Girton

It truly feels like yesterday that we first arrived at Girton’s stunning premises for Offer Holder Day (or Freshers’ Week, if you were pooled...). It is hard not to fall in love with the red brick, the gardens (complete with an orchard!), and everything else the College has to offer in terms of space and facilities. And yet, when people speak about what they will miss most, though it may sound clichéd it is no less true: it is the people.

Perhaps it is something about Girton being a little farther out, or the friendliness of the College staff setting the tone, or its long history of tenacity and radical inclusivity. Whatever the reason, there is a warmth here that is difficult to pin down. I have always appreciated how this has shaped my College experience, but it feels especially significant now, in hindsight.

So many highlights have made our time here memorable: Girton Spring Balls, JCR Garden Parties in the sun, watching or taking part in bumps on the river, countless formals, late-night Schlub Wii sessions, and GADS pantomimes. And then there are the smaller moments: being greeted by a familiar, friendly face in the Porters’ Lodge after a night out, chatting over brunch in Hall, cycling into town alongside friends, or simply kicking a football around on the pitches.

All of this is to say: at Girton, both the small and the big have felt special. It is these moments, in all their variety, that will be dearly missed.

Elena Buermann

JCR President