all about me being a durham student
Hellloooooo
This is the blog of an average student trying to survive at university- managing studies, social life, jobs and her newly obtained aDuLtHoOd. It's certainly interesting sometimes, not so much other times. I'll try to document my experiences weekly, giving you an update of what's been up with me so you can waste yet another few minutes of your life on some random rubbish on the internet. Hopefully for me, it will function as a way to appreciate the little things in my life and find the good in the bad that I go through.
So a bit about me first- I'm Himieka, a second-year law student at Durham and belonging to South College. I come from India, enjoy cooking and eating food + blasting bollywood music in my ears. Watching tiktoks is my favourite way of wasting my precious time and I compensate by sending tiktoks to my friends to waste theirs too. Judging peoples' spice tolerance in Britain and navigating through the massive culture shock, here I am.
31.10.2022
ONE.
It's now been 4 weeks since term started and dang it's been one hell of a month; I've incessantly been crazed by so much happening around me. I have 5 lectures each week + 3 Korean seminars (yeah I'm trying to learn a new language lol). Most lecturers are amazing (shoutout to Prof Blackbourn) and so is the content. Also the law school held a welcome-back reception for returners where professors and students came along to chat over some food and drinks- I was there solely for the food though lol.
I have two part-time jobs- both within uni departments- and absolutely loooove them. For the one within the careers department, myself and the other interns have been head-on with marketing for a flagship Placement Year Conference coming up in November. As an intern in the marketing team, answering questions on TSR is my primary role and hopefully some of my responses here have helped you learn more about Durham. Our team recently grew to 13 and we all met for the first time this October- such a wholesome lot of people and I can't wait to collaborate with them this year. We all attended Luxmuralis- a light and sound show inside Durham Cathedral- arranged for us by our sweet managers. You know those moments when you witness something so mesmerising that you can't take your eyes off it? It was
that for me.
Coming to social life, it's been pretty meh. Because of all my other commitments, I barely have time to meet new people. I'm the publicity officer for Disney society and have to attend weekly events so that's the only way I find myself in a social situation. However, the Indian Soc held a desi night at one of the clubs in town with Bollywood music so I definitely had to go there- safe to say it was the most fun I've had in a very long while. The music hit just the right spots and dancing mindlessly was a stress outlet for me.
This year is different study-wise because it actually counts towards the final degree, unlike my first year. As sad as this realisation is, I cannot be as chill anymore and procrastinate as I used to. I planned to do the essential reading for lectures after I'd attended them so I could focus just on the useful content, work my jobs around my studies, go to the gym 5 times a week, manage Disney society's social media pages and also the household chores (especially cooking). It sounded easy in my head but it clearly wasn't and led to my first mental breakdown. I started to question myself and my interest in actually wanting my law degree. I was lagging behind on studies so much and didn't know where to even begin setting things right. Then I talked to my best friend and that day made me feel so grateful to have her in my life. She made me understand where I was going wrong and together we devised a schedule that allowed me to put my time to use while incorporating all the tasks I needed to do without feeling burnt out. The following week, I implemented it and DAMN did it help. I was much happier, caught up with all of my missed readings, was productive work-wise and still had time for self-care including the gym.
It's all back on track- for now at least. Looking back at it, I realise that everything probably happens for good. Maybe I needed to break down that day to realise my mistake and have a chance to fix it before it got too late. So even though we may not be where we thought we would, we're exactly where we're meant to be. Just need to keep going, have fun along the way and leave the rest to idk, fate?
Ciao
This is the blog of an average student trying to survive at university- managing studies, social life, jobs and her newly obtained aDuLtHoOd. It's certainly interesting sometimes, not so much other times. I'll try to document my experiences weekly, giving you an update of what's been up with me so you can waste yet another few minutes of your life on some random rubbish on the internet. Hopefully for me, it will function as a way to appreciate the little things in my life and find the good in the bad that I go through.
So a bit about me first- I'm Himieka, a second-year law student at Durham and belonging to South College. I come from India, enjoy cooking and eating food + blasting bollywood music in my ears. Watching tiktoks is my favourite way of wasting my precious time and I compensate by sending tiktoks to my friends to waste theirs too. Judging peoples' spice tolerance in Britain and navigating through the massive culture shock, here I am.
31.10.2022
ONE.
It's now been 4 weeks since term started and dang it's been one hell of a month; I've incessantly been crazed by so much happening around me. I have 5 lectures each week + 3 Korean seminars (yeah I'm trying to learn a new language lol). Most lecturers are amazing (shoutout to Prof Blackbourn) and so is the content. Also the law school held a welcome-back reception for returners where professors and students came along to chat over some food and drinks- I was there solely for the food though lol.
I have two part-time jobs- both within uni departments- and absolutely loooove them. For the one within the careers department, myself and the other interns have been head-on with marketing for a flagship Placement Year Conference coming up in November. As an intern in the marketing team, answering questions on TSR is my primary role and hopefully some of my responses here have helped you learn more about Durham. Our team recently grew to 13 and we all met for the first time this October- such a wholesome lot of people and I can't wait to collaborate with them this year. We all attended Luxmuralis- a light and sound show inside Durham Cathedral- arranged for us by our sweet managers. You know those moments when you witness something so mesmerising that you can't take your eyes off it? It was
that for me.
Coming to social life, it's been pretty meh. Because of all my other commitments, I barely have time to meet new people. I'm the publicity officer for Disney society and have to attend weekly events so that's the only way I find myself in a social situation. However, the Indian Soc held a desi night at one of the clubs in town with Bollywood music so I definitely had to go there- safe to say it was the most fun I've had in a very long while. The music hit just the right spots and dancing mindlessly was a stress outlet for me.
