d21’s freshers pages have remain unchanged since the old King died. They said that they would never be updated. They were wrong...
There seems to be an assumption that freshers are a timid and fragile breed. The yearly p
ublication of ‘student survival guide’ after ‘student survival guide’ suggests you lot are being packed off to some faraway land where fanatical insurgents view you as a symbol of imperialistic aggression. Unless Papa has taken a wrong turning on the way up here, your actual destination is Durham; a city founded on two fundamental principles. Firstly, it has a nice Cathedral. Secondly, the place revolves around the student population. As such, the meanest foes you will face are the poor sods pawing leaflets at you as soon as you step outside the front door.
Nevertheless, survive this deadly enemy you must. And durham21, as a respected, well-known and much loved media organisation, recognise our obligation to cover the monotonous bits first:
Money – Don’t spend it if you aint got it.
Sex – Hitler had syphilis (allegedly) and it didn’t do him much good.
Alcohol – even though drinks are ridiculously cheap, do not be fooled into thinking that you can do anything other than ‘drink sensibly’.
Food – Everyone doesn’t eat Pot Noodles. Have a kebab instead.
Jazz clubs – they always seem to get mentioned in student survival guides as places a student ought visit. d21 has never been to one though. In our freshers week we were too busy burning £50 notes, eating cold baked beans and drunkenly fumbling around pretending to have unprotected sex.
With that over and done with, we present below a selection of written treats that cover many of the novelties/issues/problems you will encounter from here on in. Some of these articles are amusing, some are not. Some are interesting, some are frivolous nonsense. In total they form a hastily compiled amalgamation of what durham21 is.
If you take nothing else from this, just remember to take a break from facebook every once in a while to pay us a visit.
Enjoy University. Enjoy Durham.
Sean Barnes has been there, done that, but not yet got the degree. Still, he offers you this advice...
...erm, eeee, hiwello, a/s/l, eeeekkk, crobghsl. Struggling to initiate a conversation? Read Aunty Stevie’s advice...
Freshers, get this: 72% of Durham students end up with another Durham student. As in, they kop off with them. For life. Vicki Raimes puckers up...
In a tag-team style, John Elmes and Anika Rahman join forces to translate those Durham words most likely to cause confusion...
Snap your pen in half and rip up that boring book. Stevie Martin and Richard Benstead present the 50 best ways to avoid work...
Main Library v. Palace Green. Charlotte Spencer-Smith v. Sean Barnes. This time it’s personal (or perhaps not)...
All praise be to Master Bastard and Sergeant Muscle of the Hulk Division. Stevie Martin explains Durham’s unspoken stereotypes...
Zahra Dharsi quickly transforms her shoe-box college room into a cosy lickle home
Yana Kunichoff offers a few introductory notes for apprehensive international students...
If you find that you aren’t enjoying your course then listen to Rumbidzai Maweni’s sensible advice...
And finally, you may not believe it now, but in the summer of 2010 you will suddenly understand Toby Nash’s confused reaction to leaving Durham...
Now some stuff about durham21...
Barney Britton reports back on how durham21 changed his life...
You’ll never get lost again! durham21 (with help from Charlotte Spencer-Smith) takes you by the hand and slips you this little map...
Want to get involved in durham21 but don’t yet realise how easy it is? Click here...