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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Remind me when accommodation fees are due? Does DD get an invoice ?

I think it's December (remember being surprised) but no idea about invoice, though I would assume so.

Accommodation fees are beginning of Dec.

Glad to hear everyone settling in ok. DS went back yesterday, was really keen and happy to be there. More lab time this year, he says.

DD loving Durham and Johns. Absolutely exhausted so is having her first night in with friends watching a film. Her friends from home are complaining that she has been too busy to speak to them. Their unis all started earlier and seem more quiet in general, although she will be secretly relieved when it calms down this week. She is very excited that one of the two freshers formal dates is on her birthday - which given that one of her main worries was having nobody to celebrate will is a result.

@GoldenRuby fab about the formal on her birthday - less crazy partying this week

@GoldenRuby A lovely coincidence to have a formal on her birthday!

@SpamhappyTootsie What is your DS studying?

@EwwSprouts Chemistry. Their lab time increases this year. He didn’t get much at the start of the first year because the building was still under construction iirc.

Shiny new labs sounds good. DS is doing biological sciences and apparently they move around for lectures as the dept does not have it's own lecture theatre.

Gosh @EwwSprouts , do they still not have a lecture theatre? They didn’t when I was there in the late 80s but I thought they would have included one when they built the new building. We were always moving around - it kept us very fit I suppose! There was one year when we had a lecture in the Elvet Riverside block and the next one was in the Psychology dept. Which is about a 20 minute walk (uphill) 🥵

@Whitacre Apparently not. They use one in the adjacent building (psychology??) and the large ones in the learning centre is all I know so far. We went up cardiac hill on open day. I went very slowly, only because I had an unlidded cup of tea ;)

@EwwSprouts yes, there was a big lecture theatre in the psychology dept. when I was there.

I was on a very small course (Biochemistry) - there were only 10 of us, and we had some of our lectures on our own, some with the Botanists and Zoologists and some with the Chemists, so we were in a variety of different rooms and lecture theatres of varying sizes.

Cardiac hill is a bit of a killer! The kicker for us as a group was that when we had that trek from Elvet Riverside to Psychology, we were going from a lecture with just the 10 of us down at Elvet, to a lecture with 100-odd Chemists in the psychology lecture theatre, and they were already up there, so we always arrived 10-15 minutes late, and hot and bothered, and they were all already there looking smug.

i hope your ds is enjoying the course despite all the traipsing around!

Thanks. Today is official day 1 so we wait to see. He has enjoyed freshers' week and seems to be making acquaintances.

Hockey update! DS has gone down to Durham City hockey club. He's in and playing a match this Saturday. He's happy and I'm pretty impressed he's got on and done that.

Impressive initiative and good he's found a welcoming team to play in. With the added plus of presumably being able to play college hockey which some of the uni players aren't allowed to?

That's fantastic @EwwSprouts! He might also see if the Durham County U19s and U20s are trialing - their numbers get low because so many of their players head away from the NE for Uni!

Have to admit I was quite stunned. I don't know about the college hockey although he did join that last week. He was horrified the trial was on grass. I explained youth of today are totally spoiled and we played on pot holed without shin guards etc. :)

Thanks @KingscoteStaff I did not know under19s county was a thing. He played county up to U17 which was the end of the county age groups round here I believe.

EwwSprouts ah, the joys of hockey on grass. Rather a different kettle of fish but I found it far more forgiving in terms of my fitness and poor level of stick control.

@red4321 Nope I definitely didn't use 'joys' in relation to my limited hockey career. I do recall twisting my ankle a few times.

@EwwSprouts congratulations on the city hockey club - glad he’s found somewhere to play!

I thought we sat in the lecture theatre on the open day in biological science department? I know one building houses both the biological science and psychology next door so perhaps it’s their one. Most unis make you move around for lectures and have generic lecture theatres.

DD reports plenty of work but still have a lovely time with good flat mates and some lovely people on the course.

@Fruitygal Thanks, it seems a trodden path. Another fresher has joined and there are two second years and a fourth year that DS knows of so far.
The lecture theatre on open day isn't biology's though mightily convenient. I think it's good they stretch their legs moving around the campus and again a chance to get to know more people. Glad your DD is hitting it off with course mates. DS also reports a nice bunch.

@EwwSprouts st some point they might meet 😂

You'd think!

DD reports about 160 in most lectures so might take awhile 😂

Went to Durham for weekend break - normally do a drop in at week 3 with the kids when at 1st year uni but we are away next weekend and booked this before started just in case.

She’s knackered but full of chatter snd flat are close and friends plus made a couple of lovely friends from course. Joined 3/4 clubs so all good.

Just saw her for tea and a natter on Friday then short trip to beamish on Saturday as she was tired and brunch and supermarket to pick up stuff from sainsburys for flat then home.

flat was still vaguely clean and her room was super clean - quick wave and hello to flat mates.

Vennels was lovely for breakfast and have Flat White, Leonards and Cafedral on the list for next time ….. also had nice Turkish as the Nadon Thai was fully booked…

Thanks for the top tips !

Sounds like a lovely catch up. Great to hear all sounds positive. DS was here for a flying visit and he is also shattered. He is socialising more with the flat below as his flat mates tend to stay in their rooms. Has gone to the JCR with one of the lads and one of the girls though. Loving the visiting dogs.