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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!

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Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 18/10/2021 16:21

@Meery That sounds really worrying for you.

I second Schnitzel's recommendation of the student well-being services - this is exactly why they're there.

Although I'm sure you are ready with lots of suggestions for your DD, I would definitely recommend joining a couple of sports groups or choirs - just having 3 or 4 weekly sessions in her diary fills up the time and also increases the amount of time she's out and about and could serendipitously bump into a potential chum.

I know the Hill chaplaincy service are brilliant if that's something she'd be interested in.

Let's hope that by unloading a heavy bag of worries onto your shoulders, she's now feeling a bit lighter!

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Bluebellwoods1 · 18/10/2021 19:20

@Meery do keep us updated , I agree @Longtimenewsee they are fighting admin , in my DD block the heating isn’t on and she is freezing at night , no reply from emails.
She is coming home this weekend and I am going to fill her full of vitamins / nutrients to help her recover from this Chest infection / freshers flu .
Luckily she is enjoying her lectures and tutorials .

NCTDN · 18/10/2021 20:52

@Gizmo98765 that's what I'm after- first hand experience for recommendations. DD definitely wants catered and ideally en suite ( would choose shared and en suite over private). She loves the idea of formal dinners.

Oblomov21 · 19/10/2021 07:08

Place marking again. Just keeping an eye on what's going on, in case Ds gets a place next year.

Vargas · 19/10/2021 11:03

@Meery so sorry to hear what is happening with your dd. And it can be so frustrating when you are making great suggestions and she is not taking them in. Hopefully she will meet just one or two people who she gels with and that will be it, she will be off. My ds has been very lucky to have people he knows in his college, that was just by chance. Your dd may have to do something like my terribly shy friend does, which is force herself to speak to someone new every day...

Anecdotally, I have heard through a friend of a friend that her dd was completely overwhelmed by the Durham college welcome and Freshers week and could barely leave her room, even for meals. Heartbreaking.

@NCTDN my ds is at Van Mildert - 'the ugly one with the duck pond', he seems to be having a lovely time, it seems to be a very sociable college, and they had one formal which he enjoyed. It is a bit of a flog into town - about 20 minutes but only about 5-10 minutes to his Geog lectures. He says it has a great atmosphere and he has joined one of the football teams. BUT there are very few ensuites and no shared rooms, so that might be a dealbreaker for your dd!

Slightly worrying ds has recently said that 'there is hardly any work' and the lectures are often 'a bit boring'. Oh dear. DH says it sounds like we sent him to holiday camp rather than higher education...

SchnitzelVonCrummsTum · 19/10/2021 11:29

@Vargas - It's the start of week 3 of teaching so hopefully they're just easing them in gently. in the Intro lectures, there can be a degree of trying to make sure that everyone has a solid knowledge of the fundamentals - I'm not surprised that students find this boring sometimes too.
Re: the work, a small word of caution. It's quite common for the deadlines to be at the end of the term, so what feels like 'hardly any work' may well end up being a lot of deadlines all at once in December. Or of course, your DC may be one of those hyper-organised and talented students who simply find the work can be mastered in very little time - very much depends on the degree programme being studied I think ...

Vargas · 19/10/2021 11:37

@SchnitzelVonCrummsTum - Thanks so much for the info, that makes sense and I did try to tell ds that he will have to get his head down and work very soon!

And I almost spat out my tea at the idea of him being 'hyper-organised' Grin.

SchnitzelVonCrummsTum · 19/10/2021 11:48

@Vargas - you're welcome! Grin
The key thing students in 1st year sometimes forget to do is the reading around the lectures each week - one of the key components of independent work. As it's quite flexible and students are 'expected' to do it rather than always assessed on it immediately quite a few leave it until later in the term before realising that it piles up ... I think hitting that stage of "holy crap, I've got half a textbook to read" is a really valuable part of the learning curve about what it means to work at UG level.

Gizmo98765 · 19/10/2021 17:10

That sounds perfect for my DS @Vargas I will encourage him to put that down as one of his choices.

A friend of a friend studying law was at VM 30 odd years ago and she loved it and made friends for life.

chopc · 23/10/2021 17:45

So we are visiting DS at Durham this weekend. Had a lovely walk around, saw the Uni buildings. There is no common space/ cafeteria to hang out in between lectures apart from the student Union? Is that right? What happens in the second year once you move out of College? I doubt if students keep coming back to the college for events/ activities- or do they?

I went to UCL and we had plenty of spaces to just hang out so you felt part of it all for all the years we were there.

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 23/10/2021 17:53

There are spaces in the library and some of the buildings on the science site. People do go back to their colleges too and hang out in the common spaces there. I was an arts student and still get recognised in Vennels cafe from spending a lot of time there as a student!

ppp4321 · 23/10/2021 19:31

We also went back to college between lectures. Second years sometimes hung around in the college JCR too. I've been to the students union more often showing my kids around Durham (twice) than in my three years there....