This year is different study-wise because it actually counts towards the final degree, unlike my first year. As sad as this realisation is, I cannot be as chill anymore and procrastinate as I used to. I planned to do the essential reading for lectures after I'd attended them so I could focus just on the useful content, work my jobs around my studies, go to the gym 5 times a week, manage Disney society's social media pages and also the household chores (especially cooking). It sounded easy in my head but it clearly wasn't and led to my first mental breakdown. I started to question myself and my interest in actually wanting my law degree. I was lagging behind on studies so much and didn't know where to even begin setting things right. Then I talked to my best friend and that day made me feel so grateful to have her in my life. She made me understand where I was going wrong and together we devised a schedule that allowed me to put my time to use while incorporating all the tasks I needed to do without feeling burnt out. The following week, I implemented it and DAMN did it help. I was much happier, caught up with all of my missed readings, was productive work-wise and still had time for self-care including the gym.
It's all back on track- for now at least. Looking back at it, I realise that everything probably happens for good. Maybe I needed to break down that day to realise my mistake and have a chance to fix it before it got too late. So even though we may not be where we thought we would, we're exactly where we're meant to be. Just need to keep going, have fun along the way and leave the rest to idk, fate?
Ciao
(edited 4 months ago)
Scroll to see replies
07.11.2022
TWO.
Welcome to another week in my life as a Durham student. I’ve now realised just how hard it is to write a blog- thinking about how to fit a week’s worth of useless information into a digestible read- and also remembering to click pictures of what’s happening throughout. But I’m proud I’ve started doing it for my sake and yours, dearest readers.
The most surprising thing that happened was that I found out I actually like employment law??? Truly the greatest revelation because I was putting off reading the book for quite a long time because my friend said she didn’t find it interesting- but I finally opened it yesterday to prepare for a tutorial and boom, I found it super easy to comprehend! There’s a tip for you and my future self then- everyone doesn’t have the same interests as you; to gauge how much you’re into a particular subject, try opening your assigned books atleast once instead of solely relying on somebody else’s opinion.
As for something fun I did, I attended a Diwali event at the Oriental Museum. You might know from the first blog I mentioned my amazing supervisors in the Marketing team- they managed to get me two tickets to the event and I’m honestly so grateful for that! They had student volunteers set up all the fairy lights, decorations, and help implement the event plans of classical Indian music, Laxmi puja, crafts, puppet show, dance performance etc. The best part? Mind-boggling Indian snacks 😭. Honestly, I had very low expectations from it but it absolutely blew me away- that’s the closest to authentic Indian food I’ve had in Durham. Speaking of tasty food, I discovered THE best bubble tea flavour in a cute little shop in town- cookie and cream boba tea. If you’re an oreo freak like me, this one’s for you.
It was also the first time since I came to Durham following the summer that I took a peaceful walk by the river. It’s one of my favourite things to do in this beautifully intimate city and the weather was surprisingly nice (which is strange given the time of year). Adding to that an hour-long gossip and hogging on cheeseballs with my very close friend in the empty Billy B cafe late in the evening, I got myself a perfect end to the week.
Outie 5000
TWO.
Welcome to another week in my life as a Durham student. I’ve now realised just how hard it is to write a blog- thinking about how to fit a week’s worth of useless information into a digestible read- and also remembering to click pictures of what’s happening throughout. But I’m proud I’ve started doing it for my sake and yours, dearest readers.
The most surprising thing that happened was that I found out I actually like employment law??? Truly the greatest revelation because I was putting off reading the book for quite a long time because my friend said she didn’t find it interesting- but I finally opened it yesterday to prepare for a tutorial and boom, I found it super easy to comprehend! There’s a tip for you and my future self then- everyone doesn’t have the same interests as you; to gauge how much you’re into a particular subject, try opening your assigned books atleast once instead of solely relying on somebody else’s opinion.
As for something fun I did, I attended a Diwali event at the Oriental Museum. You might know from the first blog I mentioned my amazing supervisors in the Marketing team- they managed to get me two tickets to the event and I’m honestly so grateful for that! They had student volunteers set up all the fairy lights, decorations, and help implement the event plans of classical Indian music, Laxmi puja, crafts, puppet show, dance performance etc. The best part? Mind-boggling Indian snacks 😭. Honestly, I had very low expectations from it but it absolutely blew me away- that’s the closest to authentic Indian food I’ve had in Durham. Speaking of tasty food, I discovered THE best bubble tea flavour in a cute little shop in town- cookie and cream boba tea. If you’re an oreo freak like me, this one’s for you.
It was also the first time since I came to Durham following the summer that I took a peaceful walk by the river. It’s one of my favourite things to do in this beautifully intimate city and the weather was surprisingly nice (which is strange given the time of year). Adding to that an hour-long gossip and hogging on cheeseballs with my very close friend in the empty Billy B cafe late in the evening, I got myself a perfect end to the week.
Outie 5000
(edited 1 year ago)
13.11.2022
THREE.
I’m not an all-time cricket fan but when it comes to the ICC World Cup, there’s nothing more important than watching the matches. The T20 one was being held in Australia and today marked the day of England’s victory after defeating Pakistan in the finals. As an Indian, the most riveting part is when there’s an Indo-Pak match and I’m sure my Pakistani counterparts would agree- the constant tension pervading the environment is no stranger to anyone. Well for this World Cup, The Indian and Pak society in the uni held a live viewing of the Indo-Pak match and I got to witness that one heart-wrenching, mind-blowing battle with so many people cheering for their countries and it was UHmazing 🤩
On the work side of things, we’re finally done with the Placement Year Conference that the FPMs, other interns and I put so much effort into putting together. It involved different constituents spread throughout the week- from confidence-building workshops, mock assessment centres to virtual events with employers, placement showcases, CV review workshops and professional headshots. What I realised throughout the process is how much goes on in the background of such events- the number of hours people have to put in, the employer connections they have to pull and the most important part- marketing the event so people actually show up. We tend to overlook the people who manage to get these sorts of opportunities set up for us (and honestly if I weren’t an intern knowing the BTS, I’d do the same). Consider this then an appreciation post for all the people out there who work behind the scenes- the people who don’t get the front stage but without them, nothing will ever work <3
I’ve never talked about my household chores, have I? The big feat this week was to get 2 weeks' worth of laundry done (yeah it was a massive pile) and wash my shoes soaked in the Durham mud. I struggle with sticking to healthy foods all the time so usually hog on different types of pasta, burritos which I try to fill with some sort of protein, yogurts and sandwiches. I’m trying to make this better though, swapping pasta with rice sometimes, introducing more veggies and incorporating more protein to help build muscle. Hopefully, I can devise an organised meal plan soon but till then…
Peace out, brussel sprout
THREE.
