Durham University in the Uk Sport
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1 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 Durham University 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.