Anywhere But Here: Durham University
By Kate Stephenson
Founded in 1832, somewhere between 5th and 8th in the rankings depending on who you consult and renowned as the watering-hole of the Oxbridge Reject, Durham resembles St Andrews in many ways; the cobbled streets, the hideous 60s Union Building (winner of the 1963 concrete awards!) and the plethora of pashmina-clad, Ugg booted Yahs, or Rahs as they are known in Durham.
Durham’s most distinctive characteristic is its collegiate system, similar to Oxbridge except that teaching does not occur within the colleges. There are fourteen in total ranging in size from 400 students to just over 1000 and you are affiliated to your college for your full three years. Colleges are mainly catered and guarantee two years ‘living in’, usually first and third. All offer a great sense of community and ethos varies depending on their age and size. Each boasts a bar, the centre of social activities and daily life is run by the J.C.R. (Junior Common Room), an elected committee of undergraduates who deal with everything from social events to welfare to minor disciplinary issues. There are no wardens and much greater responsibility is afforded to the students, although there is, of course, support in the form of college tutors and the Master of the college. Colleges have their own sports teams, drama groups and other societies and thus many activities can be indulged in at both college and University level, giving greater scope for involvement (often with less natural talent).
Boasting the oldest student room in Europe, a Norman Chapel, twice weekly formals in the Great Hall and a June Ball to rival the Oxbridge May Balls, University College or ‘Castle’ as its affectionately known is the oldest and most difficult to get into of the colleges and consequently has a, perhaps unfair, reputation for being public school dominated and elitist. Castle maintain a bitter rivalry with the next most traditional of the colleges, Hatfield, whose lion mascot and sporting prowess invite envy and ridicule in fairly equal parts. Also in the centre of town (The 'Bailey' colleges) are St. Chad’s (small and friendly), St. John’s (Christian) and St. Cuthbert’s (drunken and good at rugby). The rest of the colleges, bar Hilde and Bede, which is located by itself, next to the river, are situated further out of town, near the Science site and are known as the 'Hill' colleges and include St. Mary’s, St Aidan’s, Grey, Van Mildert, Trevelyn, Collingwood, Josephine Butler and Ustinov (postgraduates only). This is the point where I ought to mention the Stockton (or Queen’s) campus which contains two further colleges, John Snow and Stephenson, but to most students in Durham itself Stockton is considered a poor relation to the University ‘proper’ and the entire campus was certainly disaffiliated by my college’s J.C.R after standing our football team up one too many times.
So what does one do in Durham (other than work, obviously)? Well, there’s rowing; most people try it at least once, due to the proximity of the river to everywhere. Much of the rowing occurs in fours, and fresher college crews compete, towards the end of the first term, in the Hatfield Cup. Then there’s theatre, a significant proportion of which takes place in the 200-seater, student run theatre, The Assembly Rooms. There’s also The Union Society, one of the oldest University debating societies, who pull in a range of prominent speakers. Another student favourite is the less refined sport of the ‘full college bar crawl’ which involves making ones way around all the college bars in one evening, stopping for a drink in each, a process that often ends with a trip to Klute, my spiritual home and allegedly Europe’s worst nightclub (as declared so by FHM in 1996).
Durham also does academic families, although children are assigned to, rather than chosen by college parents, who get ‘married’ towards the end of their first year. Generally couples have two children, whose subjects reflect their parents. Parents escort their children to their first formal dinner and drunkenness often ensues.
So, what else do you need to know? Durham is a great place, I had an amazing three years there and in the words of Bill Bryson it’s “a perfect little city.... If you have never been to Durham, go there at once. Take my car. It's wonderful."
Durham’s most distinctive characteristic is its collegiate system, similar to Oxbridge except that teaching does not occur within the colleges. There are fourteen in total ranging in size from 400 students to just over 1000 and you are affiliated to your college for your full three years. Colleges are mainly catered and guarantee two years ‘living in’, usually first and third. All offer a great sense of community and ethos varies depending on their age and size. Each boasts a bar, the centre of social activities and daily life is run by the J.C.R. (Junior Common Room), an elected committee of undergraduates who deal with everything from social events to welfare to minor disciplinary issues. There are no wardens and much greater responsibility is afforded to the students, although there is, of course, support in the form of college tutors and the Master of the college. Colleges have their own sports teams, drama groups and other societies and thus many activities can be indulged in at both college and University level, giving greater scope for involvement (often with less natural talent).
Boasting the oldest student room in Europe, a Norman Chapel, twice weekly formals in the Great Hall and a June Ball to rival the Oxbridge May Balls, University College or ‘Castle’ as its affectionately known is the oldest and most difficult to get into of the colleges and consequently has a, perhaps unfair, reputation for being public school dominated and elitist. Castle maintain a bitter rivalry with the next most traditional of the colleges, Hatfield, whose lion mascot and sporting prowess invite envy and ridicule in fairly equal parts. Also in the centre of town (The 'Bailey' colleges) are St. Chad’s (small and friendly), St. John’s (Christian) and St. Cuthbert’s (drunken and good at rugby). The rest of the colleges, bar Hilde and Bede, which is located by itself, next to the river, are situated further out of town, near the Science site and are known as the 'Hill' colleges and include St. Mary’s, St Aidan’s, Grey, Van Mildert, Trevelyn, Collingwood, Josephine Butler and Ustinov (postgraduates only). This is the point where I ought to mention the Stockton (or Queen’s) campus which contains two further colleges, John Snow and Stephenson, but to most students in Durham itself Stockton is considered a poor relation to the University ‘proper’ and the entire campus was certainly disaffiliated by my college’s J.C.R after standing our football team up one too many times.
So what does one do in Durham (other than work, obviously)? Well, there’s rowing; most people try it at least once, due to the proximity of the river to everywhere. Much of the rowing occurs in fours, and fresher college crews compete, towards the end of the first term, in the Hatfield Cup. Then there’s theatre, a significant proportion of which takes place in the 200-seater, student run theatre, The Assembly Rooms. There’s also The Union Society, one of the oldest University debating societies, who pull in a range of prominent speakers. Another student favourite is the less refined sport of the ‘full college bar crawl’ which involves making ones way around all the college bars in one evening, stopping for a drink in each, a process that often ends with a trip to Klute, my spiritual home and allegedly Europe’s worst nightclub (as declared so by FHM in 1996).
Durham also does academic families, although children are assigned to, rather than chosen by college parents, who get ‘married’ towards the end of their first year. Generally couples have two children, whose subjects reflect their parents. Parents escort their children to their first formal dinner and drunkenness often ensues.
So, what else do you need to know? Durham is a great place, I had an amazing three years there and in the words of Bill Bryson it’s “a perfect little city.... If you have never been to Durham, go there at once. Take my car. It's wonderful."