- Address:
- Trinity Hall (map)
Trinity Lane
Cambridge CB2 1TJ - Telephone:
- +44 1223 332500
- Fax:
- +44 1223 332537
- Email:
- admissions@trinhall.cam.ac.uk
- Website:
- http://www.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/
- MCR:
- http://www-mcr.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/
- See also:
- Institution admissions pages, Graduate Studies Prospectus Entry.
Trinity Hall prides itself on being the friendliest college in Cambridge, and nowhere is that more evident than in its highly active MCR. The diverse graduate community forms approximately approximately 40% of the student body, and integrates well with the undergraduates, fellows and staff.
The MCR (extensively refurbished in 2010) is the focal point of the graduate community of Trinity Hall. The rooms have a selection of daily newspapers, weekly magazines and books available for perusal, as well as tea, coffee and hot chocolate in the communal cupboards. There is also a stereo system, a large flat screen television, and three computers with internet and printer connections available for members’ use. On-site lockers may be rented upon request.
Accommodation for graduate students is spread across various locations in Cambridge. The majority of graduates live at the Wychfield Site, located just north of the town centre adjacent to Fitzwilliam College. A range of rooms are available, including married couples’ flats and single rooms with en-suite facilities. A row of terraced houses in Bateman Street also provides a convenient southerly base for those wishing to be close to Engineering, Chemistry, Addenbrookes and the railway station. All sites include common rooms with televisions, as well as kitchens that can easily host small dinner parties. Canteen-style food is also available at Cafeteria three times a day during term at Central Site.
The social life of graduate students at Trinity Hall revolves around the weekly Grad Halls. These three-course meals (gowns required) are accompanied by pre-dinner sherry and post-dinner port in the MCR. College also holds regular formal hall twice a week, with both MCR and JCR members welcome. Once in Michaelmas and once in Lent, Grad Hall becomes a “Graduate Super Hall”, involving the fining of members by their peers, to raucous applause by all present.
Grad Halls are replaced with graduates-only black tie dinners several times a year: Matriculation Dinner (incoming grads only) and Christmas Dinner in Michaelmas term; Burns Night Dinner and St Patrick’s Day Dinner in Lent term; the Annual Dinner (fancy dress and keynote speaker) and Farewell Dinner in Easter term. Each of these dinners is traditionally followed by a bop (party/disco night with cheap drinks) or, at least once in Lent term, a ceilidh with traditional band. Twice a year, the Fellowship also invite MCR members to attend the “Graduates and Fellows Buffet” in hall, giving MCR members the opportunity to get to know members of the SCR.
The MCR Committee also organises wildly popular fortnightly cocktail nights during term, as well as formal swaps, film nights, international potlucks, wine tastings, and numerous other ents and excursions. In 2010, for example, the MCR hosted an Election Night Affair, a Eurovision Night, a screening of the football World Cup final, out of term Summer formals, Bowling and an extensive Freshers’ Fortnight Programme including a Pub Quiz, Restaurant Night, Pub Crawl, Be Our Guest Night (to name but a few). In May Week, the MCR also hosts its own Garden Party, traditionally taking place on the Wychfield lawns. This is in addition to the JCR Garden Party (held at Central Site, with MCR members welcome) and of course the Trinity Hall June Event.
The college library, the Jerwood, is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. With views over the Cam from nearly every seat, it provides a particularly picturesque study space for graduate and undergraduate members alike. Weekly McMenemy seminars, held just before Grad Hall, give MCR members the opportunity to hold talks on subjects of their choosing (generally research-related) to an audience of their peers; the MCR also hosts the annual Marshall McLuhan Symposium, which offers members a chance to showcase their research and participate in debate panels on a variety of pre-determined topics.