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Van Mildert

Have been offered a place at Van Mildert but no idea about the college - all I know is a) cool name b) lake. So if anyone could help fill me in? Anyone there/ going there? Thanks! x :suitc:

Reply 1

Shmerm

Best college! (ok so everyone says that about their own college)

But seriously... very sporty, highly organised exec, in fact everything has been highly organised. Great bar and JCR with 2 plasma screens (1 in each).

Every block is up there with the very best in the university, except 2 of them (including the one I live in) which are due to be done up next summer, but even the worst ones are of a very high quality.

One of the largest colleges so you'll definitely make loads of friends. Always seems to be things going on including lots of sports teams, lots of drama, local community work, basically anything you could really want to do out of studies.

Have you been on a visit? Even though you've been offered a place it's always worth a visit so you know what to expect if you haven't. Drop me a PM and I'll show you around if you do.

Reply 2

arkbar

12

Did you just say Wear was of a very high quality? What exactly about it is high quality? The only good thing about it is that it's less ghetto than the ghettoes of other colleges.

Reply 3

Danny_777

16

It's the 'music college' apparently; great facilities for rehearsal, recording, performing, with fortnightly jam nights, jazz nights, etc. Brilliant college! Check out the wikipedia page linked to in the 'Durham FAQs' thread; there's a real lot of info there with some great pics.

Reply 4

Foxius

Mildert has many pluses:
Our accomodation is amongst the best in the university; while I wouldn't go as far as to say that the two unrefurbished blocks (Derwent and Wear) are of 'very high quality', they're certainly alright for the purpose of student accomodation - 4 floors, 16 rooms on each (except for ground), with 2 showers, a bath, 3 toilets and a communal kitchen(ish) area. Can't really say much about the other blocks other than that 2 of them (Deerness and Tunstall) have all their rooms ensuite, and that the other 3, (Middleton, Tyne and Tees) have recently been refurbished and so look nicer. Oh, and nobody has to share a room in Mildert anymore.

Our exec seems fairly solid and music/ents events happen often enough - although I wouldn't be able to compare to any other colleges. Yes, we have a lake with ducks. No, you can't molest them. They're just awesome to watch and listen. But then I do like ducks, so I can't help but feel that there's value added in my college when at, say, midnight, you hear them quacking away by the water!

Inside college we have an aesthetically better bar than all the Bailey bars except Castle's, 2 pool tables, brand-new recording studio, snooker room, a somewhat shabby gym and an average inner college library and computer room.
Food in Mildert seems to have had a bit of an upgrade as of Epiphany term 2007; I think there's a new chef or something - either way, it's tastier than it was before and now we get porridge at breakfast as well as the staple cereals and toast. However, I've also heard that one shouldn't be too complacent... the standards could recede.

Location wise, we're top of the hill, which is good for anyone interested in the nearby science site (so basically everyone not doing an arts/humanities course). But still, it's not the ideal location as the town centre is 15-20 minutes walk away down the hill and that's pretty much where the main lecture theatre is. So consider that you'll have to go back up our brilliant hill too. You'll do this up/down journey lots.

That's all I can think of for now - I think/hope I've been objective! :tsr2:

Reply 5

Danny_777

16

Foxius

Mildert has many pluses:

Our accomodation is amongst the best in the university...

...we have a lake with ducks.

...we have an aesthetically better bar than all the Bailey bars except Castle's, 2 pool tables, brand-new recording studio, snooker room

...Food in Mildert seems to have had a bit of an upgrade as of Epiphany term 2007;

Hell yes... SO glad I chose Mildert! Can't wait!!!

Reply 6

Shmerm

arkbar

Did you just say Wear was of a very high quality? What exactly about it is high quality? The only good thing about it is that it's less ghetto than the ghettoes of other colleges.

I was under the impression Wear is very much like Derwent? Ok I didn't mean VERY high quality even though I said that, but I think Derwent is pretty good, maybe Wear is a bit worse? Anyway this is a bit off topic, since the OP has already been given an offer and you can't choose which block you're in.

Come visit!

Reply 7

Itchynscratchy

10

Shmerm

I was under the impression Wear is very much like Derwent? Ok I didn't mean VERY high quality even though I said that, but I think Derwent is pretty good, maybe Wear is a bit worse? Anyway this is a bit off topic, since the OP has already been given an offer and you can't choose which block you're in.

