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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

1000 replies

KingscoteStaff · 03/01/2022 18:03

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!
@LostToucan @tinkywinkyshandbag @OnTheBenchOfDoom @TheSilveryPussycat @MargaretThursday @MrsTabithaTwitchit @CeliaCanth @Ingles2 @OlivePenderghast @Tinseltrauma @alterego2 @nipersvest @999caz @jan069 @Beetlesand @par05 @chopc @LeiatheSchnauzer @janinlondon @Baytreemum @MidLifeCrisis007 @SpringSparrow @Revengeofthepangolins @Greyhair59 @oppie1234 @Braveheart35 @Meery @Vargas @libbytrois @WentworthMillerMad @allonenow2 @Suki2 @TerfTerf @bigTillyMint @whoatethelastbiscuit @cluelessly @GoTrevs @Peaseblossum22 @WinterRobin @PhoebeFriends @Longtimenewsee @321zyx @clan17 @wewereliars @sub453 @Bluebellwoods1 @Peasepuddingplease @SpamhappyTootsie @fruitygal @clan17 @instanthistory @Motherknowsbest100 @OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea

OP posts:
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7
red4321 · 30/11/2022 07:58

Dh and I have also had a nice trip down memory lane including a lunchtime drink in the Dun Cow which was dh favourite haunt 30 years ago

Presumably the nostalgia didn't extend to having a shot at the Dun Cow challenge?!

Looking back, I can't imagine why they entertained puking students after downing ten different pints... Even worse, one of my friends once accidentally broke the large window that used to be at the back of the pub.

EwwSprouts · 12/01/2023 22:08

Has everyone returned in a good spirits? DS was dropped back by his friend who was driving back to Newcastle Uni. Made me feel quite redundant. I got over it with a good film.Smile

DS is a first year so has sat 3 exams this week. Says he's not sure how they've gone so fingers crossed.

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 12/01/2023 22:21

DS back last weekend. Only 2 terms to go for him…

He’s been given his date for his graduation, so we’ve booked a hotel as I hear it’s always chocka that week.

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Catlover6 · 12/01/2023 22:56

We’ve also just booked a hotel. Just heard about the marking strikes about to take place over the next couple of months. Fingers crossed that graduation ceremonies won’t be affected.

Benjispruce4 · 12/01/2023 23:04

Those strikes happened year too. All was well. We stayed at a Premier Inn as the prices I t eh city centre were very high. It was a 5 min cab away and good value. We also booked a restaurant for after the ceremony the had to cancel it as there was a meal at the college ( free for grads and only £25 per head for us) and it was lovely to share it with her friends and their families.

Catlover6 · 13/01/2023 03:19

Benjispruce4 · 12/01/2023 23:04

Those strikes happened year too. All was well. We stayed at a Premier Inn as the prices I t eh city centre were very high. It was a 5 min cab away and good value. We also booked a restaurant for after the ceremony the had to cancel it as there was a meal at the college ( free for grads and only £25 per head for us) and it was lovely to share it with her friends and their families.

That’s encouraging, thanks! Also useful to know about the meal at the college; not sure if all colleges do the same thing obviously.
We’ve booked two hotel nights; one the night before the ceremony and one the night of the ceremony but we don’t know yet if we’re keeping the second night; we booked it just in case there was something going on. DS doesn’t seem to know if we need to stay that night or not.

EwwSprouts · 13/01/2023 08:48

I guess it feels that gradations plans have come round very quickly? Are the young adults thinking of further study or employment?

Overeggingthepudding · 13/01/2023 09:25

Happy New year everyone !
Ooh exciting / emotional times for those with Dc graduating this summer . It sure beats my graduation venue ( leeds city hall- nice but not palace green / cathedral amazeballs)
dd went back on Monday - avoided train probs and just in time for afternoon lectures so all good

Benjispruce4 · 13/01/2023 16:12

@Catlover6 Dd was at Collingwood. We didn’t hear about the meal until much nearer the time. Of your DC email hopeful they’ll find out. We are 4 hrs away and could only get one day off work so stayed up the night before then had a very late night on the day of the ceremony.

MargaretThursday · 13/01/2023 18:24

We booked last minute last year partially because dd had had a dreadful first exam and I felt it was tempting fate to assume she would graduate. I can laugh about that now thankfully!

We booked a little place about 10 minute drive from Durham, and that was really nice because she went out with friends for her last night in Durham and didn't have to feel guilty.
We then booked a travel lodge about an hour away for the second night as we're a good distance away. We had fish and chips with her housemates and their families before we left, which was lovely because we hadn't met them before.

lurchermummy · 14/01/2023 08:37

We've booked 2 nights stay and the plan is we go out for a meal on the second night. Hotel prices have shot up though, at least double what we normally pay.

