I’m only at Medwards hun I don’t want your pity
Pooled and proud
Being pooled to Murray Edwards may have been a shock to me, but the biggest shock was the reactions I get when I tell people I'm at a college over on the dreaded dark side of town. Full entirely of women. The horror.
This might be more of an extended Grudgebridge, but I want to try and dispel some of the misconceptions about being at Medwards. The "all girls thing" is great, thanks for ALWAYS asking.
"Where even is Medwards?"
Funny enough we do still have a CB postcode. It is still possible to access education beyond Magdalene bridge.
"Awww, I'm sorry"
Don't worry, no need to apologise, we're all at the same University studying the same degrees, I just have to walk a bit further up the hill to get back from Gardies.
"I'm guessing you were pooled"
Yes, I was, but you may be horrified to find that some of us actually applied directly to Medwards! I understand the confusion though, it's hard to believe that anyone would voluntarily insert themselves into a place that is actually this nice.
"Awww, pooled kids gang!" "Drink if you were pooled!"
Yep, no problem, are you wealthy Johns boys going to pay for those drinks?
"I personally wouldn't have come to Cambridge if my offer was from an all girls college, aren't you deprived of dick?"
(Yes, someone genuinely said that). Funny enough, I didn't actually go through two years of A levels for three years of back-to-back endless sex, but you do you.
"I would've turned down an offer from an all boys college"
How historically illiterate, thanks patriarchy!
"So, are you like, big into the feminism thing?"
Didn't you know? When you sign up to be a feminist it is a requirement that you must be surrounded by other women for 50% of your time to qualify.
"Did that put you off from accepting your offer?"
I am ashamed to say that for me, at first it did. But I can now say that I don't think I'd have been able to handle the intensity of Cambridge if I wasn't at Medwards, surrounded by such positive people. Obviously not everyone is lucky enough to have the same experience here that I've had, but it sure would be helpful if other people weren't so disapproving (or at least kept it to themselves).
We weren't all pooled, we don't all salivate at the sight of a man walking the halls, and Medwards is actually a pretty cool place to be. So please, stop feeling sorry for me, the grass is only greener because you’re not allowed to walk on it. Except here, we can.
P.S. thanks to my fellow "bra-burning feminists" for the input.