The &quot;Ask a Durham Student&quot; Thread :)

Original post by Aleeece123

I'm pretty sure you can email departments and your college about visiting, and they might be able to give you some more information and let you look round the buildings, or have someone show you around.
With regards to modules, I don't know much about the physics side, but for maths you'll be mainly doing the basic important stuff in 1st year and some of 2nd year. Assuming you do an even split of modules, you'll do a module in mathematical physics in second year, and there are a fair few physicsy maths modules in 3rd year too, so the two subjects won't necessarily be worlds apart for the entire course.
If you don't have any free electives to take spanish with, there's languages for all courses at the language department that you might be able to take in the evenings- i believe they go from beginners level to post-A level.

Great, thanks a lot for all the information!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 4602

Original post by NJam

Thanks! I guess the idea of sharing rooms is a little daunting that's all! Though that has reassured me quite a bit :smile:

. Shame about the course structure, I think i'd prefer it to be a bit more integrated - but I guess in essence it's all going to be similar content wherever I go. Do you know If it is at all possible to visit on a different day to those scheduled, or will I just have to settle with looking around Durham itself?

What is it that daunts you about sharing a room?

And it's possible at every college to e-mail admissions, and ask for a tour of the college (similarly the department), but there obviously won't be anything like the events/talks put on during the official open days.

Reply 4603

Original post by Awoodrow2

What is it that daunts you about sharing a room?

And it's possible at every college to e-mail admissions, and ask for a tour of the college (similarly the department), but there obviously won't be anything like the events/talks put on during the official open days.

The possibility of sharing a room with someone very strange! haha.. Actually, one of my friends recently heard that he has also got in, and applied to the same college as me. If he were to be allocated to St. Johns, would it be possible to ask for a shared room with him?

Yeah I can understand that. I'll email now and see what's possible.

Thanks again!

Reply 4604

Original post by NJam

The possibility of sharing a room with someone very strange! haha.. Actually, one of my friends recently heard that he has also got in, and applied to the same college as me. If he were to be allocated to St. Johns, would it be possible to ask for a shared room with him?

Yeah I can understand that. I'll email now and see what's possible.

Thanks again!

If there's someone in particular you know and want to share with, I can't see any reason why they wouldn't be able to arrange that. :smile:

Reply 4605

Original post by Awoodrow2

If there's someone in particular you know and want to share with, I can't see any reason why they wouldn't be able to arrange that. :smile:

Awesome! Thanks for all your help, you've been fantastic!

Reply 4606

VildeRH

I recently received a conditional offer to study International Relations at Durham, and I have a few questions...

What are the possibilities of changing to another course within the same department? Durham was not my first choice when I applied, and admittedly, I did not do much research before applying. I have now realised that the IR course only started up a couple of years ago, and it seems like some students think of it as one of the 'weaker' courses at Durham. This - along with my genuine interest in the following subjects - has led me to consider studying PPE instead. Is such a change doable? If so, is it better to organise this after my offer has been changed to unconditional?

Also, are there any gyms in Durham? As far as I have understood, many colleges have their own little gyms, but are there any proper sports centres?

Reply 4607

Antifazian

16

Original post by VildeRH

I recently received a conditional offer to study International Relations at Durham, and I have a few questions...

What are the possibilities of changing to another course within the same department? Durham was not my first choice when I applied, and admittedly, I did not do much research before applying. I have now realised that the IR course only started up a couple of years ago, and it seems like some students think of it as one of the 'weaker' courses at Durham. This - along with my genuine interest in the following subjects - has led me to consider studying PPE instead. Is such a change doable? If so, is it better to organise this after my offer has been changed to unconditional?

Also, are there any gyms in Durham? As far as I have understood, many colleges have their own little gyms, but are there any proper sports centres?

Your best bet is to contact the department ASAP.

As for gyms, yeah each college has their own, then there's a gym at the Maiden Castle sports centre which is the unis sports complex but its open to the public as well. There's also a public gym at the Freemans Quay leisure centre, and there must be other public gyms in Durham somewhere.

I use MC gym at the mo, its small (the gym, not MC!) but sufficient unless you want really specialist stuff, they also have classes there. I don't know if the courts etc are open to everyone though they may just be for use of sports teams.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Desire S

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 4608

KayteeKaytee

6

Original post by NJam

Thanks! I guess the idea of sharing rooms is a little daunting that's all! Though that has reassured me quite a bit :smile:

. Shame about the course structure, I think i'd prefer it to be a bit more integrated - but I guess in essence it's all going to be similar content wherever I go. Do you know If it is at all possible to visit on a different day to those scheduled, or will I just have to settle with looking around Durham itself?

I visited on a day when it wasn't a main open day during the summer. I emailed the college and they gave me a time to come and look round. They arranged for a post-grad student to show me around. It was great because I could ask as many questions as I wanted and she even showed me her own room so I could see how "personalised" and like home she'd made it. Some other people I met on the day had just turned up at a college and asked for a look round and they'd also been given a tour once someone could be found to do it.

