The average ‘Cambridge bubble’ has an area of just 1.8 km2, a Varsity survey and statistical analysis found. The centre point of the average bubble lies to the west of King’s Parade, and the bubble stops before the West Cambridge campus, as well as Girton and Homerton colleges. The survey also found that 62% of respondents were ‘not at all’ or ‘slightly’ aware of local politics or civic issues, and that 50% wish they were more connected to the town.

Survey respondents were asked to sketch a radius around the part of Cambridge they traverse in a typical term-time week. Varsity analysed the standard deviation of the results in order to find how far from the centre of the bubble students tend to stray.

The analysis found that the mean centre of the bubble lay over the green at Clare College and that a bubble one standard deviation from that mean extended to Murray Edwards College in the north and past Downing College in the south – but missed Sidgwick Site and the colleges to its west. Extending the bubble to two standard deviations captured Sidgwick, Jesus Green, and most colleges, but still missed Girton, Wolfson and Homerton.

The area of the single standard deviation bubble was 1.8 km2. Cambridge, the city, spans 41 km2 – indicating that University students spend their weeks in about 4% of the city.

The survey also found that the Cambridge bubble lived up to expectations — about 65% of respondents agreed that the division between the University and the town was as they anticipated before matriculating, while about 29% described it as more divided than expected.

About 91% of respondents reported that they are not involved in non-University societies, such as volunteering, in Cambridge. Half of respondents expressed a wish to be more involved in the town.

In interviews with Varsity, students expressed that the college system and their daily commutes have a large impact on the shape and size of their bubbles.

One second-year student at Murray Edwards, her College’s distance from the centre of the bubble was a positive when she applied. She told Varsity that, in addition to frequenting the Sainsbury’s at Eddington, she likes to venture east to Asda and Hobbycraft. “It’s a really nice walk and just the sight of a random business park and lots of cars gives me an oddly comforting sense of being at home,” she said.

Meanwhile, a first-year student at Girton, told Varsity that his college’s remote location gives him a sense of two bubbles – one at university, one in college: “Girton doesn’t separate us from ‘real’ Cambridge – it gives us the best of both worlds,” he said.

“We can spend the day in the heart of the university, fully immersed in the bubble, yet when we head back up Huntingdon Road, we return to a warm, close-knit community of our own,” he added.

Other students noted that they also feel moments of connection to greater Cambridge during their daily routines.

A third-year student at Pembroke, commented that while her actual geographic bubble is small – spanning Trumpington Street, Pembroke College, and Sidgwick Site – she feels that her time spent commuting between those locations makes her feel more connected to the town.

“I feel connected to Cambridge when I’m riding my bike between school and my accommodation,” she said. “I like watching the people on the sidewalk. Some are walking their dogs, others are carrying groceries, and many are just going home like me […] I like seeing a wider variety of people during commuting hours.”

In response to the finding that the area of the single standard deviation bubble does not extend to Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), whose main campus is just off Parker’s Piece, one student from ARU told Varsity that: “I don’t know how to feel about that. I mean I agree we are a 20 minute walk away, but was that […] meant as an insult?”.

They said that they have “noticed a few Cambridge students have a prejudice against ARU students,” and agreed that University of Cambridge students should broaden their horizons: “There are so many great independents on Mill Road and over the bridge, and it’s so quiet. I prefer it to central Cambridge.”

Giving further comments on the survey’s result, Peter Kruger, a local resident and active member of the community, told Varsity, “Having viewed this bubble from the outside most of my life, my perception of it as one of a walled city means that what goes on inside the walls is a mystery.”

“Cambridge [and the University] have been shaped by over 700 years of history and have developed one with the other but on separate paths,” he added. “While we all occupy the same space we still remain in our separate worlds.”