I’m not an all-time cricket fan but when it comes to the ICC World Cup, there’s nothing more important than watching the matches. The T20 one was being held in Australia and today marked the day of England’s victory after defeating Pakistan in the finals. As an Indian, the most riveting part is when there’s an Indo-Pak match and I’m sure my Pakistani counterparts would agree- the constant tension pervading the environment is no stranger to anyone. Well for this World Cup, The Indian and Pak society in the uni held a live viewing of the Indo-Pak match and I got to witness that one heart-wrenching, mind-blowing battle with so many people cheering for their countries and it was UHmazing 🤩
On the work side of things, we’re finally done with the Placement Year Conference that the FPMs, other interns and I put so much effort into putting together. It involved different constituents spread throughout the week- from confidence-building workshops, mock assessment centres to virtual events with employers, placement showcases, CV review workshops and professional headshots. What I realised throughout the process is how much goes on in the background of such events- the number of hours people have to put in, the employer connections they have to pull and the most important part- marketing the event so people actually show up. We tend to overlook the people who manage to get these sorts of opportunities set up for us (and honestly if I weren’t an intern knowing the BTS, I’d do the same). Consider this then an appreciation post for all the people out there who work behind the scenes- the people who don’t get the front stage but without them, nothing will ever work <3
I’ve never talked about my household chores, have I? The big feat this week was to get 2 weeks' worth of laundry done (yeah it was a massive pile) and wash my shoes soaked in the Durham mud. I struggle with sticking to healthy foods all the time so usually hog on different types of pasta, burritos which I try to fill with some sort of protein, yogurts and sandwiches. I’m trying to make this better though, swapping pasta with rice sometimes, introducing more veggies and incorporating more protein to help build muscle. Hopefully, I can devise an organised meal plan soon but till then…
Peace out, brussel sprout
20.11.2022
FOUR.
It has been an absolute rainy week in Durham and I HATE it when my white shoes have to bear the brunt of the muddy pavements 😤 It’s also formative season now and I spent a good amount of time working on my first Korean formative. It’s different from the law modules because we only got one week to complete it, but also comparatively easier when it comes to the amount of effort you need to put in. I’ve got three other formative deadlines coming up in December first week and I haven’t started them yet, yay me.
The Disney Soc is also planning another ball for the Epiphany term and this is the first time I’m getting to see what goes on in the backdrop of these events. Planning the budget, liaising with the venue, arranging entertainment, deciding the theme, combined with robust advertising and all those little things that come up in the midst of everything- it’s all super overwhelming. If you ever come to Durham, definitely attend a ball atleast once. It’s a magical experience.
It’s Sunday so I’m going out with my housemate- just to gander around the pretty city and drink some bubble tea 😌
Over and out
FOUR.
It has been an absolute rainy week in Durham and I HATE it when my white shoes have to bear the brunt of the muddy pavements 😤 It’s also formative season now and I spent a good amount of time working on my first Korean formative. It’s different from the law modules because we only got one week to complete it, but also comparatively easier when it comes to the amount of effort you need to put in. I’ve got three other formative deadlines coming up in December first week and I haven’t started them yet, yay me.
The Disney Soc is also planning another ball for the Epiphany term and this is the first time I’m getting to see what goes on in the backdrop of these events. Planning the budget, liaising with the venue, arranging entertainment, deciding the theme, combined with robust advertising and all those little things that come up in the midst of everything- it’s all super overwhelming. If you ever come to Durham, definitely attend a ball atleast once. It’s a magical experience.
It’s Sunday so I’m going out with my housemate- just to gander around the pretty city and drink some bubble tea 😌
Over and out
(edited 1 year ago)
26.11.2022
FIVE.
It’s flu season and guess who caught it? Yours truly. Remember I went out last Sunday evening? That did it. It was sooo cold and I was only wearing one layer of clothes. This entire week I decided to stay at home, except for when I absolutely had to leave the house. My nose and throat were blocked and I had a constant headache. But yknow what helped? A steamer. My loves, always always bring a steamer to uni because freshers flu is a real thing and you can catch it despite not being a fresher and 8 weeks into the term 🤧
Anywayyyy moving on to the fun stuff, it was my amazing friend Bani’s birthday!! We’d been planning this day for over a week now not knowing that I’d be sick on the D-day. We bought tickets to this magic show in Durham- The Magic Corner. And since we both paid for it and I didn’t wanna ruin her day, I decided to not skip attendance. Ngl, I’m not a fan of magic shows but this one was really unique- this guy made an actual cross appear on a woman’s palm without even touching her??? Crazy.
I’ve got a whole pile of missed lectures to catch up on since I’ve been sick all week and three formatives to write. It’s going to be a tough job to finish within 2 weeks but hopefully I’ll make it to the end (...safely).
See yas later
FIVE.
It’s flu season and guess who caught it? Yours truly. Remember I went out last Sunday evening? That did it. It was sooo cold and I was only wearing one layer of clothes. This entire week I decided to stay at home, except for when I absolutely had to leave the house. My nose and throat were blocked and I had a constant headache. But yknow what helped? A steamer. My loves, always always bring a steamer to uni because freshers flu is a real thing and you can catch it despite not being a fresher and 8 weeks into the term 🤧
Anywayyyy moving on to the fun stuff, it was my amazing friend Bani’s birthday!! We’d been planning this day for over a week now not knowing that I’d be sick on the D-day. We bought tickets to this magic show in Durham- The Magic Corner. And since we both paid for it and I didn’t wanna ruin her day, I decided to not skip attendance. Ngl, I’m not a fan of magic shows but this one was really unique- this guy made an actual cross appear on a woman’s palm without even touching her??? Crazy.
