sun finally re-emerged and breathed new life into College. Pembroke Street magazine’s recent history has been one of glittering success, and Charlotte has done a fantastic job of reviving the magazine and turning it into something Pembroke students actually want to read! Hers will be a tough act to follow, but as the new editor I am so excited to see what Pembroke Street’s writers and contributors will continue to produce. I hope that the magazine will continue to showcase the talent and creativity of Pembroke students. Going forward, I want the magazine to highlight the wacky and wonderful things we are all are up to, and celebrate the accomplishments of the people we study and live alongside. If you’d like to contribute to our next edition, keep an eye out for commissions posted on Facebook through the ‘Pembroke Street Contributors Group’. Additionally, if you’d like to pitch one of your own ideas, message me on Facebook or email me at csl47@cam.ac.uk Poetry, short stories, and art submissions are particularly encouraged! We are also happy to advertise college societies or initiatives if you’d like a poster printed in the magazine. Thank you so much to everyone who’s written for us this time around, and to Phoebe, the brains behind Pembroke Street and the reason why the magazine is so unfailingly beautiful.
Happy reading,
Catherine 3.
Even classicists don’t fu understand what grac before formal actually means. “We learn to read latin not say it!”
What Pembroke has really taught me:
notes to my
freshers’ week self
1.
If you don’t remember bop, don’t worry, you probably didn’t miss much.
A life ban from Fez does not spell the end of the world. I may never again sweat out a night’s alcohol intake in a Moroccan themed human-cesspit, but am I that bothered? Not really.
2.
It IS possible to
sleep through a 2pm
lecture. No, it wasn’t the end of the world - I’m
a humanities student, baby. Yes, I do regularly get 12 hours of sleep (Cambridge is stressful: don’t judge)
3.
Under pressure, I type faster. I can
procrastinate and do barely anything for five days, but the last 24 hours before a deadline? Boy, can I smash those keys.
4. 4.
Going to lectures is probably a good idea, if only for the fact it makes you
wake up before 10am. (see advice regarding 2pm lectures)
ully ce y
n,
5.
You CAN walk on the grass, as long as you do it when no one’s watching.
6. Two people in sleeping in one single bed is uncomfortable at first,
but you do get used to it. Or, like a certain Pembroke Street contributor, you can bring up a spare mattress so you never have to share a bed with the dregs you brought home from Life.
7.
It is very possible to go a whole
24 hours without interacting with another human being in the
bridge. Don’t do it, you’ll go insane.
How much port is too much port!
There is a definite limit to how much port one girl can handle, and it is considerably less than what was consumed in my last attempt.
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8. You’ll forget
how ridiculous a lot of your life here is,
until your family visit for a formal or you try to explain to your home friends that you share your ‘gyp’ with your ‘staircase’.
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PoohSoc Pembroke Street talks to Cal Hewitt, first year Pembroke NatSci and revitaliser, if not founder, of Pembroke’s PoohSoc Hi Cal! For readers that don’t already know, how would you describe Poohsoc briefly? PoohSoc is a group of individuals who are all passionate about Winnie the Pooh and the works of A.A. Milne. We meet together every once in a while for a little elevenses, to eat some honey directly from the pot, for tea and biscuits, and to have readings from the works and sing hums. It’s a very eclectic mix of people, we tend to do different things every time, for example we play Poohsticks now and then, although generally our tea parties are our main mode of meeting, but I suppose there’s not one single thing we do all the time.
So what how many people does this slightly more modest turnout involve? It’s probably, just at the day to day meetings, between five and ten. Although we have had one or two which have drawn a larger crowd, so the maximum is closer towards thirty, but generally
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between five or ten on average.
So, who makes up the membership of PoohSoc? Is it more of a Pembroke thing or a Cambridge wide society? The membership is predominantly Pembroke, at the moment we have one recurring member who is from another college, but we have had a couple come from different places, especially at our first meeting which proved a very small scale viral sensation- we had people turn up from all over the place! Since then it’s mostly been a slightly more modest turnout, mainly from Pembroke.
We meet together every once in a while for a little eleve nses, to eat some honey directly from the pot . . .