Reply 4609

River85

17

Original post by VildeRH

Also, are there any gyms in Durham? As far as I have understood, many colleges have their own little gyms, but are there any proper sports centres?

There's Maiden Castle sports centre, which is the main sports centre used by the university, and used to be Newcastle United's training ground in the mid-1990s.

There's also the leisure centre at Freeman's Quay and there is a Bannatynes just outside the city round Dragonville/Belmont way. I have no idea what they are like though, but there has been some discussion about them (particularly Bannatynes) in this thread, and the current students chat threads, over the years. The search is temperamental so I'm not able to find the posts at the moment, I'm afraid, but you can give it a try or, if I am able to find some posts later, I'll let you know.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 4610

Original post by KayteeKaytee

I visited on a day when it wasn't a main open day during the summer. I emailed the college and they gave me a time to come and look round. They arranged for a post-grad student to show me around. It was great because I could ask as many questions as I wanted and she even showed me her own room so I could see how "personalised" and like home she'd made it. Some other people I met on the day had just turned up at a college and asked for a look round and they'd also been given a tour once someone could be found to do it.

Oh wow, awesome! Summer, as in after exams? I really need to check it out before I make my decision :/

Reply 4611

KayteeKaytee

6

Original post by NJam

Oh wow, awesome! Summer, as in after exams? I really need to check it out before I make my decision :/

Going back 3 years when I applied, Durham didn't have the big open days that other universities had. Departments ran sessions on different days and you had to email the department for a place. Then you made your own arrangements to see colleges on the same day. It's different now that there are campus-wide open days but I know they still show people around if you can't make that date, especially if you let them know you're coming. You could probably do it any time. People are worried about contacting the department/college direct but they're generally very helpful if you do.

You can find the term dates on the website but there are always people around. When I went, most of the students had gone for the summer but there are always post-grads around.

I would however always recommend going the post-application open day in March. You get a much better feel for the place and you get to meet people you might see again in October. I found it daunting going alone but I loved the experience and found I really loved my college even though I hadn't originally applied there.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 4612

VildeRH

Original post by Antifazian

Your best bet is to contact the department ASAP.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Desire S

Even if I am not totally confident that I will meet the grades in my conditional offer?

Thanks for all the gym suggestions, by the way!

Reply 4613

Original post by VildeRH

Even if I am not totally confident that I will meet the grades in my conditional offer?

Thanks for all the gym suggestions, by the way!

At earlier stages of application, the best answer is almost always "contact the department ASAP". At later stages, "contact the college's Senior Tutor ASAP". :smile:

Reply 4614

ivy45

I have somecollege-related questions:
I gotallocated to Jo Butler and am worried about not making many friends (since I'm sort of quiet and shy) or gettinglittle student support since Butler is so big and there are no mealtimes, whereyou get to know loads of people…
Is itpossible to move to another college in my 2nd or 3rd year?

Thanks inadvance

Reply 4615

Antifazian

16

Original post by VildeRH

Even if I am not totally confident that I will meet the grades in my conditional offer?

Thanks for all the gym suggestions, by the way!

Yes, most definitely, the sooner you tell them the sooner they can sort something out. :smile:

Reply 4616

feelinginfinite

6

Original post by Antifazian

Yes, most definitely, the sooner you tell them the sooner they can sort something out. :smile:

I've asked this before but you've made me think again about the other answer I was given (I'm tired and not good with wording sentences today- sorry :tongue:

) BUT, I have a conditional for Anth+Soc (AAB), and asked for this since those are the grades I know I'll get. But, another applicant applied for straight Anth with AAB and was made an offer (despite normal entry requirements being AAA)...

After the post app day next week, I was considering emailing the department and asking about the liklihood I could be offered straight Anth instead (despite how they'd know I don't have the entry grades)... Do you think this could harm my conditional offer, since the other girl may have been an exception (e.g if her personal statement was mind blowing)? :colondollar:

I love Durham campus too so would still be completely happy with Anth+Soc, but I can't decide whether I'd regret not asking to change (since I slightly prefer Anth, despite not meeting requirements). This is long, sorry, words aren't good for me today :colondollar:

Reply 4617

Magickal

4

Original post by ivy45

I have somecollege-related questions:
I gotallocated to Jo Butler and am worried about not making many friends (since I'm sort of quiet and shy) or gettinglittle student support since Butler is so big and there are no mealtimes, whereyou get to know loads of people…
Is itpossible to move to another college in my 2nd or 3rd year?

Thanks inadvance

I've heard of cases of it happening but you will honestly be fine. I am a very quiet person and fairly shy and I'm at Cuth's in the self-catering accomodation so we really don't have mealtimes either but you will meet so many people during Freshers :smile:

Don't forget you'll be sharing a kitchen so you'll get to know those people really well and most colleges have very good support systems in place if you feel overwhelmed or worried, that's the great thing about being in a college :smile:

Reply 4618

somewhereOTR

Where do most students live in the city?

Reply 4619