Durham University

[KingscoteStaff]

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

January 2022 finds our DC packing their big coats, checking the forecast for snow and wondering when Michaelmas actally is...?

Assemble!
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@Spottyegg whens the open day? I’d try and go to Durham as quite different from other places and worlds away from UCL in terms if the type of uni. I know the train timetables in some parts of the country are messed up currently so people are only seeing tickets with a few days to spare and they appear like there are no tickets available. So worth checking this.

@Fruitygal i will check but seems unlikely at this stage.So any info gratefully received - no virtual material available on line either!

@Spottyegg Another one saying that it's really worth trying to get to the open day - could you use the coach?

@Spottyegg I would check about trains again. Don't know where you are coming from but I've just checked York to Durham which is the East Coast Mainline for Sat and all 3 trains between 8am & 9am have availability. The strikes have been cancelled.

Plan B minus www.dur.ac.uk/schools.outreach/onlineresources/discover-durham/tour/

I can’t quite face a coach trip from London! I will keep looking….

There's a Lumo train departing Kings X at 5.45am gets you into Newcastle 8.30am or could change trains at York.

I’d never heard of Lumo - thanks @EwwSprouts!

Has anyone/everyone been given moving in days and times for Durham yet for Sept 2022 entry?

We are still waiting for JS College but over on TSR a few still to be waiting for College allocation and to find out whether catered or non catered etc.

@Wordlewobble think they will have to finish allocation first - would be very useful to know as I’m playing balance on Airbnb tomorrow so if I don’t need all my nights I could cancel 1 if I know before then

@Wordlewobble DS has not got a slot yet but has got the college he preferred and paid the deposit. Godson got an email yesterday about arrival for JS.

@EwwSprouts oooo arrival time would be great - DD was still asleep when I left this am - will get DH to check with her today

We are still waiting to find out whether we need to arrive on the 24th or 25th and at what time (St Johns). Just feeling fortunate that we have a confirmed college at this stage, some very stressed folk on the TSR parents thread wanting freshers to be delayed etc.

@GoldenRuby totally agree - we have an school friend who is losing the plot with it as her child still not allocated

I hadn't been on TSR. That is dreadful when you consider they didn't take extras through clearing.

Still no arrival time info here.

Dd heard what room and whether catered or non catered on the 13th September last year . It’s an agonising wait. I was hoping DD’s year was a one off mess up of a year (what with all the paying for deferring ) but I guess not .😖 I hope those still waiting hear v soon!

Feel for those still with no college allocation - only those in clearing at other unis would still be in this position and not many unis even in that position. For clearing.

Not sure what the difficulty would be as all students were known about on 18th august so within 2-3 days it would have been apparent where under and oversubscribed colleges were and to what extent.

last year they did offer large sums to defer but it’s getting to a point where even doing that now is a little late?

Name change during this thread but I think it must be a minor record that my son's had to visit the Uni health centre and it's still over a week before Freshers' week starts.

While the preseason sports programme has been great, he moves into his proper college today but catering doesn't start for another week. So he'll have to be creative with a microwave and toaster.....

He also seems unable to work out the bus route from the hill colleges despite having sent him the timetable. But it's all a learning curve!

Not having a college allocation must be stressful as I'm sure the kids put some thought into which college they picked and are disappointed.

Where does he need to get the bus to @red4321 ? Dd walks *everywhere ( apart from bus seaside trips and trains to other places)

I hope those on pre season sports programmes have enjoyed it. Good opportunity to get to know the city before the masses arrive! I had no idea that some freshers had been in Durham so long before the others turn up at the beginning of term.
What has your ds managed to do to himself @red4321 ?

dd is looking forward to going back I think. (next weekend) . Shes missed her uni friends ( despite visiting over the summer). Is everyone’s Dc happy to be back/ returning? Trying to work out just how bad the storage situation in her accommodation will be from afar . ( I advised them to take photos when they looked around/ signed but did they listen?.. no they did not!) . The kitchen and her bedroom sound particularly lacking. She’s bought a little freestanding unit to put under desk but I think the kitchen sounds like it’s lacking in cupboards. Hopefully they’ll shop together and share some stuff.

It’s a longer walk to the science site too.. she’ll have to roll out of bed earlier and get her Durham legs back in action 😁

Nothing serious, just a cough that is proving hard to shift (not covid). He's really enjoyed the sports but has found it more of a challenge not feeling well for the last week.

He's been at Stevo (temporarily) so has a fair walk into town to get food and medical supplies and back and forth to Maiden Castle. He'll be fine once he's back to full health and catered accommodation (which he's just found out will thankfully start from today).

Hope everyone gets their moving in slots soon.

Glad to hear it’s not serious @red4321 . Dd really liked the food in catered accommodation last year.. so much so she’s not particularly looking forward to feeding herself every day .

@red4321 I was about to say that catering starts today so he won't starve! Although having a few 'toaster and microwave' meals up his sleeve is always useful.

DS's sport are playing Edinburgh this week, so that will be a nice mini-trip.

Thank you both.

Edinburgh sounds like fun and not too cold at this time of year.