Cambridge Glossary

Cambridge Lingo

Explained For You

  • JCR

    Short for “Junior Combination Room”, this is the representative society of the Undergraduates at Queens’.

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  • MCR

    Abbreviation for “Middle Combination Room”, this is the graduate students’ society at Queens’. Every graduate is a member of the MCR, as well as their partners. “MCR” is also often used to refer to our common room, the Woodville Room, in Cripps Court.

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  • SCR

    Abbreviation for “Senior Combination Room”, this is the society for the ‘Fellowship’ or the body of Fellows at the college. The “SCR” also refers to their common room, which is generally off limits to us, but which you may sometimes see at Mid-Table Dining.

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  • Matriculation

    The process of officially registering with College. This means signing the matriculation register in the president’s lodge. A matriculation photo and dinner are also held during freshers’ week.

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  • Plodge

    The Porters’ Lodge, which is the main entrance of a College and sensibly also the location where you will find the Porters. Queens’ College Plodge is on Silver St.

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  • Porter

    Someone who works at the entrance of a college, in the Porters’ Lodge. Porters are very knowledgeable about college offices, and will often be your first port of call for college-related questions.

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  • Formal

    Usually mean formal dinners where you will wear your gown and dine with you friends and family in the Buttery or Old Hall.

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  • Buttery

    The name for cafeterias / dining halls found in the colleges and elsewhere at the University (e.g. at the Sidgwick site).

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  • May Week

    A week of festivities after exams end in the middle of June. This is because Cambridge is so old that June used to be May.

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Dress code definitions

Queens’ has a gender neutral dress code, below it may say “for men” and “for women,” but that is just for a general idea. Dress in whatever feels comfortable to an equivalent standard. Queens’ is also not as strict as some colleges, as long as you look nice and not obviously out of place, no one will kick you out of an event.

  • White Tie: Penguin-style tuxedos. You most likely won’t have to deal with this. For women, long elegant dresses (or equivalent).

  • Black Tie: Tuxedos or nice dresses (or equivalent).

  • Formal Wear: Suits or nice dresses (or equivalent).

  • Informal: Suits with no tie/jacket/etc or nice clothes.

  • Smart Casual: Nice shirts/etc or nice clothes.

  • Casual: Everyday wear.