1. Ā No one is that good with names. Considering how many people the average fresher is introduced to, and in such a short space of time, I think we should just accept from the start that awkward āre-asking of namesā conversations will continue for a good few weeks.
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2.Ā Being catered is pretty good, but it has some catastrophic pit fallsā¦ Three days in and I was almost certain Iād put weight on. I think the number one rule is that just because there is cake, that doesnāt mean you have to take it. The same goes for the seemingly wonderful endless potato supply. Saying no is an essential skill if you are to avoid putting on that āDurham stoneā.
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3. Ā Iām almost certain Klute is not the worst club in Europe, even by fire-related default. Maybe thereās some sort of charm in its grime, or maybe itās the booze, but I havenāt yet had a bad time there. Yes, toilet paper in the ladies would be a welcome improvement, and its true being elbowed in the back or having my toes trodden on does seem to be a regular occurrence there, but nevertheless, Iām a fan. Who doesnāt like a few cheesy tunes?
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4. Donāt try to run from fresherās flu. It will find you, and it will kill youā¦ Well, not quite, but donāt stress about it; just accept your fate and enjoy yourself whilst you can!
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5. Ā It might be worth considering how manic your inbox is going to get before you hand out your email address to half the societies in Durham. The only plus side is how popular I like to think I appear, as my phone relentlessly āpingsā in my pocket.
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6. Ā Here at Trevs, we soon found that a Frep is for life, not just for Freshers. The Frep team this year have been absolutely brilliant; going beyond the call of duty and just generally being an all-round lovely bunch of people. Cheers guys!
7. Ā A clothes horse is an expensive luxury. For Ā£10, I think Iād rather just hang my pants around my room like bunting whilst they dry!
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8. Ā I donāt know about anyone else, but 5hrs of sleep a night just cannot be maintained. By Friday night I was all too ready to climb into my pyjamas, eat pizza, and watch Mean Girls. And thatās exactly what we did.
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9. Ā Clubbing is not something to dress up for in Durham. As a student, jeans and a t-shirt seems to be more than fancy enough, and leaving the heels at home is more of a health and safety measure. I wouldnāt want to attempt those cobbled hills in a pair of anything other than comfy flatsā¦ although that doesnāt seem to stop the locals!
10.Ā Durham is rather special really. Itās easy to rush to your lectures and not look up to admire the charm of the place, but with the autumn leaves and pretty evening light, I couldnāt help but quickly realise how lucky I am to be studying here.