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Durham University

Durham

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The "Ask a Durham Student" Thread :)

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Reply 580

Piggsil

generic hybrid

Pshhh, you can study when you're dead.

Anyways I consistently surprise people here by knowing about obscure things like Art Attack (wheyyy), so surely I get a teeny bit of Brit cred. :p:

Although I just looked it up on Wikipedia out of boredom and I see they've cancelled it! Nooooo, Art Attack! I'm going into mourning. :frown:

They have Art Attack in Italy presented by a Neil Buchanan-a like, but he doesn't do anything and it's interspersed with clips of Neil :biggrin:

"Vediamo cosa fa Neil oggi" :biggrin:

Durham University

Durham

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Reply 581

Reblet

Wow Art Attack goes international?!

Reply 582

Piggsil

Reblet

Wow Art Attack goes international?!

Hell yeah, Neil Buchanan's European Adventure :biggrin:

Reply 583

reginarejina

This is to anyone who was a rep on open days...
What do you think of the potential freshers? fun? boring?
I was a Cuth's open-day-er and thought the reps were all v cool, but i wondered what they thought of these little, naive, innocent people!

Reply 584

peanutbutternjelly

*River

I don't know I'm afraid, I know of one third year who's currently auditioning for drama schools in Durham, but I don't know that may actors to comment on whether he's the only one. If it's something that you want to pursue, then there are plenty of opportunities to throw yourself into drama whilst you're here.

Cool. Do you know what course he's currently studying at Durham?

Thanks.

Reply 585

Fields

reginarejina

What a daft question.

Reply 586

Itchynscratchy

reginarejina

We don't really go round categorising people. With so many there are bound to be people of all descriptions. :s-smilie:

Reply 587

*River

peanutbutternjelly

Cool. Do you know what course he's currently studying at Durham?

Thanks.

History (or possible Ancient History, I'm not entirely sure). He's President of DST (well, has been this year, don't know if they've handed over to the new exec yet).

Reply 588

peanutbutternjelly

*River

History (or possible Ancient History, I'm not entirely sure). He's President of DST (well, has been this year, don't know if they've handed over to the new exec yet).

Cool, thanks!

Reply 589

reginarejina

Fields

What a daft question.

Lol well I suppose it was daft!
I had an amazing time though, hope everyone else did too.

Reply 590

Bassoonery

Ok here's a new question (sorry if it was asked between pages 15 and 30 but I gave up at 15...)

What's life like for people (like me) who aren't really into the clubbing/nighlife side of uni. I don't mind the odd drink and although I'm shy I like having a good time with my friends but I'm worried that if I skip the drunk late nights I might become stigmatised and left out of every other aspect of uni/college life that I would actually enjoy. Is there a lot of pressure? I've already experienced my first rude awakening at 3.30am by drunk open-dayers coming back and landing in the corridor outside my room. I'm sure I'll get used to that but I don't want to be seen as a weirdo who won't socialise. Obviously John's specific advice would be especially helpful.

Reply 591

River85

I'm not a drinker or clubber at all and although it took me a while to settle I haven't had a great deal of trouble making friends once you find those who don't want to get peed up every night of the week. There were some who thought it a bit odd that I didn't drink.

In terms of activities away from drinking then Durham's very big on sport, so there is always that

Durham's nightlife leaves a lot to be desired anyway, so most go to Newcastle.

As has been mentioned you have good student theatre, plus there's the Gala in Durham and theates in Newcastle (Theatre Royal specifically) and Sunderland (Empire). If that's your thing.

THe university has good musuems, and of course you have the cathedral. They are always worth a visit every now and then (I'd rather have a night out at a museum than pub).

Buy, yeah. Sport is THE thing but there's lots else.

Of course you've got bar crawls but I don't think you'll be stigmatised. We are all adults and respect others opinions and choices in life. If you do get the odd idiot well bugger 'em. I for one wouldn't judge you negatively.

Reply 592

Aula

River85

THe university has good musuems, and of course you have the cathedral. They are always worth a visit every now and then (I'd rather have a night out at a museum than pub).

Old Fulling Mill Museum of Archaeology ftw :biggrin:

Seriously, don't worry about this. A lot of people don't go out often, and I have a few friends who either don't drink much, or even not at all (a fact of which I'm actually quite relieved about. Given their level of crazyness anyway :rolleyes:

)
Especially at John's. Due to the large numbers of Christians, they have a lot of people who are similar to you in terms of drinking. (Anyone reading this and panicking... don't, there's plenty of people who go out lots too)
To be fair, my friendship group at college do tend to have ridiculously late nights fairly often, but it tends to be as a result of just sitting in someone's room talking and/or watching films rather than because of being out late drinking. Uni is such a big place that you will find people similar to you. :smile:

(and I don't think this has been asked before, so don't worry :p:

)

Reply 593

Slender Loris

Anyone who thinks you're weird/anti-social/pressures you for not doing what they do (getting wasted and clubbing) just isn't worth your time. I don't drink or go clubbing (bar the occasional gay night in Newcastle) and find plenty of other social/non-social things to occupy my time. Societies are good for non-alcohol related socialising, and there WILL be other people who like doing whatever you like to do. Especially at Johns, I would imagine there is quite a large non-drinking contingency. At first it might seem like every single activity revolves around drinking and clubbing (it did to me at least) and it does get tiresome, but you can just ignore it. I've had a lot of "what, why aren't you coming out? you're so boring! it'll be fun! come on!" and people truly failing to understand that for me it is in fact the exact antithesis of fun, but that's their problem. I mean, I don't go around pressuring other people into my hobbies, do I? I understand that not everyone will find, for example, gardening or baking or digging up skeletons fun, and I don't socially exclude those who don't.

Um, sorry, bit of a rant there, but basically, you'll be fine. I've found friends who prefer a quiet night in/out, I'm not an outcast for it, and nor will you be. :smile:

Reply 594

Aula

archaeologygirl

I understand that not everyone will find, for example, baking or digging up skeletons fun

Although anyone who doesn't quite clearly doesn't know how to have a good time :biggrin:

(especially the digging up skeletons part)

Love your location by the way :smile:

Reply 595

Bassoonery

Ok thanks everyone. I do like eating out, art galleries, museums :biggrin:

and concerts (although I do prefer performing in them!), films etc so I know there would be plenty to do it's just I thought skipping the clubbing would make people judge me too hastily.

Especially at John's. Due to the large numbers of Christians, they have a lot of people who are similar to you in terms of drinking. (Anyone reading this and panicking... don't, there's plenty of people who go out lots too)

haha yeah don't worry! I'd be the same whether or not I was a Christian and whether or not I was at John's. There were definitely plenty of people going out on the open day!

Reply 596

peanutbutternjelly

Which colleges are you guys at, and how did you go about choosing a college? Any regrets or are you happy with your choice?

Reply 597

Piggsil

I'm at Castle, and I have no regrets, I have had the best 4 years (well 4 years by June!) of my life here. Castle's location is unrivalled, and I got to live in the castle in my 1st year which was awesome. Obviously I chose the college because it's a castle! Doesn't everyone? :dontknow:

Yes

I'm at Stephenson. I was randomly put here. And I'm glad for it because it's like 30 seconds walk to lectures. Next year I'll be in Mary's. I'm there because I didn't get into Chad's (looking at the list, Chad's didn't accept any Foundation people, nor did Castle) and it was my second choice just because it is close to the science site.