Durham Freshers - Worried
Hello,
I've been accepted to study history at Van Mildert college. I have been sent a letter containing information about the college's organised freshers week. Without wishing to sound rude, the activities do not suit me at all. For instance, 'icecream bonanza', 'mentor formals', 'nighttime tour of Durham' and a JCR meeting - not really my kind of activities. I had read that during freshers week buses were sent down to Newcastle to go clubbing etc... but I can find no mention of this. I am beginning to really worry I won't fit in and would have been better off going to Bristol.
Thanks.
I've been accepted to study history at Van Mildert college. I have been sent a letter containing information about the college's organised freshers week. Without wishing to sound rude, the activities do not suit me at all. For instance, 'icecream bonanza', 'mentor formals', 'nighttime tour of Durham' and a JCR meeting - not really my kind of activities. I had read that during freshers week buses were sent down to Newcastle to go clubbing etc... but I can find no mention of this. I am beginning to really worry I won't fit in and would have been better off going to Bristol.
Thanks.
You'll fit in fine. Remember that these events have to be designed to be inclusive and not everyone likes clubbing.You'll make your friends in freshers week and start from there
I'm pretty sure all the colleges visit a different nightclub/bar each night, it's just not always listed on the initial activity sheet. Don't worry! 
As someone said above, the colleges need to put on activities for all kinds of people and not everyone wants to go to nightclubs. But you'll be able to go out if you want to - sometimes colleges book out nightclubs/bars and your freshers reps will take you there. They like to take you to quite a few different ones in the week so you can get a feeling of where you like most. Like, for example, after your "mentor formal" people will probably go out to nightclubs. And at the end of the day even if nights out aren't on the official activity sheet, they can't exactly prevent you from going out if you want to.
Honestly don't worry! I'm not really into going out, but I know people who were very apprehensive about coming to Durham, and they've been able to fit in and find places to go. It's not the biggest place for nightlife (as it's quite a small city), but there's definitely stuff to do, and if you want things on a bigger scale, you can always get the train to Newcastle.
Honestly don't worry! I'm not really into going out, but I know people who were very apprehensive about coming to Durham, and they've been able to fit in and find places to go. It's not the biggest place for nightlife (as it's quite a small city), but there's definitely stuff to do, and if you want things on a bigger scale, you can always get the train to Newcastle.
(edited 6 years ago)
I'm at Trevelyan, and luckily we aren't going clubbing in Newcastle. There is a bop and a bar night planned, but as someone that doesn't drink the idea of the two is kind of scary. You'll find people like yourself at van mildert, no doubt about it. If you're a giant nerd (I say this in a good way, as I too am a giant nerd) and got the grades to go to Durham, you'll fit in and find a group of people similar to you! Are you in a van mildert chat yet?
Try not be too judgmental before you've even arrived. None of it is compulsory, but you're only going to do Fresher's once, so try to step outside your comfort zone (like everyone else), and see what happens.
Well yes, there are some activities that are frankly, completely lame and absolutely baffling (like Harry potter movie watching with ice cream and all that lark) and none are compulsory, but you will go out pretty much every night, whether its in Newcastle or more frequently Durham. The fresher reps will take you. They usually don't put that in paper, imagine yourself in the perspective of a parent. I don't even know who my mentor is supposed to be (most students don't, or never meet them after that formal). That durham tour is completely useless, you will have plenty of time to get to know the small city of Durham.
Then take incentive and go clubbing with your flatmates. These are evening or day activities and everyone clubs in the night. Skip the JCR meeting, its *******s. Mentor formal is just getting drunk on wine.
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