I’ve got a whole pile of missed lectures to catch up on since I’ve been sick all week and three formatives to write. It’s going to be a tough job to finish within 2 weeks but hopefully I’ll make it to the end (...safely).
See yas later
04.12. 2022
SIX.
Here’s the weird thing about formatives- they don’t count towards your year-end score but somehow bear the capability to make you put in as much effort as you’d put in a summative. Really don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing. I finished my family law formative and honestly, the question was really interesting- it asked whether civil partnerships should be completely phased out or whether their extension to mixed-sex couples was the correct decision. Anyhoo, the two other ones are originally due this week but law school now allows a grace period of one week without seeking a formal extension. So in my mind, the due date is next week and next week only 🙃
This last week I had a lot of fun. The Christmas market got set up- it’s both inside the Cathedral and in a marquee on Palace Green. Local vendors come along with their products and some even offer tasters like ginger wine, sauces, cheese and whatnot. Definitely recommend going there! I tried a mushroom gyro from Phi Pie- the ultimate chef’s kiss to that. They have a food van in the market square for Saturday market and there’s always a massive queue in front which used to deter me from trying one. On that note, check out Saturday market content on @thedurhamstudent Tiktok and Instagram, it’s super cool!
University College international student society arranged this paint and sip event along with free pizza and a mocktail- I could not say no 🥹. Well I most definitely suck at painting but hey, it’s the effort that counts. Also Disney Soc held a Christmas Cosyfest- everyone wore comfy clothes and decorated gingerbread, drank hot chocolate and made some crafts.
Mic drop
SIX.
Here’s the weird thing about formatives- they don’t count towards your year-end score but somehow bear the capability to make you put in as much effort as you’d put in a summative. Really don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing. I finished my family law formative and honestly, the question was really interesting- it asked whether civil partnerships should be completely phased out or whether their extension to mixed-sex couples was the correct decision. Anyhoo, the two other ones are originally due this week but law school now allows a grace period of one week without seeking a formal extension. So in my mind, the due date is next week and next week only 🙃
This last week I had a lot of fun. The Christmas market got set up- it’s both inside the Cathedral and in a marquee on Palace Green. Local vendors come along with their products and some even offer tasters like ginger wine, sauces, cheese and whatnot. Definitely recommend going there! I tried a mushroom gyro from Phi Pie- the ultimate chef’s kiss to that. They have a food van in the market square for Saturday market and there’s always a massive queue in front which used to deter me from trying one. On that note, check out Saturday market content on @thedurhamstudent Tiktok and Instagram, it’s super cool!
University College international student society arranged this paint and sip event along with free pizza and a mocktail- I could not say no 🥹. Well I most definitely suck at painting but hey, it’s the effort that counts. Also Disney Soc held a Christmas Cosyfest- everyone wore comfy clothes and decorated gingerbread, drank hot chocolate and made some crafts.
Mic drop
11.12.2022
SEVEN.
The term’s come to an enddddddddd. All of my housemates have either gone home or are travelling but I’ve decided to stay in Durham. I went to drop off Monique at the train station on Friday and it was FILLED to the brim with students- as a student, you just know another student when you see one. There were two categories of people- the ones who were going away and the ones who came to drop off the ones going away. The latter category (the one I belong to) looks sad as they’re bidding their goodbyes but trust me, we’re very happy and the prospect of having the whole house to ourselves just sends a shot of thrill down our spines.
I wish I could say how massively peaceful this time is but I’ve got one more formative to submit by Thursday 😭 Tbf, it’s my fault I didn’t manage my time well and finish the formative by its original due date so that’s a lesson for future. Now that the break has started, I have to focus on self-care because I lose touch with that during term time due to various commitments. Healthy meal prep, regular exercise, skincare, and maintaining the house will be on the top of my priority list.
Oh, also we saw the first snow for this year in Durham. As pretty as it is to look at, I hate walking on it because everytime I do, I risk my life nearly 10 times. Suggest some good womens boots brands please if anyone knows, help a girl out
Anyway there’s a lot of snowy content on our social media and I have a few Tiktok shenanigans I’m going to bring to you hopefully soon hehe.
I know these pictures are without context but I'll get better ones next time, sorry!
Ciao
SEVEN.
The term’s come to an enddddddddd. All of my housemates have either gone home or are travelling but I’ve decided to stay in Durham. I went to drop off Monique at the train station on Friday and it was FILLED to the brim with students- as a student, you just know another student when you see one. There were two categories of people- the ones who were going away and the ones who came to drop off the ones going away. The latter category (the one I belong to) looks sad as they’re bidding their goodbyes but trust me, we’re very happy and the prospect of having the whole house to ourselves just sends a shot of thrill down our spines.
I wish I could say how massively peaceful this time is but I’ve got one more formative to submit by Thursday 😭 Tbf, it’s my fault I didn’t manage my time well and finish the formative by its original due date so that’s a lesson for future. Now that the break has started, I have to focus on self-care because I lose touch with that during term time due to various commitments. Healthy meal prep, regular exercise, skincare, and maintaining the house will be on the top of my priority list.
Oh, also we saw the first snow for this year in Durham. As pretty as it is to look at, I hate walking on it because everytime I do, I risk my life nearly 10 times. Suggest some good womens boots brands please if anyone knows, help a girl out
Anyway there’s a lot of snowy content on our social media and I have a few Tiktok shenanigans I’m going to bring to you hopefully soon hehe.I know these pictures are without context but I'll get better ones next time, sorry!
Ciao
26.12.2022
EIGHT.
Merry Christmas beautiful people! It’s been a good weather in Durham this past week, perfect for taking evening strolls free of stress and full of festive peace. Since I’m staying here for the holidays, I had the opportunity to attend the Christmas lunch at Castle yesterday and it was the most beautiful day ever. They offered a free glass of champagne followed by a two-course meal and the food was delicious. It was held in the Great Hall (where students usually get catering during term time) and it was beautifully decorated with a massive christmas tree and lights. I’ve made an Instagram reel about it, do check it out @thedurhamstudent 🌝
Since students are now home for the break, it’s very quiet in the city centre. I love when the town’s bustling with a diverse range of students from different parts of the world, so I’m really looking forward to it when the Epiphany term begins. Apart from taking time for myself, I’m just working on a few internship applications and formatives due in early January. Hope everyone has a lovely new year!
