The Student Guide to Durham University

THE STUDENT GUIDE TO Durham University

Contents

Page 3

Welcome and meet the authors

Page 4

Map of key Durham locations

Page 5

Our Colleges at a Glance

Pages 6-7 Meet our Colleges Page 8

College Life

Page 9

Work,Work,Work

Pages 10-11 Student Experience Pages 12-13 Durham by Day Pages 14-15 Durham by Night Pages 16-17 A Year of Events Page 18

Further Afield

Page 19

International Durham

Page 20

What's Next

Welcome!

Welcome to the guide that will give you an insight into what it's REALLY like to be a student at Durham University. From accommodation to nightlife, this guide will take you through the key information we would have wanted to know before coming to Durham.

For updates from the lives of Durham students, read their blogs community.dur.ac.uk/blogs and follow us on Instagram @thedurhamstudent #DUmakeithappen Without further ado, let's meet the authors.

Katy McRae

Freya Smellie

Sophie Johnson

Subject: Psychology College: Hatfield Hobbies: Drama, Climbing Mountains for Charity #digdeep

Subject: Anthropology College: Hatfield Hobbies: Polo, Caledonian Society, Cocktails

Subject: Natural Sciences College: Josephine Butler Hobbies: Archery, Music, Netball, Baking

Durham is a beautiful small city dominated by the Cathedral. You can walk everywhere, a scenic river walk is good for your health as well as your bank balance!

Your college will be your base while you are at Durham. Deciding which college you prefer should NOT be daunting!

Take a look at the table below for a rundown of each college's facilities .

Our Colleges

FC= Fully Catered SC= Self Catered

NOTE: These figures are subject to annual change. A higher proportion of single, en-suite bedrooms are reserved for returning third or fourth-year students who wish to live in college.

Now you probably want to know what they look like?

Click on the image of each college and you will be taken straight to the student-run website where you can find out more.

Our Colleges

Hatfield

St Chad's

St Cuthbert's

St John's

St Hild & Bede

University

Collingwood

Our Colleges Grey

St Aidan's

Josephine

Trevelyan

Butler

St Mary's Van Mildert

Stephenson

John Snow

College So, what’s so good about Durham’s collegiate system?

Your college is like your own little community.

Unlike other universities, where you are likely to only make friends with those in your flat or halls, being part of a college gives you something in common with hundreds of people. This makes it so much easier to spark friendships right from the beginning.

Life

How do I choose catering options?

Want three meals a day? Then a catered college is for you. If you want to be able to cook for yourself, then a part or self-catered college would be better for you. Click here to find out students thoughts on catered food.

What can I expect from College life?

You will never forget your college welcome during Freshers' week, click here to read our blog about what you can expect. But remember, every college is different!

But what do I pack?

Don't worry, we've got this one covered! Click here to see our list of the essentials you'll want to pack for your first year in Durham.

Yep, it's what we're here to do!

Clueless about what university work is like? Well, we're here to break down the lingo to give you a taster of academic life at Durham.

Work,work work...

The Teaching

Confused by University lingo? Want to know the difference between LECTURES, PRACTICALS, SEMINARS, TUTORIALS AND LABS. Freya explains the jargon in her blog, click here to read it.

HELP!

If you're ever stuck, or you're just a bit confused, help is always at hand from.... Lecturers, Academic Advisors, College Mentors, College Parents to name a few!

What do they all do? Freya gives us the low down again, click here to find out more.

The Work

So.... what are FORMATIVES? What are SUMMATIVES? Freya demystifies these university terms. Click here to read her blog.

Student

Durham is the perfect place to try something new or get involved with something you love, there is so much on offer!

Click on the images to find out more

Experience

Durham Student Theatre

Durham University Sport

Music

Student Experience

Click the images to find out more about Volunteering and the Durham Students' Union which has over 200 additional societies you can join.

Durham Students' Union

It's not all about work! Durham has plenty to offer to fill up your spare time, from cafés and shopping to scenic walks around the city. Come rain or shine there is always something to do!

Durham

By Day

Cafés

The Botanic

Durham boasts a collection of amazing independent cafés, so there are plenty of places to grab tea and cake, or a nice brunch with friends! Click here to find out our students' favourite spots.

Garden

Just a 10 minute walk away from the library is an oasis of calm all year round. Full of beautiful gardens to escape to, and for Durham students, it's free.

Durham Cathedral

One of Europe's finest cathedrals and a UNESCO world heritage site! Great to show friends and family when they visit - some of Harry Potter was filmed here!

Durham

By Day Shopping

Whether it's buying Uni supplies, or just treating yourself - goodbye student loan!

Durham offers you Topshop, H&M, Jack Wills and gorgeous boutique shops. Not to mention all the wonderful charity shops to find those cheap hidden gems and fancy dress!

Markets

Durham's indoor market (right) offers local produce, ranging from food to arts and crafts, Mon-Sat every week.

Also, every Saturday in Market Square, you will find pop up stalls brimmming with delicious food and gifts.

Riverside Walks

The River Wear runs right the way through the heart of Durham, a perfect route for a stroll all year round. In summer, you can take a picnic and watch the rowers go by!

Click here to fond out more

We simply didn't have room to fit everything that Durham has to offer onto these two pages. Click here and read a blog to find out more!

Durham may be small compared to its neighbour, Newcastle, but do not be fooled! Durham nightlife still packs a punch with nine clubs, college bars, a wide range of restaurants and more!

Durham

By Night

Clubbing

The 9 clubs that Durham boasts are scattered around the centre of town, all with different music and different event nights. For example, the Students' Union is host to Wednesday night sports night, whereas Klute is there for all your cheesy hits on a Sunday night!

