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?

JMG1234 thanks for the info.....I am waiting to hear for sure about the bed size before buying! DS has requested an ensuite; it would be great to get that but I'm really just hoping that he gets his own room. I shared a room at Uni years ago and it wasn't great as we were on different schedules re getting up and going to bed.
Strange but exciting to think that DS could meet his future wife there!

@tinkywinkyshandbag.....we're in the same position of having to travel a long way. DH has a very busy job; ideally he'd have liked to have blocked off the drop off day on his timetable by now.....here's hoping we'll hear tomorrow!

Ds is in Trevelyan ( actually my old college!) we are about 4 hours drive and his slot is 13,45 on the Saturday so not too bad. No idea yet about helpers ( I assume one) but it’s very clear that you have the allotted time only . Quite a bit of detail about the social distancing measures in place and I actually feel quite reassured after some of the horror stories we have heard .

Just to advise those travelling into Durham - one of the main routes through the city is closed due to repairs to New Elvet bridge - see here www.durham.gov.uk/newelvet. Hopefully the colleges are detailing this but if not depending on which college you're heading to it may make more sense to come off the motorway at a different junction. The bridge closure hasn't been too bad so far but with schools back and University students returning it will clog up the alternative routes.... not looking forward to having to get across the city for a 9am GP appt on Tuesday

Also, for anyone else in Hild Bede, we found some forms on the actual college website which needed to be filled in by the end of August, to do with undergraduate induction and other things. DD had not received these forms in an email and so have not filled them in (Or at least if she had, it was not made very obvious). She has now, and has also emailed the accommodation office, but anyone else going there may like to check this.

DS has his moving in date! Saturday 26th, time slot also allocated. License Agreement to be sent tomorrow. So tomorrow at least I have all the information and can start to get properly organized.

@KingscoteStaff if it makes you feel any better, when I was a fresher at Durham (15 years ago! 😱) I had nobody to take me, and I had to travel by myself with all my stuff on the train from Essex, via London- two massive suitcases, a bag with my bedding and stereo looped over one suitcase handle, a hold-all over each shoulder and a gigantic rucksack.

How much fun that was on the tube... and walking to the college from the station!

DD got her slot, Sunday around noon. We might have to drive up the day before and stay over. Pleased it's sorted but DDs not keen on being among the last to arrive.

My dd still hasn’t been allocated her accommodation or her arrival slot 😱😬. She did get her original college and met her offer.

@RainbowDash101 Might be worth giving the admissions office at college a quick call or email. I did think all the notifications were supposed be going out by 9th. A friend of mine has a DS also going to Durham and he also hasn't heard, I can't remember which college it is. I wouldn't worry too much I'm sure it's on its way but worth checking.

@tinkywinkyshandbag thank you. I sent a message to the colleges Instagram page and they said she should hopefully hear by tomorrow.
We had already booked a hotel for two nights which we can cancel with 24 hours notice. We went up there in February for the open day and had a pleasant couple of days but that was pre Covid.

DS only heard details of room and arrival slot yesterday! (Castle). He’s in a shared room and has mixed feelings. Anyone else know what shared rooms are like?

Still no arrival date/time here (Hatfield) I have told him that unless he phones To ask today, I will PHONE FOR HIM!!!

@blackjeans DS started at Durham last year (Hatfield). He actually chose a shared room as he wanted an en-suite and we refused to pay for a single en-suite, so the shared room with en-suite was a compromise! We expected just the one room mate but on arrival day discovered that there were two! It has turned out really well, though like you we were a bit apprehensive. DS thinks it was much easier to settle in as they naturally went down for meals together (Hatfield is catered like castle). Their room also tends to be the natural one for pre drinks with others (pre Covid obvs), as it is a lot bigger, which again helps with making friends for those who like that sort of thing. The room itself was lovely, recently refurbed, modern bathroom. I'm only sorry he only got to do a term and a half there, his student house for this year is not the best I have to say! He is still sharing with his two original roommates though (plus others), they are now really good friends. Fingers crossed it will turn out well for you.

Ds has taken the decision to defer. So we won’t be dropping off on the 28th . We are waiting for the confirmation but the dept was fine about it and he spoke to admissions today who said he should get confirmation soon.

He wants to give himself a chance of a more ‘normal’ experience and if it’s just as bad next year wants to be better prepared for the ‘new style’ university. He is very gregarious and the type of hobbies he has were likely to be pretty restricted so we understand his decision.

Whether you go or not it will be hard this year so It’s important I think if they have doubts to listen to them. We are happy he has made his own decision. Now to find a job, although he plans to volunteer as well and do some extra study.

MatchingFrogs there is a building called John Snow House on Durham University campus although it’s used by the NHS.

However Durham School is affectionately known to locals as Hogwarts. If you ever have the chance to see in it you’ll see why.

Finally! 9am on Sunday morning. Better confirm our Saturday night stay in Whitby!

Name changed here. My dd was allocated her accommodation on Monday. Her college is a traditional catered college and she exceeded her offer on results day. All the accommodation is usually catered but she has been allocated self catered accommodation arranged by the college a 17 min/0.7 mile away. 🙄😥 . According to the faq having met her offer on results day, she was supposed to have been guaranteed college accommodation. Other circumstances such as insurance choice, cags, missed offer said they might place in the type of accommodation they my dd has been offered. Have rung( goes to voicemail , and have emailed , no reply since Monday🙄) AIBU to be feeling upset by this ?!

@ForestbytheSea my ds spoke to a lovely lady in admissions yesterday. He had have to hang on the line for a bit but it was worth it to actually speak to someone

And no you are not unreasonable to be upset .

@Peaseblossom22 thanks. The phoneline goes to a mailbox where you leave a voicemail and they haven’t rung back 🙄😥. And no replies to emails. I messaged the college through Instagram and they said they were very busy and would get back to my dd eventually. My dd just wants to get on with her life though and go to uni but I think it will be a very different experience. All the catered accommodation is within a 2 min walk of the college, and this accommodation is 17 mins across the high st and up a hill! With Covid, I don’t see she’d have much need to go to the college and will be isolated. She doesn’t want to make a fuss but I feel the college set the criteria for guaranteed college accommodation and she met the criteria.😐

Which hill , I was at Durham myself, it’s it’s up near where the hill colleges are there are actually more students than in the town! However that doesn’t change the fact that she is not in college. Pre Covid all college members could opt to eat in college even if living out but I am not sure how that will work for Covid .

I will ask my ds when he wakes up which option he chose on the phone system menu But he only waited about 20mins and ccs I say we’re very reassuring and kind actually. Alternatively would be tempted to politely email the college principal or vice principal whichever is leading the freshers arrangements and ask for clarification.

Forest : is it Grey College?

It's not ok to exceed the offer on results day and then be fobbed off with self-catered/ out of college - I'd be very cross on behalf of my DC. I would have thought that the uni is under a legal obligation to provide what they promised, in that situation. It certainly justifies your DD making a very strong complaint. Can she try the main switchboard to see if they can get her through to an actual person? The switchboard operators are usually incredibly helpful.

If it's Castle even in ordinary times accommodation is often offsite and away from the main college building.
Ordinarily it's on a catered basis with students travelling into college however I suspect COVID has prevented the catered element.
Not sure about the other Bailey colleges (I assume it's a Bailey college give that its traditional?)
Have you checked the college web site?