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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:
Thread gallery
11
NinaProudman2022 · 30/11/2021 17:57

Thanks @clan17 did your DS go to Durham and is he enjoying the course and experience?

clan17 · 30/11/2021 18:18

@NinaProudman2022 Yes he is in his first year and he has been very impressed with the course. His contact hours are about 23 per week and he said the tutors are very supportive. So far it has definitely been the perfect choice. Lots of extra curricular activities to get involved in as well and the college experience has been very positive.

LeiatheSchnauzer · 02/12/2021 12:34

Not been on for a while but enjoying catching up on everything.
Dd is Trevs and is not moving out of her room for Christmas. Not sure what they normally do because apparently they all used to switch rooms each term to spread out the shared room allocation but no word on this anymore.
She is coming home on the train a day earlier than she has told her sister so that she can turn up and surprise her on her birthday!
Lots of fun things planned including a masked ball this weekend.
Am enjoying the glimpses of her life I get to see occasionally on Instagram stories!
She has finally sorted WHO she is going to live with next year, now just needs to find somewhere.

Longtimenewsee · 02/12/2021 15:12

Very glad to hear your Dd is thriving @LeiatheSchnauzer. Sounds like there are some exciting things in the pipeline too!
Dd has signed a tenancy for next year. Tbh I think she was sick of the thought of spending any more hours looking. Tenancy agreement looked ok when I gave it the once over. Let’s hope it works out well. £130pw with bills included. She will have a small ensuite. 5 of them . She doesn’t actually live with any of them this year so let’s hope they are all still friends when they come to actually move in together!

chopc · 02/12/2021 16:54

Do you guys mean on your DC personal Instagram page or? DS never takes any photos and have to ask him a hundred times before he sends any photos taken by others

libbytrois · 02/12/2021 18:22

Same here @chopc - in fact I've never seen any photos at all!!

Longtimenewsee · 02/12/2021 19:19

Dd sends the occasional pic. She sent one of the dusting of snow that they woke up to this morning

Peaseblossum22 · 02/12/2021 19:30

As far as Trevs is concerned I stalk the Trevs Ents and Trevs music accounts on Instagram and have managed to catch a couple of glimpses of dsBlush

Longtimenewsee · 02/12/2021 19:41

Lol @Peaseblossum22 I must also confess to stalking a society Instagram account that Dd is part of and saw a couple pics of her on that too.Grin

jano69 · 02/12/2021 20:20

You guys got me thinking and I've just spotted DS on his college's Insta tonight. Thank you.

Braveheart35 · 02/12/2021 21:39

So DS off to College ball tonight, sent a picture of himself, looking very dapper in black tie! Five of them sharing next year, fruitless search the last 3 weeks. All agents suggested moving out to Frammelgate (?!) to get something. A few 5 bed flats came up this week on the viaduct, so they are going to see one tomorrow and as long as it's not falling apart, they will sign up. He's had a great term, despite Durham's slightly chaotic organisation post A level results, I really do think Durham have pulled out all the stops to give the kids a great first term experience.

chopc · 03/12/2021 15:30

DS said he is basically having a week off due to the strikes .........

Vargas · 04/12/2021 16:52

DS came home yesterday, wanted to go visit a mate in Bath and has decided not to bother going back to Durham for next week, he'll do his work online next week. So nice to see him, although his tidy bedroom is already trashed!

Friend's son is on the same ski trip mentioned upthread but he's on the Oxbridge one this week, it has all gone ahead and the snow looks good. I think DS wishes he had signed up for the Durham one but evidently tickets went in a few minutes. Maybe next year. Depending on what Omicrom + snow does we may try to go skiing at Easter.

TheSilveryPussycat · 04/12/2021 22:53

Braveheart, the agent was referring to Framwellgate Moor, a mile or so north of Durham city. As a resident, I can wholeheartedly recommend it, you can walk into town, there are frequent buses, a Sainsbury's Local, and a Greggs!

When I came up in 1970, there was a University Skiing Society, to which my friends signed up. This Society used to go skiing in Weardale every year, though my friends were disappointed there wasn't enough snow that year.

But most winters in the 70s and 80s could be relied on for heavy snow. And I mean heavy snow. In 1979 Newcastle was cut off!

