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St Aiden's

Very disappointed to be allocated to this college. Probably placed here because I'm a mature student (I didn't even list it in my 14 preferred colleges). I guess they have to stick someone here.

It seems to be very isolated, lifeless and difficult for active travel. Also perhaps the most unpopular Durham college.

Are there any positives to it or is it all poor?

I'm tempted now to bin the offer.

Reply 1

Anonymous #2

Hey I’m a current Aidan’s student, please do not bin your offer!

I believe Aidan’s gets an unfair rep because not a lot of people know where it is, when in fact we are literally in the middle of the hill, across the road from most major hill colleges such as Mary’s, Trevs and Van Mildert, and only a 10-15 minute walk from the library and most lecture sites (much closer than the colleges right at the top of the hill like JoBo and Stephenson). Travel is easy enough, pretty much everywhere is within a 15-30 minute walk.

St Aidans genuinely has an extremely vibrant community that are constantly putting on communal events - for example, we are currently in exam season, and the college has been hosting daily wellbeing events such as communal crafts, meditation etc. Freshers week was also an extremely memorable as we got a packed itinerary, including events for both introverts like movie nights and quizzes and extroverts like group club visits. We have a large range of active sports societies as well. Plus as a catered college the shared dining hall has helped me make most of my friends, and the famous fancy dress formal is definitely a fan favourite Aidans tradition.

Aidan’s are also extremely big on diversity, with a large number of international students coming to stay. The college often proudly displays a rainbow flag outside and is hosting the hill college pride events this year. It also has a very active working class and first generation scholars society.

Also if nothing else, when I was touring students around they couldn’t stop commenting on how pretty the college was (google photos do not do it justice!) - we get tonnes of wildlife like ducks and rabbits, lots of wildflowers and very pretty views outside bedroom windows of the main quad.

I promise that most people come to be very proud of the college they get allocated, please do not let it sway your decision (Bailey colleges are usually further away from a lot of lectures anyway)

Reply 2

Anonymous #3

Original post

by Anonymous

Very disappointed to be allocated to this college. Probably placed here because I'm a mature student (I didn't even list it in my 14 preferred colleges). I guess they have to stick someone here.
It seems to be very isolated, lifeless and difficult for active travel. Also perhaps the most unpopular Durham college.
Are there any positives to it or is it all poor?
I'm tempted now to bin the offer.

I visited it with my son, who ranked it 3rd because he liked the space it had and the relaxed vibe he felt there. Its right in the middle of the hill site so dead easy access to everywhere yet because it is up a very small hill it felt a bit more tranquil with less bustle and road noise surrounding it. It had everything most of other colleges had in terms of societies and sports and facilities.The building aesthetic was a bit take it or leave it compared to sone of the older or newer colleges but the view over the cathedral outside and from the library is really lovely and and it has a lot more outside space than the others we saw. Its the people that nake the college and I'm sure you will all make it great place to be come Autumn

My son is a bit down to not be lucky enough to get his top couple of choices but he's content with Aidan's - for him there were worse colleges to be. Hopefully you'll give it a chance.

Reply 3

Anonymous #1

Is there anyway I can change this college allocation? I feel utterly depressed already and haven’t even started. I can't believe they've sent me to the college that I least want to go.

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

Original post

by Anonymous

Hey I’m a current Aidan’s student, please do not bin your offer!
I believe Aidan’s gets an unfair rep because not a lot of people know where it is, when in fact we are literally in the middle of the hill, across the road from most major hill colleges such as Mary’s, Trevs and Van Mildert, and only a 10-15 minute walk from the library and most lecture sites (much closer than the colleges right at the top of the hill like JoBo and Stephenson). Travel is easy enough, pretty much everywhere is within a 15-30 minute walk.
St Aidans genuinely has an extremely vibrant community that are constantly putting on communal events - for example, we are currently in exam season, and the college has been hosting daily wellbeing events such as communal crafts, meditation etc. Freshers week was also an extremely memorable as we got a packed itinerary, including events for both introverts like movie nights and quizzes and extroverts like group club visits. We have a large range of active sports societies as well. Plus as a catered college the shared dining hall has helped me make most of my friends, and the famous fancy dress formal is definitely a fan favourite Aidans tradition.
Aidan’s are also extremely big on diversity, with a large number of international students coming to stay. The college often proudly displays a rainbow flag outside and is hosting the hill college pride events this year. It also has a very active working class and first generation scholars society.
Also if nothing else, when I was touring students around they couldn’t stop commenting on how pretty the college was (google photos do not do it justice!) - we get tonnes of wildlife like ducks and rabbits, lots of wildflowers and very pretty views outside bedroom windows of the main quad.
I promise that most people come to be very proud of the college they get allocated, please do not let it sway your decision (Bailey colleges are usually further away from a lot of lectures anyway)

Much of that just sounds utterly depressing to me.

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

St Aiden's is a Eurovision hellhole. If you like something as crass and naff as Eurovision you'll like St Aiden's. If you loathe Eurovision you'll loathe St Aiden's.

Reply 6

Anonymous #1

Surely if St Aiden's is just a dumping ground for 'freaks and losers' then they need to make it clearer. Then decent people can avoid it like the plague.

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

I wanted to go to a traditional Engllish university, not Brighton Pride.

Reply 8

Anonymous #1

I was so looking forward to starting university at Durham in Septemver, they've now utterly ruined that by dumping me in this sick joke of a college.

Reply 9

Anonymous #2

Original post

by Anonymous

I was so looking forward to starting university at Durham in Septemver, they've now utterly ruined that by dumping me in this sick joke of a college.

I’m sorry have you actually looked around the college?? Or are you just upset you didn’t get Hatfield or something? I’m sorry but this crash out seems quite unreasonable and immature - if you want to give away your place at a great uni because you didn’t get the accommodation you wanted that’s fine, but please don’t drag the name of a college that I bet 1000% you would like if you actually went here, just like everyone else I know who got Aidans even though they didn’t rank it highly.

Reply 10

Wombat11

OP, well you can just sit in your room on your own and be sad…or loiter outside the colleges you wish you’d got into. But I don’t suppose they will want to let you in as you’ll be tainted as an Aidan’s person.

Get a grip and stop wallowing. It was okay to be a bit disappointed on the day the allocations came out. But you move on and realise all colleges are random selections of people…..it will be what it’s like next year because of you and the people in it. Or is it just you want to make other people feel miserable? So bizarre.