#You won't be surprised to learn that the Royal Veterinary College - #or RVC as its chums call it - only teaches students how to be vets. #So if the idea of shoving your arm up a cow's backside doesn't appeal, #stop watching this presentation now. #The College's main site is 11/4 miles from Trafalgar Square in Camden, #one of the most terminally trendy areas of London - #the kind of place that's more lively than Sooty in sulphuric acid. #There are pubs, clubs and fun of all sorts, #not to mention the clothes market, which stocks togs more fashionable than Madonna's knickers. #This site is the home of the pre-clinical teaching and administration. #Meanwhile, clinical students spend their time at the College's Hawkshead campus, #about 12 miles away and a couple of miles from the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield. #In other words, students spend 2 years of their 5-year courses at Camden, #enjoying city life, and then move out to the large, green, #self-contained, almost tediously tranquil Hawkshead site. #During vacations in both the first and second years, students have to work on farms. #Whilst this obviously gives them the practical experience they need, #it means they have no time to earn extra cash as many students do during their vacations. #When you combine this with the enormous costs of living in London, #it comes as no surprise to learn that #RVC students have average debts 21/2 times the national level. #Still, this spurs students on to success and the atmosphere is quite intense and studious. #The only thing for which RVC students will drop anything is sport. #The sports facilities are good considering there are fewer than 500 students, #especially at Hawkshead which has 5 tennis courts, a heated pool and so on. #Evidently, you need to be fit to be a vet and since nearly two-thirds of the students are female, #women's sports are particularly enthusiastic. #Co-ordinating sports clubs is the main function of the Union Society #which otherwise keeps a fairly low profile. #Both sites have a bar and a few bands play at the one in Camden. #Being small, jazz tends to down well. #Each site also has 3 discos per term and transport is laid on specially. #70% of first years are housed in London University's intercollegiate accommodation, #in which students at Camden can spend up to 2 years. #There's also some catered accommodation at Hawkshead and a third of finalists can live in.