Cheers
EIGHT.
Merry Christmas beautiful people! It’s been a good weather in Durham this past week, perfect for taking evening strolls free of stress and full of festive peace. Since I’m staying here for the holidays, I had the opportunity to attend the Christmas lunch at Castle yesterday and it was the most beautiful day ever. They offered a free glass of champagne followed by a two-course meal and the food was delicious. It was held in the Great Hall (where students usually get catering during term time) and it was beautifully decorated with a massive christmas tree and lights. I’ve made an Instagram reel about it, do check it out @thedurhamstudent 🌝
Since students are now home for the break, it’s very quiet in the city centre. I love when the town’s bustling with a diverse range of students from different parts of the world, so I’m really looking forward to it when the Epiphany term begins. Apart from taking time for myself, I’m just working on a few internship applications and formatives due in early January. Hope everyone has a lovely new year!
Cheers
02.01.2023
NINE.
IT’S THE NEW YEAR! The past year was one hell of a ride. I was sitting yesterday thinking back to all that happened to me in 2022, the good moments, the regrets and what the future holds. For the good part, I started 2 jobs, passed first year, paid more attention to my health and body, spent quality time with family and friends, started learning a new language, developed so many crushes lol. There aren’t any regrets when it comes to academic life but some in the love sphere. I’m sooooo looking forward to what this year has to bring and hopefully I’ll survive this one too.
Epiphany term starts next Monday and I’m beyond excited. Seeing the town bustling with students again, the Billy B being full to the brink (as much as I hate not finding a seat), more assignments, lectures and seminars. I know I’ll want a long break again 2 weeks into the term but that’s future Himieka’s problem 🙃
Yours till Niagara falls
NINE.
IT’S THE NEW YEAR! The past year was one hell of a ride. I was sitting yesterday thinking back to all that happened to me in 2022, the good moments, the regrets and what the future holds. For the good part, I started 2 jobs, passed first year, paid more attention to my health and body, spent quality time with family and friends, started learning a new language, developed so many crushes lol. There aren’t any regrets when it comes to academic life but some in the love sphere. I’m sooooo looking forward to what this year has to bring and hopefully I’ll survive this one too.
Epiphany term starts next Monday and I’m beyond excited. Seeing the town bustling with students again, the Billy B being full to the brink (as much as I hate not finding a seat), more assignments, lectures and seminars. I know I’ll want a long break again 2 weeks into the term but that’s future Himieka’s problem 🙃
Yours till Niagara falls
Original post by Durham Students
02.01.2023
NINE.
IT’S THE NEW YEAR! The past year was one hell of a ride. I was sitting yesterday thinking back to all that happened to me in 2022, the good moments, the regrets and what the future holds. For the good part, I started 2 jobs, passed first year, paid more attention to my health and body, spent quality time with family and friends, started learning a new language, developed so many crushes lol. There aren’t any regrets when it comes to academic life but some in the love sphere. I’m sooooo looking forward to what this year has to bring and hopefully I’ll survive this one too.
Epiphany term starts next Monday and I’m beyond excited. Seeing the town bustling with students again, the Billy B being full to the brink (as much as I hate not finding a seat), more assignments, lectures and seminars. I know I’ll want a long break again 2 weeks into the term but that’s future Himieka’s problem 🙃
Yours till Niagara falls
NINE.
IT’S THE NEW YEAR! The past year was one hell of a ride. I was sitting yesterday thinking back to all that happened to me in 2022, the good moments, the regrets and what the future holds. For the good part, I started 2 jobs, passed first year, paid more attention to my health and body, spent quality time with family and friends, started learning a new language, developed so many crushes lol. There aren’t any regrets when it comes to academic life but some in the love sphere. I’m sooooo looking forward to what this year has to bring and hopefully I’ll survive this one too.
Epiphany term starts next Monday and I’m beyond excited. Seeing the town bustling with students again, the Billy B being full to the brink (as much as I hate not finding a seat), more assignments, lectures and seminars. I know I’ll want a long break again 2 weeks into the term but that’s future Himieka’s problem 🙃
Yours till Niagara falls
I love this blog! So glad to hear you are enjoying your time at Durham, and looking forward to your next update
15.01.2023
TEN.
SO it’s been a long time since I updated this blog, apologies for that. I’ve just been really caught up amidst stuff since the term started but now I’ve finally had a breather so I’m back!
First week of term was a mix of super amazing and super hectic. All my housemates came back and it was lovely to reunite with them, the campus is also full of students now so it feels like uni again. But then the library is literally full of students and finding a seat feels as hard as moving a mountain. The lovely law school had two assignment deadlines just in the beginning of term (how much I love them for it 🫠) and not finding a seat in the library did not help with that. One of them was for trusts law and istg there is no subject I have ever hated more than trusts in my entire life of 20 years. But I still managed to meet the word count and submit it, I just cannot mull over it anymore. The academically good part till now has been that I scored a first in my Korean summative 🥹
On the social side, we’re back to planning the Disney charity ball happening in March and we organised a fundraising quiz for it. It was super fun and we raised £68 (shoutout to the person who generously donated £50) that will go towards organising the ball. And when I was returning home that night, I took a path through Prebends bridge that I don’t really use but I’m so glad that I did, I saw the most beautiful dark sky with an array of constellations (it was magical 😭). Also this one time after it rained, the most beautiful rainbow appeared over the library and the end seemed to be touching the Cathedral. It was majestic! The sunsets have been so pretty this past week, alongside it snowing one random day (and people not being able to walk on roads wearing sneakers).
Anyway that’s all I’ve been up to and I’ll try to be more regular in updating this blog <3
Eat Love Slay
TEN.
SO it’s been a long time since I updated this blog, apologies for that. I’ve just been really caught up amidst stuff since the term started but now I’ve finally had a breather so I’m back!
