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WELCOME BEFORE TRAVELLING AND INTRODUCTION

WELCOME… 3 VISA… 10

WHAT IS A COLLEGE… 4 VACCINES… 11 ST AIDAN’S… 4 PRE-ARRIVAL ACCOMODATION… 5 ENROLMENT… 11 JCR AND SCR… 5 PACKING…12 FACILITIES… 6

DURHAM UNIVERSITY IN THE UK SPORT... 7 STUDENT CARD..13 DSU... 7 NATIONAL INSURANCE… 13 SOCIETIES... 7 NHS… 13 VOLUNTEERING...8 POLICE REGISTRATION…13 DUCK... 8 FINANCE… 13 - 14 SOCIALS, FORMALS PHONE NETWORK AND BALLS… 9 PROVIDER… 14 - 15 INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLING AROUND… 15 STUDENT’S ASSOCIATION… 9 FINAL WORDS… 16

2 Hey Aidanites!! Welcome to and congratulations on getting accepted into this world-renowned Institution! I’m Ammiya, a second-year Economics student and I will be your International Welfare Rep. I am here to help you optimise your experience in University, make sure you fall in love with Aidan’s and Durham as fast as I did, and ensure that all of you have a fabulous Fresher’s Week. I’m super excited to meet you all and to help you start your first year in the best possible manner. Moving to a new country is a big change, and coming from New Delhi, India (more than 4,000 miles away), I have first-hand experience with the usual homesickness, fitting in, living in, and adapting to a completely different country, culture and environment. So please, feel free to come to me for any help or even just to chat. Durham is a really cute, quaint town and I guarantee you’ll feel at home very soon. It helps to get involved in as many sports and societies as possible. I participated in various extracurricular activities, which included, Football, Aidan’s voices, International Society, Welfare Society, etc. at Durham. I even tried out Ballroom dancing for a couple of days (which was fun, but definitely not my thing). And that’s what university is all about- discovering and trying out new experiences! This handbook will provide you with important information about life in Durham and Aidan’s, but please, do not hesitate to contact me, or any other Fresher’s Representatives (Freps), if you have any questions or doubts, and we will be happy to provide you with the support you need. Now, It’s time to introduce the other International Frep Team members: Sara Phillips and Jason Li. Looking forward to meeting all of you in September!! xx Hi Freshers! I’m Sara and I’m one of your international freps! I’m a second-year criminology student from America (California, to be a little more exact), so I know how stressful, crazy and exciting it can be to travel thousands of miles from home to go to university. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, but we’re here to help you adjust and fall in love with Durham, so if you ever need help with anything or just fancy a chat, don’t hesitate to ask me or the other members of the international frep team! Fresher’s week is an exciting time and I encourage you all to get involved! There’s a variety of stuff going on throughout the week, whether you want to explore Durham or just chill out and watch a film. Fresher’s is also a great time to get involved in one of the many, many, societies at Aidan’s and Durham Uni, or join sports! I tried rowing for the first time last year, so if you want to know more about that let me know! Sports and societies are also a great way to make new friends, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself to become best friends with all the people you meet during Fresher’s’! You’ll meet loads of new people throughout the year and some of your best friends could easily end up being people you didn’t know until second or third term! Anyway, I hope you’re all as excited for uni as I was this time last year! Can’t wait to meet you all soon!

Hello! I’m Jason, Second-year studying business and management and a member of the international frep team. First and foremost, congratulation for getting into Durham University and especially joining the big family at St Aidan’s college! I am excited to be part of your international fresher week, during those 2 weeks, I am here to help you with absolutely anything, whether it is moving in, feeling homesick (I know exactly what it feels like moving to the UK when I was 8) or if you are unfamiliar with college or Durham, feel free to approach any of our frep team members and we will do our best to help. If not, come speak to us anyway, we love to talk to you guys! For me, fresher’s week and First year was to say YES to everything. Having joined the college football, ultimate frisbee and pool team, I have discovered love of the sport that I never thought I could be a part of, getting to meet new friends across college and year group. Beside sports, there are wider range of society that are subject related and many more that you would never expect! Overall, I advise all the lovely freshers to go out there and try out everything, even though if you think it might not be the one for you because Durham university is full of big surprises. Once again come speak to us if you need anything even before fresher’s weeks starts, every conversation is unique and special! I cannot wait to meet you all lovely people! 3 Contact Us ☺

Ammiya Chugh: [email protected] Jason Li: [email protected] Sara Phillips: [email protected]

WHAT IS A COLLEGE?