Theatre

If you love theatre Durham has not one, but two options for you! The City's Gala Theatre hosts a range of nationwide productions, with a cinema also included in the complex. But if you're keen to save some pennies, the University's Assembly Rooms Theatre hosts around 90 shows a year, and you can get a ticket to some of the best shows for around ÂŁ5 (even cheaper if you become a DST member!)

Durham College Bars

By Night

Each college has its own bar, run by students (perfect for a term-time job if you wanted one!). With a great atmosphere right on your doorstep, these places are perfect for a catch up with friends, or social events.

Eating Out

Whether you're just a bit bored of college food, or you want somewhere to celebrate an occasion, Durham has plenty of places to grab some tasty food. We've got your favourite chains such as Bills, Nandos and Chiquito. We also have lots of independent local restaurants to enjoy too, from Turkish cuisine to Indian cuisine, Durham's got it!

University Events

Across the year, the university hosts a number of events you can attend! These range from college balls, to society balls, to charity fashion shows which are hosted by colleges and the University alike. To read more click here

If you weren't already convinced by how much you can do in Durham, here's a breakdown of Durham's best annual events!

A Year of Events

Durham Regatta

The regatta takes place every year, with teams of all abilities from across the country coming to the City to compete in this huge rowing event. As well as racing there are a range of activities and refreshment stands so there’s something for everyone and it makes a great day out! Want to know more? Click here to check out Sophie’s blog about the event.

Lumiere

Lumiere descends on Durham every other year! We host the UK's largest light festival (before it heads to London!). Each event brings different installations dotted around the city.

Check out what our students thought of Lumiere 2017 by clicking here!

Christmas Festival

The annual festival features traders and entertainers from the North East, spread across the city centre, with festivities focused in and around the Cathedral and Castle - two World Heritage Sites. It's a fantastic day out!

A Year of Events

Durham Festivals of the Arts

Durham Festival of the Arts, includes student led performances in music, drama and art. A great thing to get involved in, or just watch. Click here to here to find out more about the student festival!

Durham Pride

Just like the majority of cities across the UK, Durham joins in to celebrate and support the LGBT+ community. 2017 saw a turn out of over 10,000 people, with past performers including Basshunter and Jedward. Click here, you can't miss it!

Durham has some great transport links meaning you can get out of the City and explore the region!

Here are some examples of what's in Durham's reach!

Further Afield

Newcastle

Easy to get to by both train and bus, 'The Toon' offers shops, cinemas, restaurants, galleries (many of which are free!) and a ton of events throughout the year. Add to this is the bustling nightlife and enough music venues to cater for everyone's taste!

Seaham

If the beach is more your thing then why not visit Seaham? As well as being famous for its sea glass there are some lovely local businesses and places to eat as well as fantastic stretches of beach. Interested? Find out more by clicking here MetroCentre

As if we needed any more encouragment to get spendy, the North East is also home to the Metro Centre, one of the UK's LARGEST shopping centres. Get there by bus or train and have fun with a range of shops, cinemas, arcades, bowling alleys and much more!

Durham has a very international community with students from all over the world! If you are an international student, read on for more info!

International Durham

Settling In

There is a lot of support for international students when you arrive.

From setting up your bank account to learning where to buy things, and the local lingo. Click here to learn more!

Getting Involved

There are many cultural student societies that you can join to get to know others! Plus, at Durham, we love Support to celebrate holidays from around the world.

Should you need it, the International Office offers supports from the minute you arrive, even if you just want to come for a chat! Click here to head to the International webpages!

Fancy going abroad during your degree?

There are tons of Durham students who go abroad during their degree across Europe and all over the world. Click here to see what some students thought of their year abroad!

Nobody likes the serious stuff (that's why we put it at the back).

But Durham prides itself on being there to help any student in their time of need. Here are just a few places you can get a helping hand.

Important Stuff

Academic

Nightline

This student-run listening service is open all term time between 9pm and 7am. No matter what your stress or worries, or whether you just want someone to call on your walk home, they are there for a chat! Click here to find out more!

Support

Academic skills workshops take place throughout the year, including talks and sessions to help you with literacy, IT skills and personal effectiveness.

Faith

Nightbus

Whether you need a lift back from a long night in the library, or a lift back from the club, the night bus runs between 9pm and 1am, and costs just ÂŁ1 per journey! Goodbye cold walk home!

Support Whatever your faith, there are places of worship dotted about Durham. To find your nearest place of worship in the city, click here.

Disability

For more information about the range of professional support services offered by Durham University, click here

Support The needs are met for any students who may need additional support and guidance and or special provisions. Click here for more info.

Durham is always evolving to make it the best it can be. There's so much planned for the coming years, here are 5 things we're particularly looking forward to! Click here to find out how these developments are progressing

What's In Store for Durham next?

Assembly Rooms Theatre

Work is due to start at the end of 2018 academic year on a ÂŁ2.3 million renovation of the University's own theatre.

New Facilities Sports Park

Work has started on ÂŁ35 million improvements to the sports park at Maiden Castle. It's going to be better than ever.

Mathematics and Computer Science will be getting brand new facilities.

New

Teaching & Learning Centre

The brand new centre near the library will include Education Labs and Virtual Reality Classroom facilities.

A big thanks to: The Durham Marketing and Communications Team For all their help in developing the guide Laura Day For her wonderful photography featured throughout #DUmakeithappen Cover photo by Katie Ilich Design by Katy McRae. Content by Katy McRae, Freya Smellie and Sophie Johnson.