<p>I enjoyed the tutorials, but it really depends on the tutor. There are very few lectures and, in my day, attendance wasn’t required - but you can’t miss a tutorial. The tutor will assign a book and you will be responsible for arguing/presenting the entire book. And everyone can grill you! If you really enjoy deep discussions, and being fully engaged, then the Cambridge system can be for you. OTOH, many students prefer the US system - attend a lecture, listen and then repeat “what the professor said” on the exams.</p>
<p>And, yes, drinking was very much part of the culture. But I think I actually drank more after I got my first job - at a very large British bank. Lunch hours at the pub, happy hours that lasted into the evening, drinks with clients. My boss had a fully stocked bar in his office. Think Mad Men. Very old boys network.</p>