To me, one of the things that makes Durham so special is its collegiate system, in which case you might be wondering what makes college so different from any ordinary accommodation.

Well, here’s a few reasons why:

• Every college has its own spirit, traditions, lifestyle and community (kind of like the different Houses in Harry Potter – minus the wizards, obviously, though Durham is pretty ~magical~) • Every College has both a Junior Common Room and a Senior Common Room (which are explained in detail further down) • Students are crucial actors in shaping the college and contributing to the way it is ran: you can get involved in the JCR by joining sports and societies, and have a say in JCR meetings or in the committees that you have gotten involved in. • College has also got a great support system: o A Welfare Committee that provides daily contact hours and amazing officers that will be more than happy to have a chat about anything o A College Mentoring System that you can sign up to where there is a team of mentors which students can access for specialist mentoring support relating to enterprise / business support. o A system of College Families: you will get assigned College Parents that study similar subjects to you and are here to guide you, whether it is acasdemically or personally! o Student Development and Support team also offers support to students.

ST AIDAN’S COLLEGE

St Aidan’s College (aka the King of the Hill) prides itself to be an open-minded and welcoming college, providing its community with a friendly and accepting environment where everyone can thrive!

Now a few of facts about the college:

• We are a mid-sized college, usually welcoming around 270 undergraduate Fresher’s and 250 postgraduates every year. • We have a team of 38 Freps to make sure that both International Fresher’s week and Fresher’s week run smoothly 4 • Our Principal, Dr. Susan Frenk, our Vice Principal, Mr. Stefan Klidzia and the Student Development and Support team are there to support you on a range of issues; be they physical and/or mental health problems, personal problems, financial issues or academic concerns. • We have a 24/7 Porter Service which is here to ensure our security. The porters are very important as they are also here to give you a hand if you ever need help especially during out of hours. To reach them contact college reception or telephone: 0191 334 5769

ACCOMMODATION

• Fresher’s are allocated either single or shared rooms (don’t forget to fill out your room questionnaire!) and those rooms could be in different parts of college: the straights, the curves, and the houses (D-G). The Fresher’s share bathrooms and some kitchen spaces. • Most Postgraduates live in the Elizabeth Pease House but some live in the New Houses, with some of the returning students that want to live in College for their last year

JCR AND SCR

• These acronyms stand respectively for Junior Common Room (undergraduates) and Senior Common Room (postgraduates), so the one that concerns you mostly is the Junior version. • The JCR is the main communal area in college, great to socialise or have a snack from the Shop (usually both go hand in hand) • The Junior Common Room is also the organization that regiments all sports, societies and social activities within College. • There are 8 JCR meetings in which the “Exec” will talk you through the decisions which are being taken with the JCR money, and the positions which you can run for. To get involved in one of our committees (such as the Shop Comm, Social Comm or Welfare) you have to either: o “Hust” (stand up in front of the JCR members and explain why you think you’d be a good candidate for the position and then answer some questions) OR o Be interviewed by the members of said committee • Why get involved in the JCR? o Meet lots of different people that are passionate about the same things that you are, people whom you may not have met because they don’t do your course o Have a strong influence in shaping college life and even the university

5 o Try new things – it’s so easy to get involved and you might try something you that you might love: I, for instance, knew nothing about Welfare before I came to uni and I’m so glad I got involved!

FACILITIES

• The Dining Hall o Meals are served in in the Dining Hall three times a day – you’ll get more info about meal times in your Fresher package • Bailey Room and Shincliffe Room o During induction week, there will be events running in both rooms: your registration, but also entertainment during formals. o Throughout the year, you will have workshops running, the Creative Writing course or even movie nights o During exam season, the Bailey and the Shincliffe room are used as extra stuDYING spaces • Lindisfarne Centre o There are regular talks, workshops and other events there, many of which are open to students both from St. Aidan’s and from other colleges. • The Bar o Open every evening for socialising and there will be events organised throughout Fresher’s Week and the rest of the year o You can also request to watch your favourite shows or sport matches in the Bar o There are plenty of non-alcoholic drinks o If you have any questions just flag Brodie (or any member of the bar staff) down in College, I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to answer! • The Shop o Literally the best place in college – there are always fun people hanging out there! o Sells toasties, biscuits, snacks, opens twice a day and has board games and DVDs that you can borrow o You can also apply to become a part of the shop team (I was a toastie-worker in my first year and it was a LOT of fun, so if you enjoy making food/like meeting new people/want to earn some extra cash- do try it out) • The Plodge (Porter’s Lodge) o It is the main entrance to St Aidan’s College – there you will find the porters and the receptionists o Tours of the Campus and Café Crawls depart from the Plodge • The JCR o It’s basically the main social hub in which people get together to chill, play games and chat o Often events are organised there such as quiz nights, or live lounges • The Library o The most fun place in College, hands down (lol)

