Durham is the ultimate package: cobbled streets, college loyalty (that sometimes borders cult-ish), and lots more. However, a handbook guiding you through this maze is not included in this package. Hence, in the spirit of kindness, let these paragraphs act as an unofficial but necessary guide to navigating life in this unique land of mini hills.
Rule One: All hills are cardiac hills.
A flat walk is practically non-existent in Durham; you either climb, descend, or scramble. In the first week of settling into the timetable schedule, you’ll be panting and gasping for air on your trek up to the Science Site (maybe the university built it there as an endurance test). But don’t celebrate just yet, because suddenly you’re powering up Cardiac Hill like you’ve been training for the Highlander Mountain Marathon. Studying at Durham may not guarantee a degree, but it sure does promise quads of steel.
Rule Two: The library is actually a social experiment.
The Bill Bryson Library, commonly known as the Billy B (or the BBL if you prefer that), is less an architectural marvel and more an entire ecosystem. For instance, there are the Level 3 hermits who pack three meals plus cheeky little snacks and don’t leave till closing, and the group-study bunch whose priority is chatting their way through a productive era, rather than actually working on a project. Let’s not forget our Level 1, silent-level, chit-chatters. Eventually, you adapt. Or you invest in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones.
Rule Three: You always have a favourite bridge.
Prebends? Kingsgate? Framwell? At some point, everyone gradually develops a deep and irrational attachment to one. You’ll defend its superiority during 2 a.m. takeaway walks and cutely call it ‘my bridge’, as if you were personally involved in its construction. On that note, kindly avoid Prebends after dark, for it is HIGHLY FATAL.
Rule Four: Nights out don’t need to make sense and usually don’t.
Durham nightlife is unique in that it doesn’t care about conventional rules, because you can have a wholesome and fulfilling night out without ever setting foot in a club. According to countless recollections, one may meet half their course in the Klute smoking area. And can we all agree that Urban Oven pizzas are the pinnacle of culinary excellence after the clock chimes 12?
Rule Five: Colleges are family.
It is a canon event that colleges consume and warp into one’s personality, at least in the first term. Merch, formals, and socials are all part of the gig. You’ll pretend your college mascot is superior for absolutely zero reason, but there’s a sense of union and identity that is inherently formed through these experiences. The silly chants, toastie nights, and the random people that you end up meeting are undoubtedly what build the Durham experience. In no time, you will understand that these events played a part in making Durham feel less like a university and more like a home you didn’t know you needed.
Key Takeaways:
You only get a handful of years here, so relish in the weirdness, the traditions, the rain (maybe not the slush, but the ‘Notebook’ kind), and the minuscule moments that turn into the biggest memories.
Image: Women Sitting on the Stairs, Pexels.com
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