Benjispruce4 · 14/01/2023 09:51

Yes the central Durham hotels were charging £300 pn on graduation days. Premier Inn was just over £100.

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 16/01/2023 19:19

We’ve booked in Newcastle, as that’s also the weekend that DD will need to move out of her hall into her 2nd year house! My plan is that all DS’s kitchen stuff will travel from Durham to Newcastle and not come back home with us!

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Benjispruce4 · 16/01/2023 21:39

When Dd moved from 2nd Year house to 3rd, we managed to arrange a man with a van to move her and her housemates for £20 each. Much better than an 8 hr round trip plus fuel and hassle.

DurhamMumma · 17/01/2023 09:49

DS's college contract ends the day before his new tenancy starts. What do people do in situations like this? Can you pay extra to stay in college for a day?

Original poster
KingscoteStaff · 17/01/2023 16:00

@DurhamMumma how much gear has he got that MUST stay in Durham? Lots of students just clear out of college on June 30th and head home with all their stuff and come back up to their new house later in the summer/autumn.

If he must move kit over on July 1st, get your DS to ask at College if there’s any chance of staying for an extra night. Even if not, could he stay the night with a friend who’s already got a house and leave his kit somewhere in College overnight?

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DurhamMumma · 17/01/2023 16:35

@KingscoteStaff He needs all of his gear as he will be travelling abroad for work for the first few weeks of summer - and we can't get there that weekend to collect everything for him. I'll get him to ask the college about temporary storage. I'm sure there will be a friend he can stay with too.

MargaretThursday · 17/01/2023 18:15

What we did was packed the car, and stayed a couple of days in an Air B&B, then unloaded it into the new house.

Problem is that everyone has the same sort of dilemma, so we found landlords etc not tremendously helpful. Dd's initially said they could stay a couple of days longer-longer turned out to be out at 9am rather than 6pm the previous day. We suspected the next people were leaning on them to get in asap and naturally their priority was to the people who had yet to pay them a year's rent than those who had just finished paying.

Benjispruce4 · 17/01/2023 18:31

DD and housemates rented their 2nd and 3 rd year House from the same landlord so he had the same finish and start date .

alterego2 · 19/01/2023 14:01

Wouldn't it be nice if the landlords could actually work together and get a consistent start/end date? Might not help with college moves though.

The rest of this post is a shameless plug! DD is in the Gala show this year and has asked if I will promote it for them. Gala is the biggest theatrical production of the year at Durham and is always a stellar show. The cast and production teams are already working hard and I'm sure that the result will be amazing as usual.

The show this year is Hello Dolly and it is on at the Gala Theatre Weds 8/2 - Sun 12/2. If you are local or thinking of visiting your kids at that time and like musicals, do go! It will be well worth it. Tickets are available here!

Fruitygal · 19/01/2023 18:53

Sorry been off here for ages .....lots going on some good and alot less so no time for anything.

DD found 2nd year house with this years flat crew back in November ...haven't thought about handover day yet......but remember the hassles with the other two when they were at uni so not looking forward to it! 😂

MargaretThursday · 19/01/2023 19:12

alterego2 · 19/01/2023 14:01

Wouldn't it be nice if the landlords could actually work together and get a consistent start/end date? Might not help with college moves though.

The rest of this post is a shameless plug! DD is in the Gala show this year and has asked if I will promote it for them. Gala is the biggest theatrical production of the year at Durham and is always a stellar show. The cast and production teams are already working hard and I'm sure that the result will be amazing as usual.

The show this year is Hello Dolly and it is on at the Gala Theatre Weds 8/2 - Sun 12/2. If you are local or thinking of visiting your kids at that time and like musicals, do go! It will be well worth it. Tickets are available here!

The problem with them having a consistent end/beginning date is that ideally they want to have the end date, a short checking and cleaning time of a couple of days and then the next ones moving it.
So it leaves them all with 2 dates between places, which either means people go home with their stuff or everyone wanting to stay around at the same time.

I think dd's planning on going back for Gala with friends. She was on the committee last year and is looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Fruitygal · 19/01/2023 19:42

We loved Graduation day with our other two - so exciting having such a lovely day to look forward to in the summer

Fruitygal · 25/01/2023 09:00

I think it very much depends on the course DD told me her lead lecturers aren’t striking so they will continue to have their lectures.

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