01:19
We're sorry to hear our poll has been fixed: "Anonymous tip off : I'm currently watching a serious fixing of the poll. Stable Yard is Corpus' anus, it's all lies! It's a conspiracy!!"
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01:01
T Street is full. Newnham only has a few rooms left. Alex Jarvis has just made his choice - the only question that remains is: is Joe awake or will we be having a break from the incessant stress that is waiting for someone to choose a room? Edit: Joe was awake - he went for Newnham. The only question that remains is: is Bret awake? 22:10 An amusing review of Newnham 2 by Sam Johnston: 21:19 18:08
One of our readers has noticed the following oddity: "In 2013–2014, Mr Tickle Benn had O 1 as a 2nd year room, awarded as a prize room. They commented on the room as follows: "I have violated this room. I also like to wee in the sink and all my friends do too." What's up with Sneaky Usmar and Mr Tickle?" 17:43
Another reader comment: "After the positive response to the use of the term 'procrastibaking' at JCR hustings last week, I feel a word should be invented to denote the action of sitting with a book open on the desk and a deadline rapidly becoming a little too close for comfort; furiously refreshing the ballot order; then stalking people's new rooms and subsequently doing no work. Suggestion?" 17:21
We've had several comments about the room ballot blog idea today and it's really receiving mixed reviews. One third-year commented: "I can't believe no-one's done this before! Every year, I'm glued to the room ballot and this just makes it better!" However others are less impressed. Another third-year commented: "[The room ballot blog] is possibly the single most pointless and pathetic thing I have ever seen. I just don't get it." What do you think? Let us know by contacting us here! 16:39
An anonymous rascal has sent us the following message: "Dear commentators, Your readers may be interested in this PDF: It explains how the points are allocated! Contrary to this exhibit the worst location according to the GWH point sytem is T-Street. The difference in location between T-Street and Old Court is valued in the GWH Pointing system at £130 per term! Is this fair? Lobby your JCR committee for change if you think not! (That said, if you live in T-Street, you probably spend more time walking between there and college each term than it would take you to earn £130 at minimum wage... :P) Yours faithfully, An anonymous rascal." Clearly an anonymous rascal didn't notice the bonus 72 renovation points allocated to T-street this year. 16:18
It seems our posts on hold-ups might be inciting some negative responses: "I know I am going to take as long as possible to see what they have to say." Well, dear first year, at the end of the day you do have until the end of your slot to choose. And we fully appreciate the fact that you need time to choose your future abode, but you do risk incurring the wrath of everyone who's left on the ballot. Exhibit A: Rebecca Moore > Jessica Stewart WOMAN. PICK YOUR ROOM. I AM GOING INSANE. 15:56
Corpus' fantastic Undergraduate Computing Officer, Oscar Key, has contacted us to explain the situation from earlier: "We've been having a few issues with edge cases in the reserve list system, which were partly responsible for why Tosca took so long to choose, and also why the order was wrong. Manually patched up for now." 15:50 We've just had the following message: At 13.42, two hours before his allotted time technically begins, Tom Worsfold Tweeted: "Oh just choose already! #RoomBallot #NeedNewnham27 #AnxiousWait" I would therefore like to express my displeasure that he has been free to claim Newnham 27 for well over an hour, but is taking his leisurely time over it. I would therefore like to send this message to Tom, from anyone 89th on the ballot onwards: #HurryTheHellUp 15:36
My patience is being tried again, my friends. A certain first-year lawyer is taking his sweet (or shall I say salty?) time. Make haste! For your many spectators are awaiting the next move in the massive chess game that is the room ballot! I personally recommend the random room approach. First, make your way into New Court. Then fall asleep just outside the post room. If someone wakes you up, ask their room number. Then choose that room! If it's not available, repeat until you can. 11:07
