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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Durham University

999 replies

KingscoteStaff · 19/02/2021 11:03

A continuation thread for those with DC at Durham, or applying for Durham or alumni or staff! Share your thoughts and questions on colleges, courses, etc.

Assemble! @Baytreemum @WelshDaff @WinterRobin @janinlondon @MarchingFrogs @ChildOfFriday @tava63 @Terfterfterf @TonTonMacoute @Suki2 @Quair @Greyhair59 @bpisok @Jan069 @999caz @nipersvest @mum2eim @witchend @chopc @alterego2

Who have I missed??

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TerfTerf · 07/06/2021 21:04

While my DS spent Saturday night at Klute ("second worst nightclub in Europe"), remembers very little and got home at 3am. It was his first ever nightclub: I'm so proudGrinGrin

Finished his exams 10 days ago and has been told he'll get the results "some time between Sept 2021 and Jan 2023"...we're hoping that was a typo! Anyway he's spending the month chilling, drinking, walking and preparing to move into his Second Year house on July 1st.

janinlondon · 08/06/2021 08:33

OMG I'm hoping that's a typo @TerfTerf! We will need results final year) much faster than that!!! Good news about Klute - living up to its reputation yet again!

janinlondon · 09/06/2021 14:37

Having had an email telling her that residence payments would not be collected as expected on 1 June, but would come out of accounts in July instead, DD has now had a bizarre email from the University telling her that she owes them precisely the amount of the uncollected residence bill and saying they won't be allowing her to graduate if she doesn't pay up immediately. Left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing I expect, but wondered if any others have had the same emails(s)? The money has been sitting in the account waiting for them to collect for months!

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 12/06/2021 15:14

Did you sort it out @janinlondon?

Just had a very happy phone call from DS who had one jazz gig last night and has been asked to dep for Mary’s jazz band today at another event. And apparently the sun’s shining!

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janinlondon · 13/06/2021 10:45

@KingscoteStaff Yes! Apparently the algorithm hadn't taken into account the new date....(really? you don't say!!). Great about the jazz gigs. Durham Regatta running at full pelt today...I am so glad they are all getting some quality experiences.

SpringSparrow · 13/06/2021 13:15

Hello, does anyone know which households in Castle have covid? Had an email to say some households were isolating and we were hoping to go up this week to collect my dd’s belongings 😬. Waiting to hear back from college but just wondered to anyone knows. Thanks.
@janinlondon just wondered if your dd knows 😬

janinlondon · 13/06/2021 17:42

The chance of me getting her out of there before her last ever June Ball lies somewhere between zero and none - but I can ask about the households @SpringSparrow.

SpringSparrow · 13/06/2021 17:51

Thanks @janinlondon. Glad to hear she’s having a good time. My heart sank when I read the email, at the thought of people with symptoms isolating in the halls again 😢. My dd hasn’t been back. It wasn’t worth it as she was already doing exams, the week in May when she could go back. Feel sad that it’s been such a poor experience for her.
What is your dd planning to do next?

janinlondon · 13/06/2021 18:17

@SpringSparrow all she knows is that last she heard (end of the week) there were two households in Moatside. Sorry - not exactly current or specific. DD has been installed in her room in the Castle since October, with the exception of a brief Christmas break and two weeks at Easter. She has two jobs in Durham, one of which is front line testing, so she was allowed back. Also she joined the local rowing club as they were running according to GB Rowing guidelines, not Durham Uni College club guidelines, so she could get out on the water. Its been tough but she was fairly canny about her choices and for her it has definitely been better than sitting at home. She has two Masters offers to be moving on to, so all okay on that front. I'm sorry your DD has not had the experience - its been rubbish for so many of them.

SpringSparrow · 14/06/2021 00:05

@janinlondon thank you! Sounds like your dd has made the best of the situation!
Is she staying in Durham for her masters?

janinlondon · 14/06/2021 07:18

No - There are two offers on the table - Royal Academy of Music, or Oxford. Two very very different degrees....

chopc · 14/06/2021 07:39

Congratulations to your dd @janinlondon ! What did she study at Durham?

janinlondon · 14/06/2021 08:30

@chopc Its such a mashup...! She started as a BA Anthrop. Switched to the BSc Anthrop stream at the end of first year (this is a great option at Durham- they should be commended for offering it) to concentrate on global health policy, and then in third year was given special entry by the law faculty to allow her to take some of their modules in medical ethics and law. So I guess its health policy and medical ethics. Her diss (ironically topic decided long before the pandemic) was vaccine hesitancy. I can almost hear you thinking "Where does the music come into that?" hahahahaha. That's the other Durham offering that is brilliant - Vice Chancellor's scholar for the Arts. Which the Royal Academy of Music obviously value highly. Durham graduates have a world of options.....