So you didn’t create PoohSoc, you merely revived it. How did you find out that there had previously been a PoohSoc at Pembroke? I think personally the first word I heard of it was from Pembroke College’s website, it was one of the main things they were using to try and entice people to applying to that college over all the others, and I guess you’ve got to come up with some funky things to beat all the competition… But generally it seemed to be something that was very known about when I arrived, and there were certainly a few conversations about it at the beginning of they year, so people had found out somehow, but I’m not exactly sure how! Perhaps in the older years there was a bit of crossing over, so between those college parents and the people who were running it originally, but I’m not exactly sure how everyone came to know about it. But it certainly was still a bit of a presence in the college and there was a general feeling of tragedy that it had gone dormant.
So, how much do you know about the old PoohSoc? Was it run similarly to its modern incarnation? We know very little, or certainly much less than we’d like to, but what we do know is from fragments of their website that’s still available on the internet archives. We know that they did some similar things- there are mentions of meetings with tea, and playing Poohsticks in the cam, but in general, no we know very little. So if any of our readers could put us in touch with someone, we’d be very thankful.
“It’s a very eclectic mix of people, we tend to do different things every time, for example we play Poohsticks now and then” 7.
hmmmmm . . .
We know you’re a fan now, but when did you personally start liking Winnie the Pooh?
President in a democratic sense! Elections will continue every year, but I have some kind of
I don’t think I can put a specific age on it, but certainly as a child. I must say the very first Winnie the Pooh I liked was the Disney version, and I suppose as President of the society I’m a little bit ashamed of that as I think the official position is that it’s something of a bastardisation of A. A. Milne’s work. It was certainly a nice way in, and then I began reading the books as a child, and yes, I’ve always had a certain fondness for it but I don’t think I can put an age on exactly when I started loving it, but certainly quite young.
and there’s a number of other positions: we have a treasurer and a hums officer, and Kieran has appointed himself to the post of Tigger (of course with a mandate). I’m not entirely sure what the position of Tigger entails but I’m sure he’s doing a very good job of it.
When I saw the first Facebook post for PoohSoc, it was written by you and signed off something like current dictator or unelected President… Has PoohSoc now made a successful transition to democracy? We absolutely have! I’ve got in front of me the scribbles from a very brief meeting- they had elections, they now have a bustling committee, and I was finally duly elected as
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mandate for the moment. Hannah’s [Hannah Arnaud, first year English] our Vice-President,
So what’s a Hums officer? So that’s Sam MacDonald, who lives just across from me, he’s a music student and as I’m sure you know the books are full with little hums: short pieces of poetry that Pooh comes up with off the top of his head. They come to him rather spontaneously but the books very much suggest that they are hummed to some kind of tune rather than simply said aloud, so Sam’s main role is to try and discover, through very close analysis of the books, the tunes that Pooh did in fact sing these hums to- he’s been doing a lot of work on it!
And what are your hopes for the future of PoohSoc? I’ve certainly got great aspirations for it! I think it will be very exciting come the summer because people will be more inclined to come out and spend a bit more time picnicking than they would over the last term, weather wise, but we certainly want to have some kind of event in May Week, maybe a May Week Winnie the Pooh party? But it’s still incredibly speculative for the minute.. There are a number of sites of Pooh interest around Cambridge and beyond Cambridge that we’d like to run expeditions to at some point in the future, for example Trinity College library have copies of a number of the manuscripts. It’ll be very interesting to get in touch with the library and go and see those, so perhaps getting out a little bit more, some exhibitions maybe…
“ Sam’s main role is to try and discover, through very close analysis of the books, the tunes that Pooh did in fact sing these hums tohe’s been doing a lot of work on it!” And finally, how can people interested in joining PoohSoc get in touch? Well, we did have a Facebook page but that didn’t really work, but there should be a group on Facebook fairly soon… But the most reliable way is to get touch with any of us in Pembroke if you see us around! We’re always happy to welcome new members!
People will be more inclined to come out and spe nd a bit more time picnicking than they would over the last term . . .
9.
Pembroke fails to visit a nearby college Eve n n ature agrees! P staircase is the pot of gold . . .
by Anna Mochar, Cal Hewitt, and Prune Corel Devoted readers of our previous columns may be puzzled by how we choose to give each college the rating we do. Be assured it is by no means arbitrary, and our system is actually quite simple: each college is compared to Pembroke, our benchmark and ideal. Over this vacation, far away and wistfully thinking back to our new-found home, it seems only right to show you all why Pembroke holds such a fond place in each of our hearts.
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Pitt is a lways th ere for a fr ie ndly ch at.
t? n a l p a n an a b g n i y ’s t D I ! e k o br m e P t a e m o s Not h g rou h t g n i o jus t g . t n e m h s i rb u f e r f e i br
Naughti ness i s al l o w ed here - w e can acce s s a ll areas . 11.
