Semester Abroad Embracing Tradition at Cambridge

Semester Abroad
University of Cambridge, Pembroke College 

One of the most remarkable elements of my time abroad at Cambridge was the continued embrace and preservation of tradition. When I first stepped foot in Pembroke College, I was struck by its neo-gothic architecture and expanses of perfectly manicured green grass. As a devout Harry Potter nerd, I couldn’t help but feel as though I had just entered Hogwarts. Upon walking further into college, I noticed a small sign at the edge of the lawn reading, “Stay off the grass.” As I would learn later, no one was allowed to walk on the grass except for the fellows of Pembroke College. For fun, students would dare each other to walk across the lawn, causing the porters of the college, who operate simultaneously as gatekeepers, rule enforcers, and sages, to chase after them. Politely, yet quite firmly, the porters would scold the student, telling him to get off the grass immediately. This represents one of a myriad of traditions still alive and thriving at Cambridge.

Despite being a short-term study abroad student, I became a fully matriculated student at Cambridge, which gave me the opportunity to join the ranks of a historic and cherished community. On an evening in my first week, all of the study abroad students donned their black, billowy gowns and formal attire for Matriculation. We lined up in alphabetical order, and upon cue, we entered a wood-paneled room, the walls of which were adorned with oil paintings of important historical figures. One by one, we walked forward to sign a book containing the name of every Pembroke College student dating back to its founding in 1347. Reaching to dip my quill into the inkpot, my hand quivered as I was struck by the awe and ceremony of the moment. After signing my name, I shook hands with a fellow of the college, which signaled that I was officially a Cambridge student.

Although I loved them all, my favorite Cambridge tradition was Formal Hall wherein students once again wear their black gowns and formal attire and enjoy a three-course meal in the main dining room. Transformed from its daily appearance, the three long wooden tables are covered with white tablecloths and candles. After settling into my seat and chatting with my friends, I suddenly hear a gong resonate. The room is filled with the sound of wooden chairs scraping against the stone floor as all the students stand in honor of the fellows entering the room. The master of the college recites a poem in Latin, the same poem that is read at every Formal Hall. As I look around the room, I can’t believe this is real. I feel as though I’ve stepped back in time, and I love it.

During my time at Cambridge, I was amazed by how a deeply embedded sense of tradition juxtaposed, yet peacefully coexisted, with cutting edge academics, which perennially sought to discover new phenomena. In such an environment with one foot in the past and eyes pointing toward the future, I blossomed as both a student and individual.