Maya Lester, 1993

Maya Lester KC read History at Clare. She is now a barrister at Brick Court Chambers.

Maya's Story

I feel as if I was at Clare recently but now I think of it it was almost 30 years ago and a different era. There were no mobile phones – we communicated by leaving notes on doors and in pigeon holes. A few proto-emails were sent from a smelly computer room in the library but there was no question of emailing supervisors or each other. Students marched in protest against threats of university tuition fees and exam results were posted on boards in order of merit outside Senate House. There were no gyms. 

Here are four unsought tips from my time at Clare (presumably I learnt some history for my degree too but I’ve forgotten it all). 

First, who is teaching is more important than what you are being taught. The most boring subjects come alive when taught by the greats (and vice versa). I was lucky enough to be supervised by the best - my director of studies worked magic by picking up her phone to world-class historians arranging one on one supervisions (also a thing of the past I think) as I sat on her sofa – a terrifying and wonderful privilege.

Second, if you’re an essay crisis person, go with it and try not to beat yourself up. I loved the lack of structure – as long as I produced an essay every week I was my own boss and still am. There is nothing like cycling at speed to shove an essay penned overnight under the door of the supervisor just before a supervision (no email!) and the (brief) feeling of freedom the day after. I am still incapable of working without pressure.

Third, take advantage of the opportunities Clare offers. Which include sitting around chatting (including to post-grads – they’re more interesting than they look). It includes going to lectures that look interesting in any subject, whether “relevant” or not – you will never have such easy access to those riches again. It includes delving into the obscure manuscripts in the University Library. And trying for the amazing post graduate opportunities – I was lucky enough to be given the Paul Mellon fellowship to Yale Law School and never looked back.

Fourth, always meet friends for a food break and a giggle, no matter how hard you have to work. Clare (uniquely) backs onto the University Library – I met friends there daily and we would find the most obscure part of the library to work in and meet for tea and coffee cake at a pre-arranged time (no phones to send messages). When exams loomed we revised in the Forbes Mellon library in the evening and met unfailingly for last orders (for some reason a half of Caffreys and a packet of smarties). Big nights ended at Gardies for chicken souvlakies. A friend tried to eat everything on the menu at Macdonalds in one sitting. Fitzbillies claimed they would send their slug buns anywhere in the world and we planned to test it by taking the Trans Siberian railway when we graduated and ordering them for delivery to Yekaterinburg station. As I write this I realise we must have been phenomenally unhealthy. But happy.