There are more common areas now - we were taken to the cafe and lounge by the new learning centre opposite the science site on a tour recently and I can imagine that being useful as a fairly central place to meet friends.

Peaseblossum22 · 23/10/2021 22:53

There are lots of common spaces spread around the different buildings and libraries but it’s a small place so people often go back to colleges/houses . There are also lots of coffee shops etc. Only ever went to students union to buy stuff in the shop.

chopc · 24/10/2021 05:14

Thanks @Peaseblossum22 @ppp4321 @OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea

DS was saying is he has a lecture from say 9-1 and then another one 2-3, it's too short a time to walk back to his college and back. So I think they tend to go to a coffee shop or similar in town. I think it's a shame there is nowhere to congregate socially with the Uni itself

chopc · 24/10/2021 05:47

Another Q- train fare to London Kings Cross is £90 return from Durham. This is including the railcard saving. Any way of getting it cheaper?

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 24/10/2021 08:28

DD just back from a trip to stay with her brother - loved it, although his choice of entertainment for her (watching him playing rugby, queuing for half an hour at Flat White and attending the Ski Club social at Babylon) seems quite random!

He uses his college cafe to hang out/study between lectures/seminars and also the lounge at the learning centre. Apparently he and a mate have also developed squatters’ rights on the first floor tables by the library lifts from where you can spot when the sandwiches in the cafe are discounted at 5.20pm…

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Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 24/10/2021 08:35

@chopc If you can book ahead, the price comes down a lot. If your DS was organised enough to book his holiday tickets today, a return coming to London on Friday 10th Dec and back up on 9th Jan is £58 with a railcard.

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Longtimenewsee · 24/10/2021 08:39

Lol love the squatters rights and sandwich stalking @KingscoteStaff
@chopc.. you have to book ahead to get it cheaper . You can book that journey now for Xmas for about half that amount
Split ticketing?. It’s ok if you don’t mind moving seats if you have to ( most of the time you don’t have to) . Sometimes it’s a good saving but sometimes definitely not worth the effort. I just looked at sample Durham return and it was a tiny saving so not worth it

NotEnoughTime · 24/10/2021 09:37

chopc I have set up a ticket alert on my phone which lets me know when the next batch of tickets are for sale so that is when I buy them.
For the Christmas holidays I have paid just under 50 pounds return for my DS (Durham/Kings X) so am very happy with that.

When are you going to Durham Longtimenewsee? We are going up to see my DS on Friday-can't wait Smile

jano69 · 24/10/2021 09:57

Hope you're having a lovely weekend in Durham chopc.

DS still spends a lot of time at his college as a third year as he works behind the bar. It pays almost £10 per hour and keeps him connected to college life while earning at the same time. College balls are popular with all years, formals are less frequent this term due to catering staff shortages.

DD is at Collingwood and we have committed to vacating her room at Christmas and Easter so her room can be let out for the holiday season. It actually works out marginally cheaper as we only pay for term time accommodation which was a real plus. So DH will be travelling up around the 10th Dec to bring both of them home.

chopc · 24/10/2021 10:13

Thanks all for the tips on train tickets

Baytreemum · 24/10/2021 10:48

@chopc if your DS doesn’t mind leaping on a train at weird opportune times, people are often selling their tickets cheaply via the duz students’ open ft page too.
On inter lecture breaks - options include study in library/tlc (!!!) or grab sth at one of the cafes on site or nearby. Some catered colleges offered lunch swaps with other colleges, not sure if that still happens, but maybe it’s time to make friends with someone from Mary’s!

Longtimenewsee · 24/10/2021 12:17

Hey @NotEnoughTimeSmile..oh have a lovely time ! - I bet you can’t wait . We are going in November.
It’s lovely hearing about visits.. keep em coming
Dd also has to vacate her room at Xmas.. I’m dreading the moving of her stuff ( deffo took took too much and no freps to help!!) and hoping that most of her stuff will fit under the bed!!

NotEnoughTime · 24/10/2021 12:39

Thanks Longtimenewsee My DS has just given me a list of items that he wants me to take up with me. Where he is going to put everything I do not know Confused His room is fit to burst as it is.

That's a real pain. Maybe tell DD to ask friends at other colleges to store some stuff for her over the Christmas holidays? I'm sure my DS would be happy to if she wants?

Vargas · 24/10/2021 14:51

I've got a load of questions, if anyone can help I would really appreciate it!

So is it assumed that all kids leave on 10th Dec and head back up on 9th of Jan? I.e. they don't leave a day later or rock up a day earlier...

Also, re: end of June, will we need to all pick them up on 24th or do some head home earlier depending on exams etc? DH is trying to organise a lads' holiday and it would be helpful to know when ds will actually need to get picked up.

And ds called yesterday to say he and a few mates have got a house organised for next year in the Viaduct. He says they have to pay for a whole year, is that right?

Can you tell I am a newbie to the whole UK Uni scene? Grin

We are heading up in a few weeks for a quick visit, looking forward to it!

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