Durham University

[NotEnoughTime]

Hello.

How many of us are waiting for their DC to hear back from Durham? My DS applied back in October last year and is getting very down now he knows that others who have received offers are being informed that they will be told soon re college allocations.

I am usually a 'no news is good news' type of person but even I am finding it hard to be upbeat as I too am fed up

I wish they would just let him me know soon if he is going to get an offer or a rejection and then he can get on with his life and his A Level revision without this hanging over him.

CharlotteSch - I am sorry your DD is having a bad time.

It may be a case of the grass in the next field being greener though because at DS's college there has been no scope to mix with other households either, unless they break the rules (which a few of them do).

These are not normal times so your DD probably isn't seeing Durham at its best, but it might be worth finding out when the deadline for fees etc is if she does want to leave

Welcome @CharlotteSch - albeit under horrid circumstances...

@TerfTerfTerf’s DS is at Stevenson so may know about Ubereats up the hill.

One of DS’s housemates was feeling symptomy so they both went for a test and are both positive! The whole house have now gone down to the walk in one at the car park in the hope that they’re positive too and only need to isolate for 10 days.

We’re sending the household pizzas for DS’s birthday on Thursday, and my mum has found an online Durham beer deliverers...

Thanks so much for your answers @Quair, @Witchend and @KingscoteStaff. Dd in Trevs and a few of their bubbles have locked down. Thanks so much for the Ubereats tip as well as beer deliveries. I think she has had a bad luck of the draw with her household unfortunately and it's just not enjoyable for her if she can't be with anybody else out of the bubble.. @KingscoteStaff Happy Birthday to ds on Thursday!

@TerfTerfTerf. You mentioned cards and backgammon but my daughter said she is not allowed to leave her room even to be with somebody in her household - her result comes back tomorrow. Are they allowed to fraternise in their household bubble when they are self isolating? It would make sense to me if those who have Covid could do so.. Also, once they have had Covid, it's a shame they can't be with other people outside their bubble who have had Covid.

@CharlotteSch Ah I don't know. Last I heard the housemate with symptoms was waiting for test result and they were all told not to leave their block. There are 3 flats of 6 which make up their "household" within one block and they have been socialising in each other's kitchens. DS didn't say they were confined to rooms, and he's certainly using the kitchen! They're having post delivered to them, but not sure about shopping or takeaways. I expect I'll hear more tomorrow when the test result comes back.

My dd isn't confined to her room at St Mary's, her household totals 19, think there's 11 on the first floor corridor, and 8 on the floor below, they are allowed to socialise within that bubble. She had a bad day on Saturday, was in bed all day feeling really rough, better on Sunday so she and some of the others cleaned the bathroom and kitchen on their floor. They are all being allowed access to the washing machines tomorrow to do one load each, then it's back into quarantine. Still no word on when they can go out, it's 2 weeks on Sunday since she tested positive.

@CharlotteSch dd says many of the societies are still running as best they can, holding zooms etc, dd's joined the arts, feminist and the vegan/veggie ones.

Is anybody’s child not enjoying being a fresher because of all the restrictions? Ds isn’t enjoying being in his household and feels if he can’t see people outside of his household F2F - either in Collage, at class or Societies he can’t see himself enjoying the year.. What is the feeling ? Do you think these restrictions will go on all year where they have to fraternise only with their bubble and little chance to meet people otherwise?

So glad found this thread Durham parent here. It’s good to know there are peeps on here in the same boat

DD is enjoying it so far, despite having covid and still quarantining, it does help that her household seem like a good bunch, a mix of characters but all getting on and having fun. I think that makes a big difference.

My daughters been doing quizzes and things with her course group ..also join more societies than normal even if you do not stick it out as that will be a good way to connect with new people ..hope this held

@KingscoteStaff Please would you post details of the beer delivery service. Also anyone who knows of delivery services around the colleges would be great. Many thanks

We are using durham brewery. They deliver bottles, kegs (big and small) and pint glasses. Free delivery, too. Will give feedback after arrival on Thursday!

Apparently Nando's is delivering to Bailey colleges - not sure about Hill.

Apparently Nando's is delivering to Bailey colleges - not sure about Hill.

Fucking hell students these days! When I was there there wasn't even a McDonalds or a Burger King and your only alternative to dreadful college catering (pasta that bounced your fork off it level awful) was a Penis's Kebab (Beni's but the bottom of his B was forever being nicked by students and the name just stuck).

Domina, I assume in your day you weren't in lockdown for the start of your university experience

Light hearted. Surprisingly no we never had a once-in-a-lifetime lockdown experience - definition of it being, once in a lifetime.

I'm on here cos I'm going through it now as a mature student incidentally - but obviously keep an eye on Durham as it's where I did my first degree.

Apologies Domina, clearly I had a sense of humour bypass last night. Just finding it difficult not to be able to do anything.

@indignatio

Apologies Domina, clearly I had a sense of humour bypass last night. Just finding it difficult not to be able to do anything.

It's OK - I think one of the big blessings of kids being in Durham is that the college system means they're at least a lot more likely to not be lost under sheer weight of numbers at least - unlike some of the universities with huge numbers of students in massive halls of residence run by private companies. I'd be very glad of that double layer of safety net for my own kids now.

It's been the blessing with my own course (at a "bit of a shit" uni - but it's a course for a profession so very much ex-poly fodder) as well to be fair - tiny very close knit cohort so our lecturers (and lots of the mature students) have gone into "mum" mode making sure everyone's looked after.

At least student facilities have improved since I was there - they were dismal when I was a student (S block Moatside Court so pretty damned dreadful!) I'm always really bemused by just how massively student life has evolved - lecture recordings, wifi everywhere, Dominos and Subway on campus at my own uni, and decent coffee!

@ForestbytheSea From what I gather, many of the students are quite keen to get the virus if somebody in their group has it so then it can wash through the bubble as quickly as possible - facing the unavoidable so that the household isolations aren't long and drawn out. My ds is in self isolation as he has tested positive and there is absolutely no mixing in his group but does that not mean that the household having to isolate will go on and on for weeks and months if they don't all get it quickly. I would almost prefer if he could mix with other people in his bubble though doesn't have to be as extreme as your dd's experience @ForestbytheSea.... his problem is the other end of the spectrum. They never come out of their rooms even before they went into isolation ;s. He wishes he was in a more sociable bubble and is looking over at another bubble which he would love to be in but has told he can't mix with

Think that's a bit of the mentality among the students on my course really - they want to get it and get it now so they're not at risk of bringing it home at Christmas.

Ones who live anywhere remotely commutable have pretty much cut their losses financially with accommodation and are getting the train in on the days they have face to face contact. I'm not going in at all - as are a fair few of us and the department are fine with that - in my case it's just because my panic attacks are now off the scale awful.

DD's household are being allowed out of quarantine this weekend, they've been cooped up for 2.5 weeks. Means they can go outside, do their washing, eat in the dining hall again, no mixing with the other households allowed, which is fair enough while covid is so rampant.

Even those who have already had it and have the proof have to go back into isolation if one of the others gets it later....its a never ending cycle... DD is very much benefitting from the College system, and feels that they are being looked after very well, but then she is in her final year and so knows the ropes pretty well. I expect it is harder for the freshers. The principal made brownies yesterday!