Longtimenewsee · 05/12/2021 07:37

Have to agree @Braveheart35- once they were there and in their colleges, it has been great. Dd has been having an excellent time. It was just the horribly messy lead up.
I hope those who were reallocated colleges are just as happy and that what they say really is true.. in that you love your college whichever one you get allocated.

*@chopc.. Dd’s main subject not affected but a small elective ( different department) was . Dd said she found last years lectures online and worked through them. I hope your Ds has been able to keep chipping away ok.

Bluebellwoods1 · 05/12/2021 08:59

@Braveheart35 DD was reallocated to Stephenson college and she is enjoying her time very much and interested in her subject lectures , she was thrown a curve ball last week in that one person in her flat left and told them the day before , DD said she had wanted catered accommodation and she felt her experience wasn’t what she wanted so some have clearly struggled.

MarchingFrogs · 05/12/2021 10:50

she had wanted catered accommodation and she felt her experience wasn’t what she wanted

Each person's reasons for being unhappy are their own, of course, and not to be downplayed - but what was the poor girl going to do in second and third year, when she would have to cook for herself? Or does Durham provide accommodation in college for all who want it?

SpamhappyTootsie · 06/12/2021 13:35

Well, this term has flown by! Picking DS up this weekend. So far, instructions on where to park to do so are…….vague. I’m sure he will come up with a Plan before the day.
None of his lecturers have been on strike so he has had the usual timetable afaik. Including something on Friday, which would have been a better day to pick him up but not crucial.

Flowers to everyone on these threads who helped put my mind at rest about some things and provided an excellent online camaraderie for someone waving their PFB off to Durham.

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 08/12/2021 17:25

Where do people park for the hill colleges? South have said we can park on their car park as long as it is literally picking up but it isn't as we took the suitcase home with us etc so even if we drove up there, I bail out with a suitcase and bags where on earth does Dh then park the car?

I have a feeling park and ride will have some penalty notice about using their car park when not using the bus. I would happily buy tickets for the bus but then obviously not use them. They could make some money offering parking for move out days from those 4 colleges, Snow, South, Butler and Stevo.

Any second year parents on here with info on this?

SpamhappyTootsie · 08/12/2021 17:33

At Butler we are allowed to park on the site, using the access road. Found that out from a quick phone call to the college reception today! Maybe South have similar arrangements (I don’t know the layout)?

Motherknowsbest100 · 08/12/2021 18:01

@OnTheBenchOfDoom I’m pretty sure you can park in the park & ride opposite South College without buying a bus ticket - but worse case buy one bus ticket from the machine for £2 - still cheap, convenient parking

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 08/12/2021 18:44

@Motherknowsbest100 and @SpamhappyTootsie Thank you, on the park and ride website it says parking is free as long as you intend to use the bus service which obviously I don't. However, Ds has just sent me a link where Durham uni say use the park and ride car park for colleges!

We will buy tickets to cover us for the bus but then whip across with a suitcase for Ds's stuff. I think it is different for Butler and Stevo though as Ds's mate was at Butler and I think they get to do it with the blessing of the council.

I just don't want Dh to end up with a parking ticket. There is literally nowhere else to park at all.

Fruitygal · 08/12/2021 19:52

Thoughts on South Issue?

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 08/12/2021 19:58

DS has arrived home full of beans and ready for a quick laundry turn round before the ski trip! He’s managed 4 Christmas dinners in the last week, which seems impressive.

He says he has been selected to be in the fashion show, but I fear he’s mis understood and has in fact been asked to assemble the scaffolding for the catwalk…

OP posts:
TheSilveryPussycat · 08/12/2021 20:05

@MarchingFrogs

she had wanted catered accommodation and she felt her experience wasn’t what she wanted

Each person's reasons for being unhappy are their own, of course, and not to be downplayed - but what was the poor girl going to do in second and third year, when she would have to cook for herself? Or does Durham provide accommodation in college for all who want it?

People grow in confidence over the 3 years.

I was only really ready to live out in my third year. (Well, friend and I paid for a crappy couple of rooms on Gilesgate, but from the second term actually lived with our boyfriends in Castle, which of course was single sex in those days.)