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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 · 18/09/2021 06:46

The continuation thread for those with DC at Durham, or applying to Durham, or alumni, or staff!

September 2021 finds us packing, unpacking, meeting old friends and new, and all with our fingers firmly crossed for a positive year!

OP posts:
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11
Parsonage63 · 27/09/2021 09:34

It is a good thing that no news is good news. As my DC firmly the no news type. I will be desperately logging in here to find out any possible information!

jano69 · 27/09/2021 09:54

Good morning all!

Waking up in rainy Durham - a complete contrast to yesterday's amazing sunshine!

All good for DD - she is delighted with her room at Collingwood - a good size with a njce ensuite. It was a great atmosphere of loud music, helpful freppers and excited/nervous freshers.

We left her unpacked with her bed made up - I'm hoping she'll learn how to keep her room tidy as she was so messy at home.

Collingwood had booked Wiff Waff nightclub last night for freshers so DD was there until the early hours of this morning.

We are now anticipating our journey back south and the first priority is to find petrol!

@MargaretThursday Well done to your DD, toothache is the absolute worst and I speak from experience...

par05 · 27/09/2021 10:10

Morning all, what a weekend! Dropped and got back late last night, luckily had managed to top fuel up for the journey home, kinda wish she wasn't so far away, dd was a bit emotional as we went, but seemed to perk up as her afternoon was filled. She's busy today think but she is tired and time of the month for her, which usually leaves her drained. Well down for the dd finding dentist and glad it got sorted nothing worse than toothache. How are people doing the lateral flow tests? As dd had done one herself qnd registered it with the NHS app but think she had to have one done in thr uni?

chopc · 27/09/2021 10:10

@jano69 great to hear DD has settled nicely. We had ample opportunity to fill up yesterday on our way back south. But being sensible thought not to be greedy as that is what's caused the shortage in the first place ..... holding back was hard though

par05 · 27/09/2021 10:11

Also she is in Josephine butler and welcome was lovely and bright!

chopc · 27/09/2021 10:12

@par05 as per the Collingwood frep, the first one can be done by self and will be accepted but all subsequent ones to be done via Uni. Their wrist band changes colour every 48hrs apparently

CeliaCanth · 27/09/2021 10:15

Well…got a call from DS last night in tears as he was feeling homesick and is finding his (confident, older) roommate rather too much. Talked to him for ages and suggested he was just feeling overwhelmed by the “newness” of it all and not to be put off by a few extroverts or people who already seemed to have a huge network of friends…He seemed better after a chat but of course we are worried about him today.

SpamhappyTootsie · 27/09/2021 10:30

@par05

Also she is in Josephine butler and welcome was lovely and bright!
Wasn’t it! The Freps were great. We declined help unpacking the car, but she stayed with us until we were sure we had no more questions etc. I love the open land around the buildings, plenty of places to go off for a thoughtful wander if you need to, without having to go into town for the lovely walks there. LFT done there yesterday, not sure if the college option will be available all the time but there were lots of places to get subsequent ones done from the look of the list on InThurmation Day.

CeliaCanth, it ‘s so difficult to hear them upset Sad. The confident people might be truly confident or hiding their own insecurities under chattiness, but it can feel like everyone knows what to do, where to go etc in those first weeks. I hope your DS feels better about things soon, when there is more structure to the days.

jano69 · 27/09/2021 10:33

Thanks @chopc - we have just filled up as we wouldn't have made it home otherwise.

DD got her LFT by Trevs yesterday and DS at Palace Green. Wristbands are given out on confirmation of a negative result and then LFTs must be repeated every 48 hours if they want access to college bars and university events. It seems like a good system. DD has had covid and also double jabbed so hoping that will keep covid at bay for a few months....

GoTrevs · 27/09/2021 10:35

@CeliaCanth oh gosh that must have been such a hard phone call. I expect most people will be feeling similar, it's just that some will be better at hiding it or use extroversion as a coping mechanism. He should find his groove soon enough. Hope you are ok too!

jano69 · 27/09/2021 10:37

@CeliaCanth My heart goes out to you, how distressing for you all.... I'm sure he'll settle soon and find the super confident room mate isn't all what he initially seems.

We saw a few nervous looking teary eyed freshers yesterday and I really felt for them and their families....