After Tosca finally got around to choosing (did she have lectures or something? What's more important?!), the last three in the 3rd year ballot were automatically placed on the reserve list. However, there might have been a technical glitch in the omnipotent code of the room ballot, because these three were placed at the top of the reserve list... Oscar, my man, you might wanna get on that. In the mean time we're onto the 2nd year ballot and Rebecca has defied expectations by choosing 6TS 5. Obviously the new refurb of T Street has brought it up into the higher legions of the room ballot. Hattie in 2nd place went for a more traditional choice of Newnham 11. Many 1st years are stressing about the room ballot, one told me "I feel such anxiety I want to scream!" Lets keep the choices coming to put everyone out of their misery... 10:16 The question now remains regarding D7b - will Alastair Benn get a prize room and inflict the "horrors" of D7b on to an unsuspecting reserve lister? It's not unlikely. He's been living it up in O1 this year. This situation isn't unprecedented either. In 2012, Grant Lewis chose D7b in the comfortable position of 116 out of 160 only to ace his exams and move into N1. Greg Street was the reserve lister who took it up. (Incidentally choosing it over 6TS 10). Greg's time in D7b wasn't uneventful - but we shan't go into that now. He tried numerous times to change rooms but with no success. However this might not be the worst possible reserve list betrayal. David Barker, the exceptional "top 10 in the year" mathmo, has a sparkling prize room history. He's chosen 8TS 3. Will someone be taking a surprise trip to T-street next year? Who knows?! 08:51
Overnight the room ballot heated up, there was anger at Jonathan Bartlett for taking his sweet time to choose. The greatest anger though, came from a submission we had today "suhail idrees. is he awake, is he asleep. WHO THE FUCK KNOWS. PICK A ROOOMMMMMM" Keep 'em coming. Alastair Benn becomes the title holder: "the person who-chose-D7b-OMG-why-would-you-do-that". The reserve list is filling up with 8 spots out of 11 filled. There are only 4 rooms remaining in college: E10, G9, H2 and X5. All are in the lower band of things so I suppose it's to be expected. We shall see whether Tosca chooses a room or goes on the reserve list... 23:22
It’s been an eventful day in room ballot land. It’s a majestic place where some refresh like there’s no tomorrow and some just don’t give a … For those with a serious risk of tendinitis from the obsessive browsing here’s a round-up of the ballot so far. First in the batting order was Will Taylor – after a dire “choice” last year of Benet 28 he had the world at his feet aaaaaand he went for N2. Interesting decision *strokes invisible beard*. In previous years other rooms on N have been first choices and the history books say that Q2 was a popular first pick before being thrust into the prize room heavens. But never before have N and 2 been combined into the choice of all choices. And I'm not talking about the Hunger Games. After Will chose, a slew of Old Court choices followed with P staircase being particularly popular. Why do you guys need that toilet so much? Or maybe it’s because there’s a much smaller chance of being caught in your dressing gown on the way to the showers than M? You guys are going to miss the thrill of dashing through the snow to shower (if it ever gets around to snowing). While P staircase was bathing in the glory of being more popular than M staircase, no one was choosing Y. Well Janaka at 6th did but then nada til Jack at 22nd. It’s ok guys, Janaka is a nice guy - he just sends the odd dodgy email as lax captain, nuffin’ more (actually he tried to run me over with his bike once but it’s debatable whether I stepped in front of him, I’ll leave it to the lawyers). Personally I'm surprised by the fact Botolph 24 didn't get snatched up before 39th – ensuite, kitchens, laundry, freshers… What could be better?! Another surprise was the two 3rd years who loved T Street so much, they’re going back again. Though it’s to 8 T Street which hasn't been on the ballot since the refurb, new territory! Not too many hold-ups today, the ballot was generally running half an hour or an hour ahead of time. Fingers crossed no one will hold up the ballot like a certain lengthy-email-writing-ents-officer-who-we-love-really did last year. Though someone was spotted today doing a final perusal of New Court during their turn – let’s keep it moving people! We realise this was meant to be a live blogging thing. But we’re busy people – apologies. Perhaps you can expect more frequent updates tomorrow however I hope this round-up will suffice for today, I've certainly offended enough people for now. Though now all that remains to be asked is – why did Jonathan Bartlett take so long to jump on the ballot band wagon and pick? It's not rocket science! Edit: MWAHAHAHAHA The so called lengthy-email-writing-ents-officer-who-we-love-really has the password!! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?! 21:27
George Seabridge was the first person to go on the reserve list at 27th place. Will this decision pay off? There were some good rooms left but he'll have the pick of the bunch come summer. In other reserve list news James Usmar, 56th in the ballot, is listed on the reserve list as "Sneaky Usmar".... I'm sure many people recently wrote a review of their room, well there are some people who take this to an extreme and further. Here are the top 5 longest reviews of rooms in college:
