By Jamima Westermann and Ella Catherall
In 2013, The Independent reported that Durham University is thought to have the highest rate of inter-student marriages in Britain. Roughly 72% of students will marry a fellow Durham alumnus, a third of couples starting a relationship only after graduation. This is by far the highest percentage of any UK university, with the national average typically standing at 18-20%.
What is it about the Durham bubble that so often leads to wedding bells? Do college marriage proposals soon lead to real ones? Are love potions secretly mixed into the Johnny Woodgates? With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, Palatinate spoke to eight happy couples who found love in the land of castles and Klute boots.
For all its academic prowess, Durham has long had an Achilles heel, an issue that has seen our fair city mocked by students at the larger and louder universities. The issue in question is our nightlife, a problem that has traditionally been seen as the major drawback of living in Durham. However, despite its size, I believe that Durham has a thriving and underrated nightlife, and one that is worthy of any student town.
Firstly, Durham is able to offer what most universities are not, a wide variety of college bars, each with their own unique drink and challenge. College bars provide students with places to pre-drink and meet friends before a night out, while also being perfect setting for pub golf, potentially the world’s most lethal drinking game. Moreover, college bars have the advantage of being personal to Durham. Other university towns may have a wider range of big anonymous clubs, but until you’ve squeezed into Mary’s bar and ‘enjoyed’ a shot of filth you have not had
During a global pandemic that has forced us into isolation like none of us have ever known it, the urge to escape to find some inner peace can be overwhelming. Alas, travelling far, these days, is severely limited. So, armed with a Railcard and a determination to learn more about the Northeast before I graduate, I decided that in 2020, I would find peaceful spots in the areas surrounding Durham, Newcastle, and North Yorkshire (where I spent the 2020 lockdown). Granted, these explorations mostly took place over late spring and summer in 2020, before the word “variant” had crossed most of our minds. But still – I am greatly looking forward to revisiting all of these spots as soon as restrictions are relaxed enough to do so.
A definitive ranking of every Durham college bar, from best to worst
This might prove a little controversial, to say the least
2 months ago
Here at Durham, college bars are an integral part of student life. They’re where we’re initiated into societies, where we meet our sports team all dressed up in ridiculous fancy dress, and where we pre-drink (a little too much) before college formals. Though sadly, as Durham heads into its fifth week of an online only term where all the bars are shut, drinking your stress away in a college bar seems like a distant memory.