, y l g n i Amaz s i e k o Pembr r e i t t e r eve n p . m o o in bl 12.
The Blob is an outlier, bringing Pembroke’s perfect 8 star rating down to 5½ and should not have bee n counted.
The sun will never set on Pembroke. It on ly bathes it in golde n light for great photo opportunities . 13.
Pembroke People:
Hele n Je n nings by Catherine Lally Pembroke is never left wanting for impressive students. Even though juggling a Cambridge degree in itself is not a joke, Pembroke consistently manages to produce over-achievers who go out and take Cambridge, and the rest of the world, by storm.
This is the first in our series of speaking to Pembroke students doing genuinely interesting things. Helen Jennings is a second-year law student, and is currently organising her own academic conference entitled, “The Development of Abortion Rights in a Changing Europe,” which has already been featured in a Varsity video and in TCS. She’s also a keen thesp, with a run at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer, and is a former JPC vice-president.
She describes the conference as touching on “one of the foremost human rights issues facing citizens of the United Kingdom and Ireland today” - “the provision of abortion services for women, including the extent to which one can consider abortion a ‘right’.” She adds that “ the conference will be entirely focused on the legal frameworks in place, their interaction with human rights law, and the potential of recent legal and political developments and litigation to change the law.”
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Jennings also wanted to make it clear that the conference “will not be a propagandist or partisan rally - issues will be dealt with openly, conversation and debate will be sparked and hopefully both our audiences and speakers will come away having heard new and insightful perspectives.”
“We take this even-handed perspective as integral to the conference’s organisation. We do not want to live in an echochamber of opinions; such conditions are not conducive to expansive thought in any academic field. Diversity among participants appears to be a key theme for Jennings, as the conference will “welcome paper submissions and [have] panel spaces open to both ‘pro-choice’ and ‘pro-life’ lawyers, academics, and postgraduate researchers.’
She adds that what unites those on her team “of differing opinions within the abortion conversation” is “the desire to generate constructive debate and new academic content on this issue.”
“We take this even-handed perspective as integral to the conference’s organisation. We do not want to live in an echo-chamber of opinions; such conditions are not conducive to expansive thought in any academic field. She adds that what unites those on her team “of differing opinions within the abortion conversation” is “the desire to generate constructive debate and new academic content on this issue.” Helen also acts as a student trustee on CUSU’s board, is general editor of the Cambridge Law Review, and is a legal researcher for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. She cites this as her proudest accomplishment at Cambridge beyond the conference, saying “it’s exciting to do work which can really make a difference in the wider world, which is also what we’re trying to achieve with the conference.”
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Support for the conference has also come from within college, with Jennings remarking: “Pembroke has helped me every step of the way with this venture. “This began with my first meeting with my DoS, Nick McBride, who has always been generous with his advice, and has culminated in the Pembroke Development Office helping us to host our crowdfunding campaign for the conference on Pembroke’s Hubbub Page. “Emily Johnson in the Development Office is a true hero, whose input and support has been invaluable to this project.” What Helen has on her plate sounds like enough to exhaust any Cantab, but she says she manages it all “with a ridiculous scheduling system and lots of support from my wonderful team, friends, and family.” And of course we had to ask, what’s her favourite thing about Pembroke? “The people, of course!”
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Gyp Eats:
Sporadic Soup by Kitya Mark & Lata Persson Some argue that the second week of a fresher’s first term is more daunting than the first. With the ‘prescribed fun’ of JPC-run activities over, and the lovely workloads already piling up, this can be an overwhelming experience. For two Pembroke freshers, it was the start of something magical. Bonding over the slightly disappointing gyps in Orchard Building, and the discovery of the extensive microwavable soup selection in ‘Mainsburys’ helped spark the start of the now very well-reputed Instagram account, Sporadic Soup. The team here at Sporadic Soup are immensely proud of how far we have come since second-week-Michaelmas. Our
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Instagram page boasts of statistics that regular millennials could only dream of. With 215 followers, an average of 56 likes per soup review and an average of 8 views an hour, Sporadic Soup has exploded onto the Instagram scene. With the follower base expanding from Pembroke students to a University-wide fan base, Sporadic Soup now has a national cult following. But how, an avidsoup-lover-Pembroke-Street-reader might ponder, exactly are the reviews conducted? Despite operating on a student budget, here at Sporadic Soup our taste tests are orchestrated in a professional, standardised and controlled environment. We have one chief taste tester who tests every soup to ensure consistency within the reviews.
