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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??

OP posts:
Peaseblossum22 · 05/09/2021 09:10

We were well past the deferral date last year but they practically bit his hand off so I think there will still be people who defer especially if they get accommodation they are not happy with.

Although at least they are being offered accommodation, some other universities seem to have just given up. If it’s any consolation @chopc The Viaduct is a very studenty area and sixty is enough for it to be a viable community, still very disappointing though.

Still praying ds doesn’t end up in a B&B in Whitby. They have asked him how tall he is but no dates etc

Longtimenewsee · 05/09/2021 10:49

@lifeintheorybutnotinpractise
Did you solve this problem in the end? Dd has had same issue and cannot get past it

LeiatheSchnauzer · 05/09/2021 11:11

Are they using the Id name plus the @ durham suffix? Dd is trying to remember what she did.

rs200 · 05/09/2021 11:33

Getting slightly worried about all talk of slots to arrive at Colleges as dd heard nothing but I assume everyone expected to arrive either Sat or Sun 25/26th?
Also what is normal in terms of parental help to unpack, hanging around, being around next day? Had assumed once we had unloaded & settled in we had to disappear as dd would be whisked off to various college activities but now getting concerned by people staying for w/end etc. We live long way away so was going to head home & stay 1/2 way but don't want dd to be upset if everyone elses parents are still around. Would appreciate any thoughts & many thanks

LeiatheSchnauzer · 05/09/2021 11:45

@rs200, at dd's college we only know that it will be one of those dates but nothing further. Have they been sent a handbook? Can't remember where the info is (maybe on the college page) but there is a freshers planner which shows events including welcome talks.
We are also travelling a long way and I have booked two different hotels for the Friday and Saturday night; both have free cancellation and as soon as I know which day she has I will cancel the other.
I hope we can go to her room. I want to settle her in a bit. If we are early we might take her out for lunch but will play it by ear; if she wants to get stuck in with other freshers we will slope off. When we took ds to his uni we also took him shopping for food before we left but dd should be catered.

LeiatheSchnauzer · 05/09/2021 11:46

And we are only staying over the night before, once she has unpacked we will go home and leave her to it.

MidLifeCrisis007 · 05/09/2021 11:47

I shall be driving DS up from London and then coming back again same day. I expect he'll want shot of me within 5 minutes of arriving!

I'll probably take myself for a nice walk along the river before driving back to break up the journey a bit.

Fawful · 05/09/2021 11:47

@Peaseblossum22 so you heard quite soon after asking to defer last year, then? Maybe they're reluctant to let DS, a Comp Sci student, defer as it's very maths heavy? DS had ASD and he'd need to attend the week before everyone (ideally), so it's getting very close. I'll try to call tomorrow (though I guess it's a department decision...).

Peaseblossum22 · 05/09/2021 12:24

He emailed the dept to ask if they would consider it , they told him to fill in the form and I think it did take about 5 days to get the final confirmation from admissions . He also spoke to a very nice person on the admissions helpline who confirmed it was in the pipeline and was very reassuring ( credit where credit is due )

Fawful · 05/09/2021 12:32

Thank you, that's v helpful!

chopc · 05/09/2021 13:59

I feel like they are dangling carrots and then taking away. Why was a huge deal made of putting your order of college preference and then getting allocated a college?

What was the point then of telling everyone they may need to reallocated, get everyone stressed and then allocate a college- get everyone to sigh with relief and then say a minority of students may need to live 20 mins away?

I know I am ranting and there is sweet little to be done but the whole thing is so annoying.

WentworthMillerMad · 05/09/2021 14:36

Hi everyone, we have our time slot for the Sunday, am really hoping I am allowed in the help him unpack and make his bed up etc, we are then driving back, we just under 3 hours so not staying over!

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 05/09/2021 14:36

Ds is moving into South college on the Saturday morning and we had an email from South for booking the time slot.

Ds has since had his contract for his accommodation starting on Sunday 26th at 2pm. This is an email again from his college with bare minimum details. Then there is a link to sign in to the Durham banner where you can view the entire contract.

However, Ds's college was confirmed on 23rd August so ages ago now compared to most people on these threads.

I think the only consolation chopc is that at least it is a large number of students, not just 3 students out in the sticks somewhere. There are private student accommodation blocks that are lovely if that is where they are placing people and I genuinely believe that all universities are trying their best to accommodate everyone. The last thing any of them want is bad publicity with students complaining all over social media.

WentworthMillerMad · 05/09/2021 14:51

Ah we are 2 pm Sunday south college!

NCTDN · 05/09/2021 15:59

For anyone looking to stay over, when we went to look for the open day last week we stayed at the travelodge. I couldn't fault it for what we wanted - close to city centre and free parking. And incredibly cheap!

chopc · 05/09/2021 16:15

@NCTDN fully booked for the Saturday - I suspect a lot of accommodation may be

Vargas · 05/09/2021 17:23

DS is having issues logging in too, but it looks like from Student Room that others are having the same problem so it must be something at the Durham end. The error message we are getting is 'Invalid UDC ID mapping'

@chopc I am getting increasingly hacked off with everything to do with Durham Uni. They seem to be on the back foot with everything and even bulletproof ds is getting fed up with IT issues and lack of info from his college. We have had no information about accommodation, modules or drop off times/dates. Not to mention the ridiculous and unnecessary confusion over college allocations. Hmm

If anyone is looking to stay over on the Saturday night I wish you good luck as I couldn't find a single room in Durham! I've ended up booking a place in Yarm as it's on the way back for us.

321zyx · 05/09/2021 17:26

@Vargus DS is getting the same error message.

LeiatheSchnauzer · 05/09/2021 17:37

We booked Darlington for the Saturday...

libbytrois · 05/09/2021 17:44

Any other colleges - except South - confirmed accommodation and moving in slots yet? Nothing here yet despite replying to first round of emails on 23rd August.Hmm

lifeintheorybutnotinpractise · 05/09/2021 18:10

[quote Longtimenewsee]@lifeintheorybutnotinpractise
Did you solve this problem in the end? Dd has had same issue and cannot get past it[/quote]
No, but going to contact the IT department tomorrow to sort it out.

Longtimenewsee · 05/09/2021 19:32

Thanks @lifeintheorybutnotinpractise
Dd got the same message as Vargas mentioned -‘Invalid UDC ID mapping'
She’ll have another go tomorrow 🙄

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 05/09/2021 20:30

@WentworthMillerMad finally another Southie! I did go back through this thread to find what your child was studying. Ds is computer science and has chosen discrete maths as one of his electives. He absolutely loves maths which of course you have to at least like it for computer science.

They may cross paths! He has been allocated an en-suite room. South was his first choice purely based on no sharing, new, en-suite and close to new maths and computer science building.

I assume your Ds is on the south college freshers instagram where they are telling them the themes for each night of freshers. Ds is not a theme party type of boy.

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 05/09/2021 23:26

@OnTheBenchOfDoom t shirts are your friend for theme nights! Go to a big T-shirt site like Red Molotov and order a different one for each theme - DS had one with the NY skyline for ‘International Night’, one with Ronald Reagan for ‘Heroes and Villains’, one with Scrabble letters for ‘Countdown’ - all still in use a year later! A rainbow set of bandannas were also useful for wearing on heads/round necks for colour themes.

OP posts:
NannyAndJohn · 06/09/2021 04:48

Still waiting on a move in slot for Castle for DD.

Getting rather nervous as we'd really need a slot in the middle of the day. We're five hours away and will be doing the entire trip in one day as we don't want to risk Covid by staying in a hotel.