First week of term was a mix of super amazing and super hectic. All my housemates came back and it was lovely to reunite with them, the campus is also full of students now so it feels like uni again. But then the library is literally full of students and finding a seat feels as hard as moving a mountain. The lovely law school had two assignment deadlines just in the beginning of term (how much I love them for it 🫠) and not finding a seat in the library did not help with that. One of them was for trusts law and istg there is no subject I have ever hated more than trusts in my entire life of 20 years. But I still managed to meet the word count and submit it, I just cannot mull over it anymore. The academically good part till now has been that I scored a first in my Korean summative 🥹
On the social side, we’re back to planning the Disney charity ball happening in March and we organised a fundraising quiz for it. It was super fun and we raised £68 (shoutout to the person who generously donated £50) that will go towards organising the ball. And when I was returning home that night, I took a path through Prebends bridge that I don’t really use but I’m so glad that I did, I saw the most beautiful dark sky with an array of constellations (it was magical 😭). Also this one time after it rained, the most beautiful rainbow appeared over the library and the end seemed to be touching the Cathedral. It was majestic! The sunsets have been so pretty this past week, alongside it snowing one random day (and people not being able to walk on roads wearing sneakers).
Anyway that’s all I’ve been up to and I’ll try to be more regular in updating this blog <3
Eat Love Slay
(edited 1 year ago)
22.01.2023
ELEVEN.
I know the dates that I post on don’t concur with the dates I write in the beginning of each entry. It’s only cause I’m supposed to update on Sundays but if I can’t for whatever reason, I do it later in the week but I still write Sunday’s date to make myself feel better 🙃
So anyway, it was the Year of the Rabbit on the 22nd and multiple Durham societies had planned events including clubbing nights. My Korean housemate and I made an impromptu plan to go to one of those nights organised by a collab between Thai, Malaysian, Korean and other East Asian socs. It was in Babylon but honestly we didn’t like the music at all so we went to Jimmy’s instead and had an amazing night! Although the next day, my friend sent me videos of all the stuff I pulled while I was inebriated and bruh was it humbling. On a serious note, yes clubbing nights are a part of uni life but please drink responsibly and always take care of your safety first <3
I’ve been applying to so many vacation schemes and placements and some have either not gotten back or just yielded a rejection. But I still keep applying, it can be hard to deal with rejections but after facing those multiple times in my first year, my mindset towards them has changed. All I remember is that if I get a rejection, that opportunity was probably not meant for me and the right one will come along when it's time. And I can so relate with all of you who are awaiting uni decisions on your applications rn, it’s super annoying to wait but I guess we just have to know that no news is still good news and the recruitment teams are all doing their best to make the decisions as efficiently as possible. Just know that we’re all in this together and we’ll definitely make it through, more power to y’all 💪😼
Hakuna Matata
ELEVEN.
I know the dates that I post on don’t concur with the dates I write in the beginning of each entry. It’s only cause I’m supposed to update on Sundays but if I can’t for whatever reason, I do it later in the week but I still write Sunday’s date to make myself feel better 🙃
So anyway, it was the Year of the Rabbit on the 22nd and multiple Durham societies had planned events including clubbing nights. My Korean housemate and I made an impromptu plan to go to one of those nights organised by a collab between Thai, Malaysian, Korean and other East Asian socs. It was in Babylon but honestly we didn’t like the music at all so we went to Jimmy’s instead and had an amazing night! Although the next day, my friend sent me videos of all the stuff I pulled while I was inebriated and bruh was it humbling. On a serious note, yes clubbing nights are a part of uni life but please drink responsibly and always take care of your safety first <3
I’ve been applying to so many vacation schemes and placements and some have either not gotten back or just yielded a rejection. But I still keep applying, it can be hard to deal with rejections but after facing those multiple times in my first year, my mindset towards them has changed. All I remember is that if I get a rejection, that opportunity was probably not meant for me and the right one will come along when it's time. And I can so relate with all of you who are awaiting uni decisions on your applications rn, it’s super annoying to wait but I guess we just have to know that no news is still good news and the recruitment teams are all doing their best to make the decisions as efficiently as possible. Just know that we’re all in this together and we’ll definitely make it through, more power to y’all 💪😼
Hakuna Matata
(edited 1 year ago)
29.01.2023
TWELVE.
Hmmm what’s been up with me this week? OOH some news on the academic side, I got a first (73) in my employment law formative and I know it doesn’t count towards the final grade but that’s actually the highest score I’ve EVER gotten at uni. Lmao, don’t know if I should feel proud about that sentence. It was somewhat of a low score in land law but it wasn’t disappointing cause I didn’t really put much effort into it (still scrapped a 2:1 though lol).
Also, our marketing intern team just got bigger than ever- we’re now 18 in total! They’re all so lovely people and we’re thinking of pushing out some great content so you all can see what our experiences have been at Durham and what could also be yours. The SU arranged a Refreshers’ Fair for people who missed the original Freshers Fair and this time it was in the SU instead of Maiden Castle. The most fun part was the PureGym people giving out sweets to people who performed an exercise for them😆 We’ve uploaded a Tiktok on Refreshers Fair so do check that out @thedurhamstudent.
xoxo
TWELVE.
Hmmm what’s been up with me this week? OOH some news on the academic side, I got a first (73) in my employment law formative and I know it doesn’t count towards the final grade but that’s actually the highest score I’ve EVER gotten at uni. Lmao, don’t know if I should feel proud about that sentence. It was somewhat of a low score in land law but it wasn’t disappointing cause I didn’t really put much effort into it (still scrapped a 2:1 though lol).
Also, our marketing intern team just got bigger than ever- we’re now 18 in total! They’re all so lovely people and we’re thinking of pushing out some great content so you all can see what our experiences have been at Durham and what could also be yours. The SU arranged a Refreshers’ Fair for people who missed the original Freshers Fair and this time it was in the SU instead of Maiden Castle. The most fun part was the PureGym people giving out sweets to people who performed an exercise for them😆 We’ve uploaded a Tiktok on Refreshers Fair so do check that out @thedurhamstudent.
xoxo
05.02.2023
THIRTEEN.