Each test is carried out in W5 to control temperature, humidity and ambiance. (Feedback on the soup is discussed, from texture/consistency/portion size/colour to connotations being taken into account.) At Sporadic Soup, we believe the vibe of the soup is as important as its taste. Whether you are looking for a winterwarming minestrone, or a colourful butternut and chili, our soup photoshoots and articles are meticulously planned and executed to ensure you have the best tools at your disposal for your next bid at Sainsbury’s soup-choosing.
We believe the vibe of the soup is as important as its taste
Sporadic Soup now has a n ation al cult following
‘evide ntly a soup-perb As our fan base grows we are looking to expand into the meat soup range, as we believe that it is essential to cater to all in the soupey market (more details to be released soon. We are keeping our precise future plans as a soup-rise). With rumours of a sponsorship from Sainsbury’s and a food van appearing at the Pembroke June Event, Sporadic Soup is ‘evidently a soup-perb #insta page to follow and a company to watch’! (Forbes 30 women under 30)*
#insta page to follow and a company to watch’
(Soup test tasting will soon become a ticketed event. For details about tickets or if you want your soup featured on Sporadic Soup please contact Kitya or Lata for further information)
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Cambridge’s Best Doors By Andrew Jameson “As one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” This phrase is attributed to Alexander Graham Bell, and provides insight into such vast and complex themes as life, opportunities, and doors. I’d like to focus on this last one, because I often think to myself what a poor description Bell gave of how doors tend to work. Don’t get me wrong - as you close one door another may very well happen to open, but I think expecting this to always occur is frankly not a reasonable way to look at doors. Therefore, through a poorly-designed segue, I’ll be using this article to shine a light on Cambridge’s doors and which I deem to be the very best using my arbitrary scale. You’ve had bridges and clocks, and now it’s time for a review of Cambridge’s best doors – as you can see, it’s a tightly logical sequence. But before I start, you may well be expecting some puns (the key ingredient of any review) and don’t worry I can handle the situation, but we must remember that this doesn’t mean an article’s worth should hinge on its puns alone. Up first is this Trinity door which has a lovely semi-circular set of steps before it, two finelooking pillars on either side and an ornate decoration above. There’s also a roomy alcove before the door and while alcoves are not everyone’s cup of tea, I think they can be a nice feature.
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Now I know what you’re thinking: that’s all very well and good Andrew, but what about the door? What about the door indeed, for I’m afraid to report that it’s hardly a beautiful specimen. Lurking in the shadows is a rather old, shabby and just unremarkable door. One wonders whether the vast array of decoration is simply a form of distraction. 5.92 / Over-compensating decoration
This door in Peterhouse does a pretty good job at being a door, with a neat symmetry and elegance. One thing I would like to briefly discuss is the keyhole. I understand that this particular design of keyhole may not appeal to everyone but overall, I’d say I’m in favour of it. I think it’s a nice, eye-catching feature and has a nice impact. Although some may still say that the door is a bit plain and dull, I’d like to point out the caution sign which warns of changing floor levels. If changing floor levels doesn’t say danger and excitement, then I don’t know what does. 7.8 / Keyhole controversy And here is a door that I found in Gonville and Caius on Google Street View (as a serious journalist, I decided to write a review of places in Cambridge while not myself being in those places). At this point you probably think I’m starting to scrape the barrel - but just you wait until I review barrels. I’m not quite sure what’s behind this door, but I think that just adds to the mystery. Because, yes ‘F’ could just refer to an alphabetical labelling system but it could also refer to many other things, like ‘Fiefdom’, ‘Fishery’ or ‘Folklore’. 8.? / The unknowable nature of doors, ourselves and the universe
While there are, indeed, many more doors that I would adoor to review, I feel that’s probably enough for one article – there is, after all, only so much time I can justifiably spend reviewing doors. So did we find the best door in Cambridge, or did we maybe find ourselves along the way? Maybe we found neither of the above things, but there were at least some puns involved. With that, I also draw to a close the trilogy of these strange Cambridge reviews. “Trilogy?” you ask with a furrowed brow (and if you’re not asking that because you don’t care, humour me). I suppose you’ll just have to read the next issue to find out whether there is another review, because who knows what will happen. I certainly don’t…
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