5. Freddie Wright reviewing D8 (2013-14) 768 words Everyone's favourite treasurer discusses the merits of being on the same staircase as James Buxton "Gimme gimme gimme some peace after midnight!" Apparently the storage is ok "for anyone without a large board games collection." 4. Abi Green reviewing D6 (2011-12) 791 words D6 seems to have three for the price of one and even "a small locked filing cabinet (!!!) just in case you ever have a burning desire to lock away your jaffa cakes or something." 3. Tom Duggins reviewing F3 (2011-12) 913 words Tom, as an English student, has a particularly eloquent writing style and it's definitely worth a perusal. He describes problems with noise and a particular solution "Sometimes I like to lean out the window and chant at the bleary eyed merrymakers in an exciting role reversal." Also intriguing is his Saturday morning ritual for the poor Medics waiting for their supervisions "If, again, like me, you like to reserve Saturday mornings for especially ambitious renditions of Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual Healing' then just be aware that there is probably a whole host of bemused listeners on the other side of your acoustically-porous door." 2. Ross Johnstone reviewing M1 (2009-10) 993 words Ross goes into detail about the room, including a comprehensive list of "Issues". His highlights include "Explaining 14th century plumbing to an American couple whilst in a dressing gown. Finding Italian school kids stealing my food. Being on French TV (with Christopher Andrew) etc etc" 1. Fergal McGuinness reviewing P5 (2008-09) 1211 words Fergal takes you on a journey and you'll come out feeling like you've entered another world. I'll just give you a taster "Does the hatch lead outside to where pigeons coo in the mornings before you watch them from your desk as they alight on the windowsills of the six windows, to clear the sinuses of Saleem P5? Is it but a comforting laundry basket hideaway? Does a hatch, mythical or tangible, liberating or captivating, allow a current resident to abdicate responsibility?" You see what I mean? 16:30
When making a spreadsheet of which rooms I'd like to live in next year I quickly realised that it was necessary to make a similar list of rooms that I would like to avoid as far as possible. Though H2 features on that list, here are some others worth a mention: D7b - bad enough that Paul Gordon will make you a cup of tea in commiseration, but is it really that bad? Anna Hollingsworth who is "the person who-chose-D7b-OMG-why-would-you-do-that" points out that "D7b is a wonderful property in a top location (technically between James Buxton and God, I guess)." There has been no higher praise. Literally. 6TS 12 - has the title of the room with the fewest number of points, though it seems the room ballot system need updating (surprise surprise) because the room now has a sink. So maybe 6TS 12 would have more points than: Benet 28 - currently occupied by Will Taylor who was at the bottom of the 2nd year ballot (poor guy). He states "If you're the unfortunate soul at the bottom of the ballot, all I can suggest is start working for a prize room..." The (out of reach) rotting fish is a key bonus, clearly. Botolph 10 - though the room has more points than most of the rooms on this list I thought it would be worth a mention since "Botolph 10 is a cave designed for hobbits." as Nikolai Bode thought. There are few positive reviews and many more negative eg "I almost cried when I found out this was my room... You probably will as well." from Mee. R4 - despite being one of the worst rooms points-wise this room has garnered some good reveiws: "a great little room!" with features like "more storage space than is accessible - literally" and "a multitude of electrical sockets". The furniture includes "1 dissident coffee table which flat out refuses to be useful in any occasion or to fit appropriately anywhere in the room - the room's much needed protagonist." Unfortunately this room has already been taken in the ballot today. I'm sure it was the coffee table that sold it. So here are some rooms I'd (personally) rather not get... But let us know which ones we're missing! 14:41
Over the years, this room, situated on the ground floor of New Court, facing Trumpington Street, has received mixed reviews. In 2012, Mike Aizlewood commented: "H2 is not a good room: some say it is the worst in college and they're probably not far wrong!" Noise, a tiny desk and being used as a rubbish bin for passers-by have been the main complaints. However, in 2013, Ed Gent seemed to see the room in a different light. He said, "I feel I need to come to the defence of this much maligned room, which is really a pretty good room but which has some unfortunate features." So who are we to believe? Let us know! See the room page here! 14:38
Let us know any amusing room reviews you find. We'll publish a selection over the next few days! |
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