PaulaMoM · 27/09/2021 10:44

Relieved to discover this thread, dropped DS off on Saturday and have been bawling my eyes out ever since! Does it get easier? DS is quiet and shy, hoping the Freps are keeping him busy and making it easier to make friends

CeliaCanth · 27/09/2021 10:57

@SpamhappyTootsie @GoTrevs @jano69 thank you and I suspect you are right. I have a busy day at work today which I think is a Good Thing.

par05 · 27/09/2021 11:10

@celiacanth hope your ds be ok, hopefully busy day for him today and he will find his people! @paulamom I'm feeling it a bit today too, as younger dd 9 facetimed her sis today while getting ready for school and they were both crying! But she has a busy day so keep her mind occupied. I'm mooching round house trying to clean, and back at work tomorrow.

SpamhappyTootsie · 27/09/2021 11:10

@PaulaMoM

Relieved to discover this thread, dropped DS off on Saturday and have been bawling my eyes out ever since! Does it get easier? DS is quiet and shy, hoping the Freps are keeping him busy and making it easier to make friends
I am sure he will find his niche, don’t worry. As we walked back to the car park there were quite a lot of freshers heading to the bar/social area (some kind of quiz I think). It looked like they had known each other for years! But that just isn’t the case. Yes, there will be some supremely confident 18/19 yr Olds there, but most will just be plastering on that Happy Social Face and getting to as many things as possible. It’s fine not to do that. It’s fine to be shy and make friends at a more leisurely pace (on your actual course etc). Freshers Week reminds me a bit of when you’ve had a baby and feel you need to go to ALL THE GROUPS or your child will grow up friendless and unable to mix socially. When all you have in common with most of the other new mothers is that you gave birth around the same time! Gradually, you find people you have more in common with.
Meery · 27/09/2021 11:12

@CeliaCanth it will get better. My dd was upset Saturday night but had really perked up yesterday - as evidenced by lack of contact.

Sadly the Trevs matriculation was affected by the rain, with no photos outside or trip out to the racecourse/cathedral.

WentworthMillerMad · 27/09/2021 11:17

Hi everyone, I have finally found the new thread, has taken me all this time!
We had a brilliant day yesterday dropping off at south college, such a warm welcome snd the freps were superb. Although emotional I am just so happy for him, he picked such a beautiful place and I think his college suits him!
@OnTheBenchOfDoom I will on you!

Peaseblossum22 · 27/09/2021 11:48

@Meery they matriculate twice , once for college and once for university. It’s the university one which is at the racecourse, I think that’s on Wednesday or Thursday

Meery · 27/09/2021 11:56

@Peaseblossum22 thank you! Thought that it was a bit odd to change plans so much.

GoTrevs · 27/09/2021 12:30

I've seen some pics of the Trevs matriculation on the fb page and they're doing it in the bar and look to be signing a big ledger.

I have ZERO recollection of a college matriculation. Is it a newish thing or was I just hungover?

clan17 · 27/09/2021 12:39

Been so good to read all your posts about how you are coping. During the day I find it ok but at night I worry about DS getting back to college. Once Freshers week is over hoping to find it easier. On the plus side DS has settled in well, got a nice room and enjoying all the events.

Longtimenewsee · 27/09/2021 13:03

Mmm I feel a bit out of kilter…like I’ve forgotten something and I jump wondering what it is and then remember .
I haven’t heard a thing.. I’m hoping that is good ( I’m going to keep telling myself that anyway) . We are v close but I think we both realise that if we have to much contact early on , it might make it harder for her (and me!) to get going. We left with smiley tears. Coz it’s both wonderful and sad isn’t it? . So bittersweet.
I don’t know.. I’m not sure how to navigate it tbh. If I don’t hear anything by Wednesday.. I’ll send pet pics 😁. A pet pic is never ignored.
@CeliaCanth.. it will get better .. he’ll find someone on his wavelength. x

MidLifeCrisis007 · 27/09/2021 13:53

I've tried pet picture emotional blackmail. No impact. Sad

DS has sent one WhatsApp in his first 48 hours and that was about Fantasy Football not life at Durham. Sigh.

I think his maintenance loan gets deposited into his account today so he'll probably be on Amazon looking for bike accessories/clothing to waste it all on.

chopc · 27/09/2021 13:55

@CeliaCanth I think Durham is one of the better places to be if you are reserved because of the college system and the freps. Don't know what college he is in but there was a frep for each floor at Collingwood- maybe something similar at his college.

Hope he finds like minded people soon. And to be honest having a very confident room mate can be a way in for a lot of social events if you are shy ......that's if you go along with them

PaulaMoM · 27/09/2021 14:44

@CeliaCanth I have just had the same tearful phone call, just want to jump on a train and get him back. I hope it is just a wobble but so worried about him. Have tried to speak to someone at his college to keep an eye on him and just get answerphone

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