Everyone is inevitably biased in favour of their own college at Durham, but I can truly vouch for the fact that St Aidan’s is fantastic. Known for its friendly vibe, inclusivity, and the dreaded steps, you will love being at Aidan’s!
Catering
St Aidan’s is a catered college, so you don’t have to do any cooking! Three meals per day are provided seven days a week during term time, with a range of food available on a three-week rotating menu, with weekends including cooked breakfast! Being catered in the first year is wonderful, as it ensures you have time set aside to socialise over meals every single day, allowing you to easily meet people- not only in freshers’ week- but throughout the rest of the year as well. Some of my favourite memories in college this year have been made as a result of being able to eat alongside all of my friends every day, so it really is great!
Formals
Formal meals occur several times termly, and at St Aidan’s the dress code is either fancy dress (for Halloween formals for example) or ‘Aidan’s black tie’ (smart casual), therefore being far more relaxed than many of the gowned colleges. They are held in the dining hall in college, and entail an evening of great food, friends and college traditions, which you will soon come to learn! Formals are a great way to meet new people, as there are often arranged seating plans (don’t worry- you’ll still be sat with your friends!) therefore enabling you to meet people who don’t necessarily live in college accommodation.
Sports and societies
Another thing I love about St Aidan’s is the plethora of opportunities provided through college-level sports and societies. I am a member of St Aidan’s Cheer, and it is great fun spending a session per week with like-minded people, dancing and having fun. There are so many societies you can get involved with, ranging from cheer to chess, to rugby and many others; there really is something for everybody.
Things I enjoy most
The thing I enjoy most about St Aidan’s is the community dynamic which comes as a result of the way in which accommodation is organised. You will either be allocated to one of the houses or one of the corridors, both of which provide a great means of making friends with the people living around you. These are the people you will share a kitchen with, as well as a bathroom if you’re on the corridors (this isn’t anywhere near as bad as I anticipated), so you will see them around a fair amount! This ‘community feel’ is helped by the ‘JCR’ (Junior Common Room) which is home to our college shop, as well as sofas, pool tables, table tennis and table football. It is a great place to spend the evenings/afternoons with your friends without needing to leave the college grounds!
I hope that this has given you a better insight into life at St Aidan’s. The Rainbow College truly is the place to be!
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