Durham; any news on accommodation or start date?

[Suki2]

DS has a place but we don't have any details of his accommodation or the exact date on which he starts. I hope we haven't missed anything.

The website says that he will start from Thursday 24th September to Sunday 27th. I presume he'll be given a time and date closer to the time?

Re accommodation he knows which college he is in but no more details. I'd like to know the size of his bed so I can start buying!

Friends with children starting at other universities seem to have the above information, and so have managed to get more organized.

Can any other Durham parents help?

DS is in a similar position (minus the college allocation) with Durham.
(1) About the bedding, you have two choices: buy now for every size and keep the receipts
(2) Wait until Durham finally reveals the allocations however long that takes (Is there a Dunelm Mill in Durham?)

We are doing the second option
, but I guess the first would be more sensible in case its the infamous small doubles and the shops have been stripped bare by the time that Durham inform us?

Which college? I may be able to help!

Licence agreements are going out this weekend and start of next week so he should have more details then.

St Aidan's

Eh? How many sizes of bed are available to students? Single, single and single?

Aidan's are singles. But you can check with the college

"You'reAllA BunchOdBastards" thanks!
"Grobagsforever" Maybe they are all single at Durham but I know that a friend's son at a different Uni has a small double.

Not only single / small double - some university accommodation has some 'interesting' sizes, with widths from 2'6" and lengths up to 7ft, in some places in several combinations on the same halls. The only really 'safe' sheet size is a flat double sheet, which can be wound round, rather than tucked in, for 'natrowness' and just not tucked in at the top and bottom to deal with extra length...

@Quair - there is a Dunelm Mill - you can find it on the Durham City Retail Park in Dragonville

Dragonville

I always thought that Dirham was more Hogwarts than Game of Thrones?

(Sorry...).

I'm relieved to find there are others in our situation , my DS still hasn't been allocated his college. He applied for St Cuth's but slightly missed his offer (IB), was offered and accepted his place on A level results day, and no communications since, other than a " don't bother us " reply to an email he sent after one of his subjects went up a grade. It's so frustrating and he's really fed up.

@quincesorbet the absence of communication has made it harder, that's for sure.
Even if there was just a Twitter account for the college accommodation team with where they put up a short tweet each day. They could turn the DMs off

@YoureAllABunchOfBastards what's your best guess as to when those not yet allocated a college will hear?
And (hope you don't mind multiple questions!), when will the students find out which room they've been allocated?
When will they find out when they are supposed to arrive?
Does any of the extra accommodation include catered?
Will the costs be the same as those living in college?
What do you mean by "licenses"?

As far as I know this is normal, it certainly was four years ago! It was incredibly tense not being able to make a firm plan.
Good luck.

There is very little in the main town, few of the shops you would expect, it’s more of an out-of-town place.

Licence agreements are the contracts - so they will have all of the details.

Everything else - they are working flat out to get things done and out to students.

As for the question re:bed size - the newer the college, the bigger the bed, apparently!

That's really helpful, actually: it's the wondering "will the email appear in the next hour/today/in the next 3 days" that is wearying.
Now I know not to expect anything until the end of next week at the earliest because if some contracts will only be sent out on Monday/Tuesday, then there's no way they'll all be returned before Wednesday and probably not before next Friday.
So, I can stop pestering DS to check his email for several days!

DS has got most of his info (bed size etc) from the freps on his college chat thing. (All singles, by the way - old college).

Told to expect move in dates/times next week.

Ds has filled in room preferences etc and had various other emails from dept and college . His college has a freshers website with loads of info on . Including a freshers pack and freshers info ,@Suki2 this is the one for Aidens

www.st-aidans.com/freshers-area/

On the beds ds has requested a long bed as over 6foot 3 , does anyone know how long the beds are ? Thinking about sheets etc .

My sons (Bristol) had a single bed in first year halls. Then it seemed to vary - I think one had three different sizes of beds over 3 years. I said just pull the sheet or duvet around you if it doesn't fit - we cannot be buying new sheets after new sheets. At home some of my sheets are decades old and still fine. There is so much waste in life sometimes that if we can avoid it so much the better. He tells me everyone has much nicer towels and sheets than we do.... oh well.

I have been hearing about these "other people" who "all" have better things or are allowed to do XYZ for ages now.

I agree Xenia but my mum has loads and said she would alter some , she is very bored with being stuck at home more for Covid so looking for jobs! No sewing club or gardening club etc

Well it's good to know that DS hasn't missed anything and that the information will be coming soon.....thanks for the replies.

I went to Aidans a fair while ago and happened to visit a month ago. This sounds slightly unhinged but I peered through my old bedroom window to show the kids (it was unoccupied i should add) - the very narrow single bed I had has definitely been upgraded into what looked more like a small double (and an en-suite, very posh). This was in the older part/non houses part of college where the first years tend to go. If that any help at all (probably not...!).
Happy memories, it's where most of my group of friends met their future spouse. No pressure though ;)

Ds has had his move in slot on 26th feels very real now . Bizarrely I feel very sad that matric is going to be online . I remember walking down the hill and over the bridge and up to the cathedral And feeling that pent up excitement and pride that I’d got there and this was my new life . He won’t have that but there’ll be other things

That is a shame Peaseblossom22 but as you said there will be other things/events that your DS will get stuck into. He probably won't miss the physical matriculation ceremony as he never did it (if that makes sense)? I bet he will have an amazing time in Durham

We're also waiting to hear when check in is - Hild Bede. It's kind of awkward not knowing as it involves a very long drive for us and probs ly an overnight stay, and I have to arrange time off work and dog sitters...I wish they would get their act together!

DS (Hatfield) has been told definitely only one 'helper' - if it's the Thursday or Friday it will be DH, as I can't take time off work. He won't plump the cushions properly, though...