6 o It’s open 24 hours every day of the week – it’s a great working space, has quite a few of the core texts you need that you can easily borrow • Interfaith Meditation Room (located next to the library) • Laundry o There are 2 Laundry rooms: the main one is on B-Curve corridor but the houses have another one between E and F houses. o You have to fill up your laundry fob in order to use the washing machines and the dryers (NOTE: THE MACHINE DOES NOT GIVE ANY CHANGE) • The Gym o The 85 steps up to Aidan’s are already quite the workout but if you fancy going to the gym you can get a termly membership for £15 or a yearly membership for £40

WHAT MAKES DURHAM UNIVERSITY DIFFERENT?

SPORTS • It’s so easy to get involved in sports at Durham! You can join your College’s sports Teams, or a university team: you can play sport whether you are a professional or have never played • There’s such a wide variety of sports, even within the College, I can’t stress enough how much fun it is to join, even if it’s just to give it a try! • College sport teams compete amongst each other whilst if you play for Durham, you’ll be competing against other universities • Maiden Castle is the main sports complex in the City, many colleges and university teams train there.

THE DURHAM STUDENT’S UNION

• They organise events and fairs such as the Freshers Fair, where you can get information on sports and societies that you can join in Durham • They are the primary student body and liaise with the University administration to argue for students’ interest • They also run the , our student-run newspaper, and Purple Radio, our online radio station • If you have any questions about the Union and how to get involved, ask Ed Cook (the Union Representative) and he’ll be glad to fill you in!

SOCIETIES

• There are SO many societies you can join, ranging from sports to debate, or theatre – there’s a 90% chance that what you’re looking for is there, we even have a Quidditch Team!

7 • You can find more information on Durham’s societies in the following link: http://www.durhamsu.com/groups#club-society and attend the Fresher’s Fair to get a good overview of the things you can get involved in! • Our College also has a lot of societies that will be showcased to you during the College’s Freshers Fair, which will take place in the JCR • Societies are great because you get to meet people that share the same passions as you. Plus, every society organises socials, which are relaxed meet ups with all the members that usually end in great night outs!

VOLUNTEERING

• STUDENT COMMUNITY ACTION o Involves more than 400 students from across the University in over 40 different voluntary projects. o Whether you enjoy working with children, helping the elderly, being outdoors or supporting those with disabilities, SCA will have a project for you. o If you are not sure whether you want to commit fully to volunteering regularly, there are loads of SCA projects that have one-off opportunities to get involved o To have more information on SCA and volunteering, you can contact [email protected], or ask Crystal, the St Aidan’s SCA Rep, to get involved in College volunteering opportunities o Give volunteering a try, it’s always great to give back to the community within which you will be living for the rest three to four years of your life! ☺ • COMMUNITY OUTTREACH o Offers both sport and non-sport based volunteering opportunities – over the last year it has organised sport sessions for vulnerable adults and continued the DU SHINE project, which aims to increase physical activity participation in those aged 40-70. o Team Durham also gives students the opportunity to volunteer internationally during the summertime in the Sport in Action Zambia Project o You can contact teamdurham.community@durham. ac.uk if you want more information

8 D.U.C.K

• Durham University Charities Kommittee (puns amirite lads?), is the most successful student-run charity in the UK • They run events such as Rag Raids (fancy dress charity collections in the big city centers), the Durham University Charity Fashion Show (DUCFS), creative fundraisers and expeditions in the summer! You can get involved in DUCK by signing up for one-offs or by getting involved in the committee itself.

SOCIALS, FORMALS AND BALLS

• Socials are organized by the different societies for their members, they happen quite often though the number of socials depends on the society – if you ever wanted to get involved, you could also help organize those events! • Formals: either black tie or fancy dress themed events composed of a 3-course meal in College, usually followed by entertainment organized in the JCR • Balls: usually a recurrent staple of student life at Durham, St Aidan’s has roughly one per term, the most important one being Summer Ball (get excited for that one it’s such a fun night!!!)

