Downing
How to express the experience of being a Downing student over the past three years? I will attempt to summarise it by sharing some of the memories and moments of Downing that will stay with me. I will always remember attending the Cambridge Open Day as a daunted 17-year-old and stumbling onto the beauty of Downing, which opened up much like Narnia – its beautiful architecture, its breathtaking gardens, and the gentle hum of students socialising on the paddock. Sitting alongside my family in the famous Downing deckchairs, for the first time on that very overwhelming day I thought, "This is the place for me." What sets Downing apart is truly its community. Cliché as it may sound, it is felt in every corner of our cherished domus - in the warm smiles of the Porters upon arrival, the students who have built lifelong friendships, Rob at the Buttery and his infamous dad jokes, our friendly Master walking his dogs through College, and the joyful congregations of students every Wednesday at Keith's café.
Beyond our academic endeavours, we have all gained so much more than a degree at Downing, but an ‘education’ that has shaped us and will stay with us: the relationships, the new sports we tried, nights in our beloved "Maity Rob" library, the hilarious conversations made with strangers at formals, late nights drinking P&Ts in the Downing Bar, Downing “Blops” uplifting our mornings and the triumphant 2025 Downing May Ball.
Congratulations, fellow Downing students - we did it! We have achieved more than we ever could have imagined as those daunted young students walking in on Downing's open days. Only those who have been part of this precious community will ever truly understand what that means, and as we step out into the world, we must carry the same spirit we found at Downing into whatever our futures may hold.
Isabella Lawrance
JCR President 2025–26