I’m back with an update!
For the first time, my housemates and I chatted for a whopping 3 hours in the kitchen. It wasn’t even something fruitful, just random stuff about our lives and it was super fun! It’s something I’ve always loved about living in a student house- co-existing with other people who are also navigating their way through uni and life and always having people to do random things with. Midway through our conversation, I baked a *disaster* of a chocolate cake. It looked like poop but it actually tasted okay lmao.
The Stardust Charity Ball tickets went on sale this week and I’ve truly realised how much work has gone into it- from social media advertising to designing posters to dealing with the venue and arranging entertainment and fundraising, it has taken a lot out of all us exec but we know it’s going to be worth it. It’s definitely a good experience for resumes too, as you learn so many soft skills like how to navigate practically difficult situations. If you go to uni, being an exec member will be a great opportunity for you to get involved in, or maybe some other type of volunteering (which you’ll find literally LOTS of at Durham) to build some really relevant skills irrespective of your career path
Also here’s a random picture of a beautiful sunset in Durham, featuring the Law School 🤩
Cool Regards
THIRTEEN.
I’m back with an update!
For the first time, my housemates and I chatted for a whopping 3 hours in the kitchen. It wasn’t even something fruitful, just random stuff about our lives and it was super fun! It’s something I’ve always loved about living in a student house- co-existing with other people who are also navigating their way through uni and life and always having people to do random things with. Midway through our conversation, I baked a *disaster* of a chocolate cake. It looked like poop but it actually tasted okay lmao.
The Stardust Charity Ball tickets went on sale this week and I’ve truly realised how much work has gone into it- from social media advertising to designing posters to dealing with the venue and arranging entertainment and fundraising, it has taken a lot out of all us exec but we know it’s going to be worth it. It’s definitely a good experience for resumes too, as you learn so many soft skills like how to navigate practically difficult situations. If you go to uni, being an exec member will be a great opportunity for you to get involved in, or maybe some other type of volunteering (which you’ll find literally LOTS of at Durham) to build some really relevant skills irrespective of your career path
Also here’s a random picture of a beautiful sunset in Durham, featuring the Law School 🤩
Cool Regards
It's a quite informative blog and helpful for new students at durham university. Balancing student life with studies, social life, and job can be a difficult juggling act for freshers. Setting clear priorities, utilizing time management tools like goal-setting, and scheduling time for yourself can help as well. Additionally, looking into on-campus resources such as counseling, tutoring, or academic advising can help too.
15.02.2023
FOURTEEN.
Ok, I shall stop lying now and include the date that I actually write an update on.
Yesterday was Valentine's so I went to the Maiden Castle gym to find single (and hot) guys and also came to the realisation that my gym crush is probably taken 🥲. Anyway when I was home, my bestie sent me chocolates using Durham’s Cupid Service, it was sooooo cute istg. I only found out about it after receiving the chocolates, but essentially it was a fundraiser through which you could order a gift for your loved ones.
I also bought food and flowers for my housemate and so did she. I love how Valentines is so much more than just finding a romantic partner now, it’s a day to celebrate all forms of love including friendship and family. Now that we’re on this topic, there’s a very Durham phenomenon called college marriages. It’s where two students from the same college get ‘married’ and ‘adopt’ a few freshers to guide them through their first year. Every fresher basically gets a parent and is part of a ‘college family’ so your parents may take you and your siblings out for drinks or food or just some form of outing. This is a very informal form of mentoring, and something super useful if you feel more comfortable sharing issues with people more your age.
Oh and I also bought a unicorn helium balloon for no reason at all and it looks super cute in our living room
xoxo
FOURTEEN.
Ok, I shall stop lying now and include the date that I actually write an update on.
Yesterday was Valentine's so I went to the Maiden Castle gym to find single (and hot) guys and also came to the realisation that my gym crush is probably taken 🥲. Anyway when I was home, my bestie sent me chocolates using Durham’s Cupid Service, it was sooooo cute istg. I only found out about it after receiving the chocolates, but essentially it was a fundraiser through which you could order a gift for your loved ones.
I also bought food and flowers for my housemate and so did she. I love how Valentines is so much more than just finding a romantic partner now, it’s a day to celebrate all forms of love including friendship and family. Now that we’re on this topic, there’s a very Durham phenomenon called college marriages. It’s where two students from the same college get ‘married’ and ‘adopt’ a few freshers to guide them through their first year. Every fresher basically gets a parent and is part of a ‘college family’ so your parents may take you and your siblings out for drinks or food or just some form of outing. This is a very informal form of mentoring, and something super useful if you feel more comfortable sharing issues with people more your age.
Oh and I also bought a unicorn helium balloon for no reason at all and it looks super cute in our living room
xoxo
25.02.2023
FIFTEEN.
It’s been a while since I updated, apologies to the very few people who actually read this blog lol. This week I went to attend an assessment centre in London, it was my first one ever and I was kinda nervous. The good part was that the company and the people are super cool and made the process really chill and informal. There were 12 other candidates and everyone was very friendly and encouraged each other despite all of us being competitors. For those unaware, assessment centres are now the standard recruiting procedure in many industries including marketing, law, business, finance and virtually any field you wish to go into. They involve different aspects like a group task, interview, presentation, etc. I’m waiting to hear back from the company early next week so fingers crossed 🤞
For two days, a fire and ice event is being held in the city centre. It features some really well-crafted ice sculptures and a super cool fountain type of show. A video on it is already up on Tiktok so go check that out, more content will be coming soon too!
And it was pancake day on the 21st so my housemates and I made pancakes at home! We only realised there was no sugar in the batter when we were on the penultimate pancake lmao but they still turned out amazing because of the chocolate ganache topping
Laters 👋
FIFTEEN.
