Culture Trip Week One: Here we go again!

Welcome back to another Cambridge term: let the chaos commence!

The start of term can seem very strange, so we have put together a list of all the essentials to get you through the Week One. Whether you have exams at this very moment (in which case, you should probably go back to work, but only once you’ve finished reading this article!), you have the urge to join a new society, or you’re on your sixth cup of coffee today, we have got something for you!

Album: Being So Normal (2018) by Peach Pit

*Inaudible classicist shouting as Alrighty Aphrodite plays* (Credit: Charlie Scott-Haynes)

Kicking off our return to Cambridge is Peach Pit’s album Being So Normal. With a light indie rock feel, this album is perfect for easing yourself into the start of term, whether that includes doing some revision, having a socially distanced picnic on Jesus Green, or catching up with housemates over some Franco Manca pizza.

This album also has a relatively short play time, so you can plan to work to it in short bursts!

Television series: Criminal: United Kingdom (2019)

Stan Shunpike is a surprisingly good detective. (Credit: Charlie Scott-Haynes)

Next up we have the Netflix series Criminal: UK. Filled with some of your favourite faces – David Tennant, Hayley Atwell, Kit Harrington, and more – this series is a gripping crime drama!

Follow detectives as they interview a new suspect every episode. The twists and turns will have you gripped from the start! This is a great series to start getting your brain ready for the new term.

Content warning: Please be aware that this series does contain mentions of sexual assault and abuse.

Film: Stardust (2007)

Michelle Pfeiffer as a sexy witch? Yes please (Credit: Charlie Scott-Haynes)

This fantasy comedy film is one of our all-time favourites! Who doesn’t want to see Robert De Niro as Captain Shakespeare?!

With a stellar cast, this is a brilliant film that is sure to chase away all those upcoming exam blues. It has everything: A pirate who sails the skies, romance, and (randomly) a bunch of princes named after numbers. What’s not to like?

Book: Red, White and Royal Blue (2019) by Casey McQuiston

Alex and Henry have my whole heart (Credit: Charlie Scott-Haynes)

Our pick for this week’s book is Red, White and Royal Blue. A queer romance that reinvents the election of 2016 (*shivers at the real memory*), it is heart-breaking, loving and everything in between.

The book follows the first son of the United States and the prince of England as they navigate politics, love, and sexuality. And if this doesn’t tempt you into creating a Jane Austen society, I don’t know what will.

Theatre: RSC The Winter’s Tale (2021)

Shakespeare is always watching… (Credit: Charlie Scott-Haynes)

This Shakespeare classic has been reimagined for the screen, and it is part of the BBC series Lights Up.  It was broadcast in April, but it is now available on BBC iPlayer: It is definitely worth a watch!

At two hours and 44 minutes, it is a long production, but it is a wonderful adaptation that shows the RSC at its very best.

Feel that theatre buzz from the comfort of your college room here: BBC iPlayer – Lights Up – The Winters Tale.

That is everything for Week One. Be kind to yourself as this term begins – you have got this!

Feature image credit: Charlie Scott-Haynes and Rachel Armitage

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• Eight ways to say you go to Cambridge, without actually saying it

• Top-notch tunes: We asked Cambridge students what music they listen to for studying

• Third time lucky? A Cambridge student guide to isolation after lockdown three