Come visit!

Erm, what?

I lived there and, though not as bad as some, is definately not pretty good.

I hope I get Tunstall next year

Reply 8

loggins

17

Wear and Derwent really aren't bad, I'm in Wear myself and it's absolutely fine. It's been made up for by the fact that I've got awesome people living on my corridoor! Plus i think they're being refurbished over the Summer, so they'll be nice when you guys come here in October!

Reply 9

Itchynscratchy

10

Not according to the form that next year's livers in were sent by the senior tutor, which reads ''Wear and Derwent: These buildings will remain substantially as they are at present.''

The Wear and Derwent refurbishment has been a rumour every year for the past three now and nothing has ever happened

Reply 10

Applying4Maths

Shmerm

I was under the impression Wear is very much like Derwent? Ok I didn't mean VERY high quality even though I said that, but I think Derwent is pretty good, maybe Wear is a bit worse? Anyway this is a bit off topic, since the OP has already been given an offer and you can't choose which block you're in.

Come visit!

Wear is crap. Derwent is definitely better although still a bit rubbish.

Reply 11

dobbs

17

Itchynscratchy

The Wear and Derwent refurbishment has been a rumour every year for the past three now and nothing has ever happened

Trust me, if certain blocks were being refurbished EVERYONE would know about it, as it's such a major thing to happen within Colleges that it is generally a big announcement when it's done.

At the end of my first year, 3 blocks of Trevs were refurbished and there was a long process of "what colour the rooms should be", "what should be improved", "how many plug sockets should there be" etc etc. By the end, no-one could claim to not know about the refurbishment.

So if you're like "Oh I think it's being refurbished this summer" then it's NOT. lol

PS. Mildert is "the musical college"....lol....I'm not saying it's not musical, but whilst some colleges may be more or less musical than others, there is no "musical college". Just as there isn't a "sporty college" or an "academic college" etc :smile:

PPS. I'm running away now, before I get mauled by the Mildertites :wink:

Reply 12

Foxius

Applying4Maths

Wear is crap. Derwent is definitely better although still a bit rubbish.

Hahaha - Yeah, your fridge is still a bit dead, no?

Fear not readers, the broken fridge on 2nd floor Wear will almost definitely be fixed by the next academic year!

(Probably)

Reply 13

Piggsil

16

R.e. refurbs, they said that Moatside would get refurbished in the summer every year fro about 9 or 10 years and it only got done last summer....

I was in Mildert last night. The choice of beverages from the bar is good but its layout annoys me.

Reply 14

arkbar

12

Why?
I think there's an email in my inbox from last year where Neil says that Wear/Derwent won't be done until 2008.
Solution:Just apply for a 32 week let and get put in Middleton or something.

Reply 15

Shmerm

arkbar

Why?
I think there's an email in my inbox from last year where Neil says that Wear/Derwent won't be done until 2008.
Solution:Just apply for a 32 week let and get put in Middleton or something.

I really don't know anyone who is annoyed at being in Derwent. The other blocks don't seem LOADS nicer like people are trying to say. Ok, so our corridors are a bit dark, but it creates a really nice atmosphere at night.

I was annoyed when I found out I'd been put in Derwent to be honest but after a few days I really liked it. Especially when our fridge stopped freezing my milk and our shower got fixed.

And when it's chucking it down with rain, it's an advantage that it's only about 10 steps from our block to the main building!

Reply 16

arkbar

12

Do they still do the thing where only 3 of 5 corridor lights are on at any one time? That was probably the weirdest thing ever. Wear is approx 15% more ghetto than Derwent (I did the maths, using real sums) but they're not really that bad. I've seen worse accomodation in Collingwood for instance.

Reply 17

Applying4Maths

Foxius

Hahaha - Yeah, your fridge is still a bit dead, no?

Fear not readers, the broken fridge on 2nd floor Wear will almost definitely be fixed by the next academic year!

(Probably)

Actually our new fridge is arriving TOMORROW.
So there. :p:

Reply 18

Itchynscratchy

10

when I lived in the heating system broke and we had to have no heating for a week, in the middle of January.

Don't know you're born you lot

Reply 19

Piggsil

16

arkbar

Why?
I think there's an email in my inbox from last year where Neil says that Wear/Derwent won't be done until 2008.
Solution:Just apply for a 32 week let and get put in Middleton or something.

It's too open.

Van Mildert

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