SpringSparrow · 14/06/2021 10:14

@janinlondon wow, your dd has done well! Is the masters at Oxford in a similar subject? When does she have to decide by?

chopc · 14/06/2021 13:54

@janinlondon I am also intrigued. What will she be studying at RCM or Oxford?

And the vice chancellor scholar for arts - how did that come about?

Your DD sounds like an ambitious resourceful young lady who is not afraid to go for what she wants. Wish her all the best!

Longtimenewsee · 14/06/2021 14:01

@chopc .. all the scholarships are listed on this page:
www.dur.ac.uk/study/ug/finance/uk/scholarships/
Dd applied for the vice chancellors scholarship for the arts ( music) in feb but wasn’t successful unfortunately.

chopc · 14/06/2021 14:22

Thank you @Longtimenewsee . Now I do remember looking at these

janinlondon · 14/06/2021 15:57

For those waiting with bated breath......results are starting to come through for lots of modules now.

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 19/06/2021 09:40

For those with children in uni college accommodation can you tell me when the tenancy ends? Summer vacation starts Saturday 26th June but how much time do you have to get their stuff out?

It is possible that when Ds is there next year (fingers crossed) we have a massive event to attend on the Saturday night which will be the first day of summer vacation. We are trying to work out if he needs to move out that weekend and would therefore need to factor that in.

Ds did the uni official tour on a beautiful baking hot day, loved the place even more than the last time we visited, we strolled round the town centre and ate lunch up by the cathedral. Such a gorgeous place.

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 19/06/2021 11:47

This year term was meant to end on June 25th, but has been extended until July 2nd to take advantage of Freedom Day (ho ho).

2nd year leases seem to mostly start on July 1st, which is fine for this year - they will just move straight across from College to house, but I don’t know when the official College chucking out date would have been in normal times ( or what they would have done with their kit in the 5 day gap).

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Ingles2 · 03/07/2021 10:16

Hi everyone... so chucking out day at Hild Bede is today and Ds2 moved into his new house yesterday, so just walked his stuff over the road which is great as I'm on the south coast.
When I spoke to him last night, his house sounded noisy and he sounded happy! so pleased for him.. he's going into 3rd year of a 4yr Masters and it's not been a great experience so far thanks to CV. would love him to be a little less anxious and have a bit more fun.

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 03/07/2021 13:14

Just moved DS out of College to his Year 2 house and was (shock, horror) willingly introduced to his housemates!

House considerably nicer than anything I ever lived in at university.

Now taking him out to lunch, then visiting friends while he watches the footie with his cricket mates, then home tomorrow.

Wish us luck in the driving rain and absolutely no view through the back window…

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Longtimenewsee · 03/07/2021 13:35

Aww lovely to hear about the happy movers at Durham. SmileI really hope they have a great year next year . Watch this space on the 10th August when DD finds out if she has got the grades to go. Fingers crossed ..

TonTonMacoute · 06/07/2021 15:07

DS came home last Wednesday, graduating with a 2:1 (in Classics). He enjoyed his time at Durham but two of his three years have been marred by Covid and I think he's just had enough of it all now.

The ball they were hoping to have on 27 June was postponed, graduation ceremony is going to be sometime, who knows.

He and his friends have never complained about the situation, they've just got on with it - they know it's the same for everyone - but I just feel so sorry for them all having had such a crap time during a period that is supposed to be all about getting out there and learning how to be independent. They have spent much of that time shut up indoors!

I hope that things really are going to free up now and that the newbies and those whose DCs are going into second and third years have a better time than DS's cohort!

I wish them all (and their parents) well for 2021-22 Smile

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 06/07/2021 17:47

Well done him @TonTonMacoute, and fingers crossed the deferred Graduation will in the diary soon.

It was interesting to see the massive increase in MA applications - a desperate hope for a 'normal' year, perhaps?

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