Durham University

[KingscoteStaff]

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??

My DD just finished her first year in Hild Bede and looking forward to starting year 2 in hopefully better circumstances. We love Durham, it's a lovely city.

No idea if my ds has received an email. He deferred from last year and was assuming his college wouldn’t change . Not sure if I want to ask him because he might worry . He’s not too invested in his college but would be disappointed I think to be moved especially if it was to one of the self catered ones .

Thank you @MargaretThursday, hopefully it won't come to anything! Dd also exceeded her offer so wasn't expecting this, it has taken the shine off her day a little which is a shame. It does seem like it might just be a slight adjustment of places rather than a whole new allocation which would make sense.

I expect it will only affect a very small number of students, but they have to send the same message to all for fairness.

Are current parents of students who were in catered accommodation in the first year advise if there are any non obvious items that would be useful for their room eg clothes airer? Printer?

We bought both a printer and a clothes maiden in the town after dropping my dd off. I’m not sure if she found them useful or not, I’ll have to check with her, what she found useful. There’s a household type shop in the high street which was useful for getting throws. My dd was quite cold when she arrived as the heating hadn’t been turned on. I think we had to buy a desk light as well.

Thank you @SpringSparrow
Do you know if the kitchenettes in the catered halls are equipped? If for example you want to make yourself a cheese toastie are there graters there for example? Are they allowed to have a kettle in the room?

Also please could you ask your DC who were in catered halls - how much spending money is appropriate for going out, drinks etc if all one off expenses eg sports kit will be paid for?

So, dd has accepted offer (and has had email back confirming this) but is confused by the ‘upload documents’ bit . How does she know which documents she needs to upload? Were others told?
Also .. have people seen the further explanation (which appeared yesterday) saying what’s going on with college allocation - studyatdurham.microsoftcrmportals.com/en-us/knowledgebase/article/KA-02619

@Longtimenewsee oh dear. Not reassuring at all

With regard to the kitchen facilities it differs between colleges . Each college has a website and there is an accommodation section which should tell you . Also have a look at the JCR website for each college ( run by students ) which also gives information. We have also fleshed quite a bit from the recording of the online post offer days . Most colleges have IT suits with printers etc

@chopc and @Longtimenewsee actually I that is quite reassuring and the questions are pretty comprehensive. It has always been the case that sometimes because of the conditional system numbers can fluctuate , I went to Durham 30 years ago and this happened to a few people. The colleges are not like Oxbridge and you don’t get taught in them so it is relatively easy to move people around.

@chopc which college is your dc heading for ?

@Longtimenewsee I might be completely wrong but I think the document upload is for those who haven't gone through the UCAS system so you need to prove your grades by another route. Or if you need to provide any further information this is a place to upload it.

Durham website info on next steps

If I remember what they have said about accommodation, the applicants gets an email from the college, they then fill in a about you questionnaire so they can put like-minded people together in flats/corridors etc, then you get the accommodation contract. This feels like a lifetime ago and considering the sheer volume of emails that Durham churns out I am just going off memory rather than looking

Last year ds has a long questionnaire from his college which included boring things like height but also lots of free writing in interests, where you like to study, whether you are a morning or sn evening person , hobbies etc . I think you just have to wait for all this stuff to come through .

Also remember Durham doesn’t start until a full two weeks after many other universities. It’s actually easier to equate to Oxbridge terms. When ds1 went to Leeds he had to be there only a month after A levels, Durham is not until the end of September

I understand why they aren't saying which colleges are oversubscribed but I wish they would so that some of us would know if we aren't affected. Though would also worry more if dd's college was one of the oversubscribed ones...
Dd is just fed up that she has another thing to wait for when she had hoped by now she would know what next year looked like. Also very invested in her college, she did a lot of research when choosing. She got her second choice and now feels that she prefers it to her first but doesn't want to make that adjustment again!

Ah .. Dd thought that might be the case @OnTheBenchOfDoom. It was ME fretting that she had missed something

Thank you everyone. Dd was quite ruffled about the possible change of college - I think because she was just so relieved about getting in and ending the uncertainty and finally knowing where she was going. It kinda marred the results day euphoria a little .
Anyway..It is what it is.. she has re acquainted herself with the other colleges .. let’s hope if she moves, it’s to another she had in her sights originally.

@Peaseblossum22 Collingwood- picked for the floodlit cricket nets ...... Let's see 🤞🏽

To be honest when we were looking through there several colleges he would have been happy with. But has had a Collingwood chat going since allocation etc

@chopc the kitchenette in my dd’s corridor was basically a cupboard 😂. It had a fridge, a toaster and a microwave and you could fit two people in there at a bit of a squash. Her halls said you couldn’t have a kettle in your room but several people did. She’s in Castle. Apparently there’s a kitchen in one of the other accommodation blocks with a proper kitchen that students can get a key to use, but last year that wasn’t possible with all the Covid restrictions. If you go to YouTube and google room tour collingwood Durham, there’s a couple of videos of room tours in Collingwood, both the en-suite and standard rooms. It seems that the en-suite rooms provide a kettle there!

Oh lovely @SpringSparrow . Will take a gander when College allocation gets confirmed

Any input into how much "pocket money" is appropriate?

Morning, DS was in Collingwood last year, had a room overlooking the tennis courts - loved it. In private accommodation for second year. He is away at the minute so not been able to double-check, but kitchen was small and basic, sounds similar to what SpringSparrow describes, some of his bits were taken when he left them to dry on the drainer so that put him off using - if he wanted a toastie he went to the college toastie bar .

DS had a standard room, he didn't have an airer and said he didn't have room - he's quite big. He said the laundry cost included the dryer, think about £3.50 a time - he shared laundry with another lad which saved a few pennies.

We paid accommodation and he had his minimum loan to live on - managed to spend it all even in a pandemic. College bar opened but balls etc. cancelled and Durham clubs not open. Not sure what he is budgeting for next year, probably alot more than DD!

DD is far more organised in terms of budget, she is allowing herself £30-40 a week for socialising, has budgeted an additional £500 this year for balls, bops and formals, and has money waiting to pay all the upfront memberships etc. plus a budget for hair products

Thanks for the info@whoatethelastbiscuit

Do boys need a dinner jacket for balls etc? Is that what is still being worn these days?

Collingwood is less formal I think than some but a DJ is useful. Primark do some very good cheap
ones which are machine washable. Don’t get an expensive one as they do take a battering my dh used to call it a’combat DJ’ There also used to be a stall in the covered market in Durham that did good second hand ones , not sure if it’s still there .

I think ds will also take a suit although will matriculation actually take place . If it does is a blue suit ok ? I am reluctant to buy a new one ?

The college l laundrettes are pretty good - £3.50 for a wash and tumble dry - the washing powder and fabric conditioner is included so no need to pack detergent etc.

I wouldn't bother with a clothes airer - just get stuff delivered direct to the college via Amazon if need be....