So long Cambridge, it's been fun!

So that's it. I'm officially a graduate! I have a BA (Hons) Economics from Cambridge... 

Well, that was not an easy three years.

My Facebook is currently filled with statuses of "congratulations to all, I have made some wonderful friends, you have made my time special etc. etc." and I really do mean all of these things too but I thought that if I wrote a (very) long paragraph about how great all my friends are that would sound quite cheesy. So I'm going to be concise and sum it all up in two words that you can usually hear me say (not usually together though):

Yay Cambridge!

Some of the Trinity College Econs together - this was when the photographer told us to 'look like we liked eachother'. So we did.

Before I go any further, I've got to warn you that this is a really long post and you might fall asleep before the end. So I'm going to put the video that was going to go at the end here, whilst you still have some patience. I know I know this actually is quite cheesy but something in me thought that it would be less cheesy to put it in my blog than directly a link on my facebook. Please don't judge me I'm a sentimental person!

Congratulations to you all! :)

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The day before actual graduation, we had graduation dinner provided by college. To whoever took four macaroons when they were being passed round (yes, you!) - I hope you feel bad because the people on my row never got one!

This was in the great hall in Trinity (where we have formal hall a few times a week) and the master of college makes a speech about our time at Trinity and he made a dig at those going into the City (er...oops). We all squashed to sit next to our Director of Studies to chat, make toasts to the Queen and the graduands, eat and be merry....

The Economists with our summy berry pavlovas. We always have to wear gowns during formal dinner but the Master was really nice and let us take our gowns off since it was BOILING in there. 

... although we couldn't get too merry as we had to be up for a graduation photo at 8.15am (ungodly hours for a student after exams are over)...

During the rehearsal of the ceremony, the Prolector (the 'father of the college) taught us how to bow, courtesy, and hold his fingers.

Yes, we have to hold the Prolectors fingers in the ceremomy - something about him giving us electricity?

Cambridge tradition, I dunno. Obviously only 4 people go up at a time to hold his fingers, since no one has a 200 fingered tentacled hand. 

Anyway.

After all of this finger holding rehearsal business, the Head Porter leads the procession from Trinity college to Senate House (where we graduate), with his staff and top hat and gown, followed by the chaplain and the Praelector...

... followed by us little 'uns!

In the ceremony in Senate House, after all this finger holding malarky, we kneel in front of the Master of College who says some things in Latin and we smile and he smiles and everyones smiles and then BOOM we're magically graduates.

And that's it!

The Master coming out of Senate House. Behind pinned up on those boards by the windows are our exam results. Sometimes, your friends find out your results before you do (*ahem*).

Phew, after writing this I feel like I've graduated twice.

My boyfriend graduted in the afternoon (I was in the morning) as he's a different college to me. That's why we also have different coloured gowns! Trinity in one of the two Cambridge college that have blue gowns instead of black - clearly because we are better! :p

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Ah, I can't believe it was only yesterday I was offering my first set of brownies to my new first year friends all those years ago. 

By the way, have you finished listening to the Vitamin C graduation song yet? I'll give you a few seconds whilst you grab a tissue. One for me too, please.

Thanks for everything, Cambridge! I'll miss you!

Yes, that is my dad and I in the above photo, but I figured he should make an appearance as he's dedicated a whole blog to me, so I'll er, dedicate 1/12th of a blog post to you dad! (He has a red hood as did a phd here and I only have a lowly Bachelor's degree :S We do have some photos of us looking normal, I promise.) 

Thanks mum and dad for supporting me!

Alimentum

p.s. I went to Restaurant Alimentum with my parents, my cousin and her boyfriend for a celebratory dinner. Here are some photos of the meal. How can I sum up? ..... experimental. A bit strange, even for my taste buds. But beautiful presentation and definately worth a try (though maybe go for the fixed price menu which is cheaper). They did apply for a Michelin star which they originally didn't get, but my friend said that they have since gotten one.

Since there were five of us and five choice from each course we coordinated so all of the dishes were ordered :D Here are a few:

Bar snacks whilst we were ordering. They were parmesan cheese profiterole balls and sweet popcorn. Kind of felt like I should be watching a movie.

Amuse bouche - courgette mousse with olives and feta cheese.

My mum's starter - Pork Head and cheek, pineapple, peanut and chorizo. This was nice!!

My starter - English Asparagus Goats' curd ice cream, smoked hazelnut, morels.
The smoked hazelnut was some kind of crunchy sweet praline topping, which was turned into a savoury ice cream topping for the goat's curd ice cream, I guess. I didn't really understand this starter, I must say.

My cousin's starter - Quail with mushroom, lentils, pear, pinenuts and wild garlic

My mum's main - Lamb rump and belly, broccoli, almond and cous cous. 

My main - Roasted halibut, butternut squash, cabbage and pumpkin seeds. It was a bit salty but the butternut squash puree was nice. 

My dad's main - Beef sirloin and cheek, onion ash, red onion and carrot. There also was a pot of mashed potato served separately where I think the onion ash was. My dad said the onion ash tasted liked Chinese picked cabbage.

I don't think I will ever understand why these fine dining places like to puree things and put foam on everything. Foam belongs in the bubble bath, not in my tummy.

Just a note though - we paid £43 for two courses from the a la carte, £10 more then advertised on their website. I don't know if this is because they hiked prices up for graduation or because it's an old website, but for that price it's worth checking out Cotto (£45 for three courses) and Midsummer House too (£40-over £100 depending on the menu, not bad for two Michelin stars and a very pretty conservatory!).

But otherwise, it's worth a visit if you go for the fixed price menu (before 7pm), which is a lot cheaper!

Restaurant Alimentum

152-154 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8PB

01223 413000

http://restaurantalimentum.co.uk/

p.p.s I WILL do a blog post about Trinity May Ball and may week soon! And unlike the daily mail/sun/telegraph, my post about it will actually be correct ;)