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

• The International Students Association focuses on organizing events such as fashion shows, balls or trips, for international students, to which non-international students can also partake! • More specifically, you can join Aidan’s’ International Society, which I mentioned in my little introduction! The Society won of the Best College Society or Club in Durham Award! o We hold international nights twice a year, which are basically evenings with food and games centered around different cultures o There are also International Cafés every fortnight in the JCR – they’re basically events where you can meet other people that are interested in cultural exchange, all this while having free cake and coffee – it’s a great study break if you ask me and you always meet great people there! o You should definitely join during the Aidan’s Fresher’s Fair with Valeria, our current International Society President, or come and see me as I am also on the exec – there, as if you needed any more reasons to join the society haha

9 BEFORE TRAVELLING

VISA

• For the moment, only non-EU students require a visa to study in the UK (lol fingers crossed that doesn’t change – is it too soon to make Brexit jokes?) • Find out whether you need a visa or not online, and all the practical information regarding how to get one and how much it costs here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa • The university website also has a few basic points of information concerning Visas which can be helpful: https://www.dur.ac.uk/immigration/studentvisas/ • General information on Visas can be found on the UK border’s Agency page: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/ ➔ please check it out!! • Most International Students classify as Tier 4 (either General or Child, depending on age) o If that’s the case, you need to complete the Tier 4 General or Child form and the relevant Appendix ➔ Said Appendix is what will earn you points and grant you the visa (the other form being only for personal details). Your English Language Proficiency, your CAS details and grades will go on the appendix. • If you’re only in the UK for up to 6 months (or 11, if you’re after an English language course) then you will classify as a Visitor (again, depending on your age, you could be a regular Student Visitor or a Child Visitor). • If you need help with your application, you should either contact Durham University’s International Office or the High Commission/ Embassy in your country.

http://www.dur.ac.uk/international/

[email protected]

+44(0)1913346328

• The letter you need from the University is available on UCAS once you have accepted your unconditional offer at Durham University. • Make sure to thoroughly read your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) Statement, as it will not only give vital details for your Visa application, but also inform you of any additional documents you may require (for example, an ATAS certificate, which takes about 6 weeks to obtain).

MAKE SURE TO CHECK ALL OF THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS YOU DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE!

10 VACCINES

• This is arguably one of the most important sections of the Handbook – your Vaccines need to be up to date when you get to Durham • Depending on where you come from, you may need additional vaccines, so please check the British High Commission/Embassy in your country. • If you are not able to get them done before you come to Durham, you can arrange it with the NHS in Durham and do it when you are here. • The recommended vaccines are those for Measles, Mumps & Rubella, Polio, Meningitis and Hepatitis • It is so important that you take the necessary precautions before you move to an environment where you will be in contact with many different people, and hence at risk of being contaminated by one of the previously mentioned illnesses!

PRE-ARRIVAL ENROLMENT

• You can find information on the Enrolment process in the following link: https://www.dur.ac.uk/student.registry/registration • Before you get to Durham, you should enrol online on DUO, which stands for Durham University Online, an online platform where you will have to register for your modules, where your professors will upload course-related information and where you can find your results. https://duo.dur.ac.uk/ • Your Durham Email is the email you will use for university purposes. You can log into your email here: https://dur.ac.uk/cis/email/ - check your email regularly as you will start receiving course related information on there! • DUO, your Durham Email and the University’s IT systems, have the same log in details, which will be emailed to you shortly. • Make sure you start updating your DUO page as soon as possible, choosing the modules you will study. Even if some of your modules are compulsory, you should register for them on DUO. The deadline to register for your modules should be on the first or second day of term. • If your department has emailed you prior to your arrival to Durham, telling you not to register for your modules yet, you should do as they tell you. This is usually the case if you are a Combined Honours student.

11 PACKING

After the paperwork, let’s move onto the fun bits of going to uni: PACKING! Hopefully this gets you super excited about moving to Durham!

