Editing May Week

{{Short description|Celebration of the end of the academic year at Cambridge}}
{{about|the tradition at the University of Cambridge|the celebratory week in Argentina|May Revolution}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=May 2019}}
{{Notability|1=Events|date=August 2022}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

[[File:cmglee_Cambridge_Singing_on_the_River_2016.jpg|thumb|300px|The [[Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge#May Week|Trinity College choir]] at {{nowrap|''Singing on the River'' 2016}}]]
[[File:cmglee_Cambridge_St_Johns_May_Ball_2014_fireworks.jpg|thumb|300px|[[St John's College, Cambridge|St John's College]] May Ball 2014 fireworks from {{nowrap|[[Cambridge Castle|Castle Mound]]}}]]
'''May Week''' is the name used in the [[University of Cambridge]] to refer to a period at the end of the academic year. Originally May Week took place in the week during May before year-end exams began.<ref>{{cite web|title=May Week: balls, boats and bubbly|url=http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/archive-centre/archive-month/july-2011.html|website=King's College, Cambridge|access-date=6 July 2014}}</ref> Nowadays, May Week takes place in June after exams, and is a cause for great celebration amongst the students of the University. Highlights of the week include [[bumps race]]s, [[May Ball]]s, [[June Event]]s and [[garden party|garden parties]].

==History==

May Week festivities were originally held in May, in the final week before exams; however, the May boat races, also known as the [[May Bumps]], moving toward June, right after exams to celebrate the year end.<ref>"We had a Ball" – William Ham Bevan. Cambridge Alumni Magazine, Issue 72 (Easter 2014)</ref>

==Suicide Sunday==
[[File:Suicide_Sunday_2012_cardboard_boat_race.jpg|thumb|300px|Some [[cardboard boat race]] participants on {{nowrap|''Suicide Sunday'' 2012}}]]
''Suicide Sunday'' is the name used at [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] to refer to the Sunday immediately after the end of the summer term (known as Easter Term). By this Sunday, all students have finished exams but most of the results have not been published, so it is traditionally a period of nerves and suspense. A student-led campaign in 2015 encouraged use of the name "May Week Sunday" instead, though "Suicide Sunday" continues to persist among students and the public.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

The name refers to the celebration of the end of exam term, in contrast to Caesarian Sunday on the day before the [[Bank Holiday|early May Bank Holiday]] which is named after the [[Jesus College, Cambridge|Jesus College]] drinking society, the Caesarians.<ref>{{cite web |title=CAESARIAN SHUN-DAY |url=https://thetab.com/uk/cambridge/2013/04/27/caesarian-shunday-20220 |website=thetab.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Inside Cambridge Drinking Societies |url=https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/1223 |website=varsity.co.uk}}</ref> Caesarian Sunday is traditionally a final opportunity for students to get drunk on [[Jesus Green]] before exams begin.

The events are for current students of the University of Cambridge but are frequented by former students that indulge in the student lifestyle.

The Cardboard Boat Race is a main attraction to Suicide Sunday, offering an alternative to the many garden parties and more serious boating. The first race was in 2010, with three boats from [[Magdalene College, Cambridge|Magdalene College]]. In 2011, the race was opened to other colleges.<ref>{{cite web |title=2011 Cardboard Boat Race |url=https://www.facebook.com/events/822698074443954/ |website=Facebook}}</ref>

== May Week Alternative ==
May Week Alternative (MWA),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/news/george-rosenfeld-receives-vc-award-for-may-week-alternative/|title=George Rosenfeld receives VC award for May Week Alternative|date=26 March 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-03}}</ref> is a "feel good" initiative set up by undergraduates at [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] to encourage students to celebrate the end of the academic year through charitable endeavours. In the organisation's first 3 years, it attracted the support of approximately 650 students, and raised £150,000, protecting almost 180,000 people from malaria<ref>{{Cite web|title=May Week Alternative|url=http://www.mayweekalternative.org.uk/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=www.mayweekalternative.org.uk|language=en}}</ref> according to the [[Against Malaria Foundation]].

=== Aims ===
The organisation states three main aims:

# '''Direct impact:''' MWA seeks to raise money for AMF and in doing so transform tens of thousands of lives by providing life-saving [[Mosquito net|anti-malaria nets]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/may-week-alternative-a-new-way-to-celebrate/|title=May Week Alternative: a new way to celebrate|date=2018-06-08|website=The Cambridge Student|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-10-03}}</ref>
# '''Put charity at the heart of May Week celebrations''': The initiative attempts to equip students with a positive framework which allows them to celebrate May Week by making the world a better place. By inviting students to see charity as a central and positive part of the May Week experience, MWA believes it can "unlock huge philanthropic potential".
# '''Inspire students with a bold, positive vision for giving:''' By inviting students to engage with significant giving through this explicitly positive, celebratory context, May Week Alternative hopes that students will develop philanthropic tendencies which they will take forward into their future careers, rather than seeing charity as a burden.

=== Chronology ===

* In the spring of 2018, a group of five students founded the initiative and raised £12,000 for AMF, with over 40 students joining.
* In February 2019 MWA hosted its first annual Launch Party. MWA also presented at various events, including the Cambridge International Development Conference, [[Cambridge Union]], and [[TED (conference)|TEDxCambridgeUniversity]]
* In the same month it was one of only four initiatives recognised at Cambridge University's first ever Social Impact Awards.
* In March 2019, MWA raised over £36,000 (having acquired matched funding), with more than 170 students joining. This total was triple the previous year and according to AMF's calculations is sufficient protect 40,000 people from malaria.
* In June 2019 the initiative hosted a Summer Party with over 140 participants, and the support of 11 university and corporate partners.
* In 2020, the cancellation of all May Balls and other May Week events as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] lead to the creation of The May Week Mega Event. Co-hosted by May Week Alternative, Cambridge [[Rag (student society)]], and the May Ball Presidents' Committee, this virtual celebration of May Week featured over 500 performers from across the university in a four and a half hour livestream, attracting over 10,000 viewers. Over the course of the evening, over £14,000 was raised to support [[Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust]] and the [[Centre for the Study of Existential Risk]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Distanced students celebrate 'May Week Mega Event'|url=https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/19568|access-date=2020-07-01|website=Varsity Online|language=en}}</ref>

==External links==
* [http://mayball.info/ Listings with details of current May Balls / June Events]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{University of Cambridge}}

[[Category:Terminology of the University of Cambridge]]
[[Category:June]]
[[Category:Culture of the University of Cambridge]]
[[Category:English traditions]]
[[Category:University folklore]]