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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
chopc · 08/12/2021 20:12

@Fruitygal was wondering the same but don't know enough about what went on

chopc · 08/12/2021 20:13

We collect DS tomorrow at the end of the first term! Can't believe how quickly the term has gone. He seemed to have had a really good time and hopefully work has been good as well although I don't think he has received much feedback yet 🤔

Thanks to @KingscoteStaff and all others who gave help and advise over the course of the past few months

tinkywinkyshandbag · 08/12/2021 20:16

Looking forward to picking DD up this Sunday I think she is looking forward to a warm house, home cooking and family time.

Fruitygal · 08/12/2021 20:26

@chopc saw the online footage of the head of college's wife. I think I'd never leave the house again if I behaved that appallingly - on twitter if you want to look. 1 friend's DS was appalled at the RL speech and he's pretty right leaning and not easily phased. I assume Durham will sack the college head as there is really nowhere to go with it. Love Durham so I feel for them over this.

SpamhappyTootsie · 08/12/2021 20:46

With 4 Christmas Dinners under his belt maybe they need a Father Christmas, KingscoteStaff!

chopc · 08/12/2021 20:50

@Fruitygal which Twitter account? Not very familiar with Twitter I am afraid

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 08/12/2021 21:01

I second @chopc thank you to everyone who has held my hand whilst my precious first born moved to Durham. Even before he was offered his place and was applying I was reading this thread and all the Durham ones before it and Ds was eager to know how everyone felt about it as a parent of a student, a Durham alumni or someone who lives there. In fact we still say, "There's only one St Aidens" in a chant which I think someone chanted on here a long time ago when colleges were being discussed Grin

Safe travels to anyone collecting their DCs for Christmas.

MidLifeCrisis007 · 08/12/2021 21:03

@KingscoteStaff

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…

The ski trip should be a hoot (even if it comes with a few additional costs due to the latest covid protocols). I hope the temporary closure of nightclubs in France isn't an issue...... I hear they'll all be dancing in the restaurants instead!
Bluebellwoods1 · 08/12/2021 22:23

Echo @chopc sentiments re a huge thank you to you all , you often were far more informed than me and certainly helped with the pre term accommodation angst.

DD coming home on Sunday and says she is completing her washing on Sat prior to coming home ( not convinced this will happen ) , she is also waiting for feedback on work she has handed in.

Safe travelling to all who are collecting .

Longtimenewsee · 08/12/2021 22:38

Yes .. thank you all so much . I can’t believe they’ve done a term.
Dd says most are shocked at what happened at South. She says most depts have issued a statement and that her own college principle emailed them all which she found reassuring.
I think perhaps he’ll be “ encouraged “ to step down .

PickAChew · 08/12/2021 23:03

I'm mostly active on FWR, here, these days, but RL's speech was bloody disgusting. I credit him with too much intelligence to believe that it was just bantz or an exercise in irony or anything even approximating to humour.

SpamhappyTootsie · 09/12/2021 07:13

I believe RL had a right to be invited and give his speech but that any student who didn’t want to listen to it had the right to leave and say why they were doing so without being called ‘pathetic’.

Peaseblossum22 · 09/12/2021 07:22

The thing is it was a Christmas Dinner , the students had to pay £25 a head as I understand it. They had no idea RL was a speaker , or in fact that there would be a speaker, until they arrived. They had also traveled by coach. Frankly I would be pretty annoyed at having to listen to RL over my Cmas pudding, there’s a time and a place. A serious error of judgement.

SpamhappyTootsie · 09/12/2021 07:27

Ah, that’s me ploughing on without the full facts! No, I can’t say RL would be my choice of Christmas Dinner Speaker either, although I would be prepared to listen to him as a speaker in another setting (wouldn’t pay £25 to do so, however, as his views are…..freely given whether you want them or not….).

jano69 · 09/12/2021 08:09

I agree Pease. The students thought they'd paid for a fun light hearted Christmas night out and were completely taken off guard when RL stood up and said his stuff. The reporting in the media has been pretty misleading.

MidLifeCrisis007 · 09/12/2021 18:48

I've been summoned to pick up DS and his bike on Saturday morning as the lazy git has decided it's too cold to go out cycling up there so the bike needs to come home.....#SoftSoutherner!

I'm driving up tomorrow and looking forward to a night out with the girl who was in the room next door to me in my first term at Durham back in 1985! Perhaps we should hit Klute?!

chopc · 09/12/2021 19:19

@MidLifeCrisis007 I dare you to hit Klute .....

321zyx · 09/12/2021 19:58

@MidLifeCrisis007Grin

Longtimenewsee · 09/12/2021 20:27

@MidLifeCrisis007 Grin would you ever be forgiven if you did?

MidLifeCrisis007 · 09/12/2021 20:36

[quote Longtimenewsee]@MidLifeCrisis007 Grin would you ever be forgiven if you did?[/quote]
Friday is local's night and my mate is a local! DS would never know! (although I might mention it on the drive back down!).

SpamhappyTootsie · 09/12/2021 20:49

You’d need photo evidence. A nice selfie Grin

TheSilveryPussycat · 09/12/2021 22:17

Do it!

The last time I was there was as a student, went with others on my course, got exceedingly pissed.

I was doing an MA and aged 49 Blush

jano69 · 09/12/2021 23:55

Do it! We will be so impressed.

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 10/12/2021 21:58

Ds is in South college but did not attend the Christmas Formal which took place in the hub in South which is the one RL attended. The coach ride one was a ball and took place a couple of weeks ago and Ds did attend that one.

The RL speech took everyone by surprise and the JCR president originally had a very light hearted 12 days of Christmas speech planned which went out the window. I agree RL shouldn't have given a culture war speech at what is meant to be a fun and festive formal at Christmas.

@MidLifeCrisis007 definitely at least walk past and get a selfie of you in front of Klute! I would venture in though just for the fun of it. Tell us if it still has a sticky floor. Ds has been a couple of times, once with Freshers where he feared injury as it was so crowded and then as a couple of Friday night visits where it was decidedly safer but still very crowded.

Picking Ds up in the morning. I cannot wait to go and get him.

SpamhappyTootsie · 11/12/2021 11:04

DH has set off to collect DS. Not fair to expect the dog to spend 5 hours in the car in total so we’ve stayed at home. First Christmas Uni Break - another milestone! Apparently there is not a huge pile of dirty washing to be done as he deals with it on a weekly basis, thank you very much, how insulting to think he would be such a cliche Grin

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