What to pack

• Plugs: you’ll need 3-pin square plugs for the UK (the standard voltage being 230 V), you might need to buy a transformer for your electrical appliances depending on where you’re coming from (you may also be able to find these in the supermarket in Durham but don’t take my word for granted) • Required Documents (passport/ID, CAS statement, Letters from the University): you’ll need some of them not only at the airport, but also to open your bank account or work in the UK • Sterling Pounds: it goes without saying, but it’s best to come to Durham with some cash in hand, in case you need to take a taxi from Newcastle Airport (more or less £30-40), or from Durham Station, which is a 30 minute walk from St Aidan’s (£6-8) Also, the nearest cash point from St Aidan’s is a fifteen-minute walk away • Toiletries and towels: you can obviously buy some of these in Durham, but bear in mind that St Aidan’s is 15-20 minutes away from town, where most shops are. • Medicines and prescriptions: you may need to show these at the airport for security reasons, and you will have to inform the NHS about the medication you are taking, so that they can have an up to date version of your medical background. • Passport-sized photographs: take some just in case, and you may need more than you expect • Clothes: o “Winter is coming” – and it’s doing so faster than you’d expect! Pack warm clothes, especially because Durham does not have that many clothing shops, so it’s better to be prepared. o Also, bring formal clothes and fancy dress items if you have any – you’ll use them more than you’d expect, both during Freshers Week and throughout the rest of the year!

What not to pack

• University books: look out for unofficial Facebook Pages where older students are selling their books at a cheaper price! Also, most of the books that you are required to read can be found in the Library. So, unless you do English Literature (like Sofia, the Senior Frep) and have a massive reading list to get through during the summer, you’ll be alright with buying your books once you’re in Durham. I managed to get all the books I needed in Durham itself. • Food: College is catered, so you do not need to cook whilst you’re living in. If you want to have any snacks, you can just buy them from town. Please note that if you’re not from the EU you are not allowed to bring meat, dairy products or potatoes into the country (https://www.gov.uk/bringing- food-animals- plants-into-uk/food) • Pets: as heart-breaking as it is, pets aren’t allowed in College :( • Candles and Fairy Lights: they’re a fire hazard, so they’re banned from college. • Cleaning tools: Your room will be cleaned every 2 weeks and if you ever need a Hoover, you can ask to borrow one from the Plodge

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WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO WHEN YOU GET HERE?

• Student card: getting your student or campus card is one of the first things you have to do when you get to Durham – this card allows you to access the Library, the printers and means that you get great discounts when shopping! This card is to be collected in college during the verification process. • National Insurance Number: to work in Durham and the rest of the UK, whether it is in town, or at the College Bar, Library or Shop, you need to get a National Insurance Number, which is a free procedure that, however, requires an interview at a job centre (the closest one being in Newcastle). You can find more information about this on here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance- number • NHS: o When you come to Durham, you need to register with the National Health Service, which can be done by filling up a registration form which you get in your Fresher Package (that you get by post) or during Freshers Week. o Once you hand in the form, you will be assigned a GP and will be able to access the Student Health Centre (called the Claypath and University Health Centre). You can find more information about the opening hours and contact details of the centre here: http://www.durhamstudenthealth.co.uk • Police Registration: check your Visa stamp to see whether you have to register with the police on your arrival as it is not a requirement for all students

FINANCE

• Opening a bank account can be quite difficult so make sure to prepare before you actually get to Durham • Things to know: o You need a bank account in your name that has your term time address (aka the address where you’ll be residing whilst studying) o The account currency has to be in pounds sterling (£) (the standard currency used to pay for the University fees, to sign up for phone contracts and to cover your expenses) o Make sure you inform yourself about your bank possible account before you sign up for it as they all have their own perks and drawbacks o Look out for overdraft charges and fees linked to maintaining the account before you sign up for anything

13 o Some banks offer certain benefits such as a free Rail Card but make sure to not be blinded by it and do your research on the possible disadvantages of the account • Paperwork needed to open a bank account: o A headed letter from Durham University/St. Aidan’s College, clearly stating your name, course and address in the UK (You can request St. Aidan’s to provide you with one via the online form on the Induction pages) o Passport o Your CAS statements are not a valid document to open a bank account o CHECK WITH YOUR FUTURE BANK BEFORE ARRIVING TO DURHAM WHETHER THEY NEED MORE DOCUMENTS • Useful websites: o http://www.studentbankaccounts.co.uk/#c_table o http://www.bba.org.uk/ o https://www.bba.org.uk/publication/leaflets/international-students/ o http://www.xe.com/ucc/ (currency converter) • You can also ensure your belongings – the most popular insurance company among Durham Students is Endsleigh. You can find more information here: http://www.endsleigh.co.uk/