It’s been a while since I updated, apologies to the very few people who actually read this blog lol. This week I went to attend an assessment centre in London, it was my first one ever and I was kinda nervous. The good part was that the company and the people are super cool and made the process really chill and informal. There were 12 other candidates and everyone was very friendly and encouraged each other despite all of us being competitors. For those unaware, assessment centres are now the standard recruiting procedure in many industries including marketing, law, business, finance and virtually any field you wish to go into. They involve different aspects like a group task, interview, presentation, etc. I’m waiting to hear back from the company early next week so fingers crossed 🤞
For two days, a fire and ice event is being held in the city centre. It features some really well-crafted ice sculptures and a super cool fountain type of show. A video on it is already up on Tiktok so go check that out, more content will be coming soon too!
And it was pancake day on the 21st so my housemates and I made pancakes at home! We only realised there was no sugar in the batter when we were on the penultimate pancake lmao but they still turned out amazing because of the chocolate ganache topping
Laters 👋
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Durham Students
25.02.2023
FIFTEEN.
It’s been a while since I updated, apologies to the very few people who actually read this blog lol. This week I went to attend an assessment centre in London, it was my first one ever and I was kinda nervous. The good part was that the company and the people are super cool and made the process really chill and informal. There were 12 other candidates and everyone was very friendly and encouraged each other despite all of us being competitors. For those unaware, assessment centres are now the standard recruiting procedure in many industries including marketing, law, business, finance and virtually any field you wish to go into. They involve different aspects like a group task, interview, presentation, etc. I’m waiting to hear back from the company early next week so fingers crossed 🤞
For two days, a fire and ice event is being held in the city centre. It features some really well-crafted ice sculptures and a super cool fountain type of show. A video on it is already up on Tiktok so go check that out, more content will be coming soon too!
And it was pancake day on the 21st so my housemates and I made pancakes at home! We only realised there was no sugar in the batter when we were on the penultimate pancake lmao but they still turned out amazing because of the chocolate ganache topping
Laters 👋
FIFTEEN.
It’s been a while since I updated, apologies to the very few people who actually read this blog lol. This week I went to attend an assessment centre in London, it was my first one ever and I was kinda nervous. The good part was that the company and the people are super cool and made the process really chill and informal. There were 12 other candidates and everyone was very friendly and encouraged each other despite all of us being competitors. For those unaware, assessment centres are now the standard recruiting procedure in many industries including marketing, law, business, finance and virtually any field you wish to go into. They involve different aspects like a group task, interview, presentation, etc. I’m waiting to hear back from the company early next week so fingers crossed 🤞
For two days, a fire and ice event is being held in the city centre. It features some really well-crafted ice sculptures and a super cool fountain type of show. A video on it is already up on Tiktok so go check that out, more content will be coming soon too!
And it was pancake day on the 21st so my housemates and I made pancakes at home! We only realised there was no sugar in the batter when we were on the penultimate pancake lmao but they still turned out amazing because of the chocolate ganache topping
Laters 👋
We always have a savoury filling for our first couple of pancakes, so have never put sugar in the batter. It was spinach and riccotta this year.
Original post by tiny hobbit
We always have a savoury filling for our first couple of pancakes, so have never put sugar in the batter. It was spinach and riccotta this year.
OMG that sounds super interesting, I wanna try savoury pancakes too now
12.03.2023
SIXTEEN.
A LOT went down in the last 20 days. The ball I’d been planning with the Disney exec for the past 3 months FINALLY happened and it was such a relief plus a really amazing day! The ball committee reached the venue 3 hours early to arrange all the decorations for the scavenger hunt so I had to rush there directly from my seminar. I had quite the time though, all the effort we put in really paid off and the vibe was immaculate.
Alsooooo a massive thank you to all of you who voted for this account as the most helpful student reps in the TSR community awards. We really couldn’t have got the 3rd position without your interaction and we hope we’ve been able to offer some meaningful advice to atleast a few of you 😀
The past week’s weather has been a real rollercoaster. It snowed?? In March?? Make it make sense. But the good part was that I went sledging for the first time with my housemates and found out there’s a hill literally 2 mins away from my house. We tried to use a bodyboard cus that’s all we had but it obviously didn’t work so we did a snowball fight. We had the most amazing time but I feel bad for Alex cus he was stuck in a lecture and couldn’t come with us lol.
OH and I went to South’s halfway formal. Halfway formals are basically to celebrate the stage penultimate year students are at in their degree, therefore the name halfway. It’s open to everyone though so all students can attend if they wish to. The food was surprisingly good, it was a three course meal for only £4- who’d have thought!
I’ve got 2 tiktok videos in line to be posted about the events I’ve described to you today so keep an eye on @thedurhamstudent to look at all the amazing things you can do and achieve at Durham <3
Adios
SIXTEEN.
A LOT went down in the last 20 days. The ball I’d been planning with the Disney exec for the past 3 months FINALLY happened and it was such a relief plus a really amazing day! The ball committee reached the venue 3 hours early to arrange all the decorations for the scavenger hunt so I had to rush there directly from my seminar. I had quite the time though, all the effort we put in really paid off and the vibe was immaculate.
Alsooooo a massive thank you to all of you who voted for this account as the most helpful student reps in the TSR community awards. We really couldn’t have got the 3rd position without your interaction and we hope we’ve been able to offer some meaningful advice to atleast a few of you 😀
The past week’s weather has been a real rollercoaster. It snowed?? In March?? Make it make sense. But the good part was that I went sledging for the first time with my housemates and found out there’s a hill literally 2 mins away from my house. We tried to use a bodyboard cus that’s all we had but it obviously didn’t work so we did a snowball fight. We had the most amazing time but I feel bad for Alex cus he was stuck in a lecture and couldn’t come with us lol.
OH and I went to South’s halfway formal. Halfway formals are basically to celebrate the stage penultimate year students are at in their degree, therefore the name halfway. It’s open to everyone though so all students can attend if they wish to. The food was surprisingly good, it was a three course meal for only £4- who’d have thought!
I’ve got 2 tiktok videos in line to be posted about the events I’ve described to you today so keep an eye on @thedurhamstudent to look at all the amazing things you can do and achieve at Durham <3
Adios
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