PHONE NETWORK PROVIDER • If you are looking for a contract deal (i.e. a pre-paid deal), you must have a UK bank account. • Make sure you know the deals each place has. You might be able to get an Internet package, free texts or even a phone • If you get pay-as-you-go, you can top up in lots of places in Durham. • Most of the providers listed below have shops in Durham

THREE (http://three.co.uk/)

• They offer quite cheap deals – However their signal distribution isn’t great and it is one of the few network providers that don’t seem to have great coverage in College

VODAFONE (http://www.vodafone.co.uk)

• You can either choose “Pay as You Go” or a “Pay Monthly” plans • On top of that, you can opt for a Vodafone International Option which lets you make calls from the UK to anywhere in the world at convenient rates (to have this option you have to text “international” to 2345, if you are on “pay as you go”) • Or if you call regularly the same international numbers, you can buy a “Pay Monthly Bundle” with the following offers: o 10£ a month for 75 international minutes 14 o 15£ a month for 125 international minutes o 20£ a month for 200 international minutes 02 (https://www.o2.co.uk/)

• Their International Favourites deal allows you to call landlines and mobiles in different countries (check out their websites to see which country the deal includes) o For 10£ a month, you get 3000 minutes of landline calls and 100 minutes of mobile calls to three international numbers. o For 20£ a month, you get 3000 minutes of landline calls and another 200 minutes to five international numbers. T-MOBILE (https://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans)

• Their international plan gives low rates on international calls from the UK and an extra 70 minutes for free every month when you top up 10£. • However, like 3, T-Mobile is one of the few providers that does not have very good signal in College GIFFGAFF (https://www.giffgaff.com/sim-only-plans)

• They are one of the cheapest networks • They offer SIM-only pay as you go programs and monthly goody-bags that you can choose to stop buying whenever you want, which is perfect if you spend a lot of time abroad and don’t want to continue paying for a UK mobile line • Their goody-bags range from £5 to £20 – the £5 one offers 60+ extra UK minutes, 300 UK texts, 20MG Internet and calls to giffgaff numbers are free • Their only downside is that they are internet-based so they do not have a shop in Durham

TRAVELLING AROUND

• The best thing you can do if you plan on travelling around the UK quite a bit during your stay in Durham is to get a 16-25 rail card, which is worth £30 a year or £70 for 3 consecutive years. The railcard allows you to get discounted train rates, and even get discounts if you pair it with your Oyster Card (which you use to travel around London) • Durham is quite good for travelling around the UK: o You can get trains to and from Newcastle, which is the closest big city to Durham, where you can find a lot of shops, cinemas, restaurants, clubs and museums – if you get a railcard, return tickets can be as cheap as £4.90 and the train ride only lasts 15 minutes! o Travelling to London takes 3 hours on average and it can get quite expensive, even with a railcard. However, if you book your tickets in advance the price is much lower – for instance if you book your train 24 weeks in advance, you can get a return ticket for £22.90! o York is only a 45-minute train ride away and it’s a very cute British city, which has a lovely cathedral o Edinburgh is also quite close, and city is so worth visiting, even if it’s just for the day! o You are 30 minutes away from Newcastle International Airport so the world is your oyster!

15 FINAL WORDS

This Handbook is done for now but if you have any questions, you can email or Facebook any of us! Your first year is going to be an amazing experience, sure it can be a bit overwhelming at times because it’s so different from being at home but you’ll meet amazing people and make long-lasting memories.

It’s normal to feel homesick at times too, and it usually sneaks up on you when you least expect it – but surround yourself with friends, give your family a call, make yourself a warm drink and I’m sure you’ll feel better in the blink of an eye! And if you ever want to have a chat, you can find me in college, or message me, or go to a Welfare Contact hour and we’ll be there for you.

Last word of advice: make the most of what College and the University have to offer – join lots and lots of sports and societies, explore what the city has to offer, go on trips, you have so many options!

Now – rush to your computer, join the St. Aidan’s Freshers page 2018 (OFFICIAL) and count down the days until you get to Aidan’s!

GET IN TOUCH!

Website: www.st-aidans.com Facebook “St Aidan’s Freshers 2018 (Official)” Twitter: @aidansjcr – Snapchat: aidansjcr

Ammiya Chugh: [email protected] Jason Li: [email protected] Sara Phillips: [email protected]

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