Starting a postgraduate course can be very daunting, especially if you haven’t done your undergraduate degree at the same university. I decided to stay on at Durham for my MSc studying Civil Engineering since I was already familiar with the university, the city, and I liked the structure of the course.
Middle Common Room
I completed a Bachelor of Engineering degree at Durham, and while I am still in the same college and same department, having begun a postgraduate course means that I have been able to join the Middle Common Room of Trev’s. The Middle Common Room (MCR) is a community of postgraduates and associate members (fourth-year undergraduates). I have found the MCR incredibly welcoming and friendly, and have made many new friends through getting involved and attending events.
Welcome week
Welcome week is a great time to meet people and become familiar with the common room. MCR ambassadors are students who have been members of the college before the beginning of the year who facilitate and run events during the week.
Since I did my undergraduate degree here, I decided to be an MCR ambassador and help move in students who live in college and answer any questions new students might have about Durham or Trev’s. This year we ran a film night, board games evening, badminton and table tennis sessions and trips to Lane 7 bowling, Newcastle and Beamish Museum, just to name a few.
In Trev’s, the MCR has its own room called the Mowlam Room which is a bit of a base during welcome week. The Mowlam Room has its own collection of books and board games that all MCR members are welcome to use. The room is also free to be used by MCR members as a social space or for study.
Events throughout the year
Events continue to be run after welcome week. These are typically organised by the MCR social secretary however, if any member of the MCR has an idea for an event, the MCR Executive Committee are happy to help make it happen. Some examples this year have included crochet sessions and murder mystery parties. Our social secretary this year has arranged walks with pub lunches, Halloween and Christmas parties, bar crawls and a ‘Refreshers Week’ for those who join Trev’s in January.
MCR Vice President
If you are interested in getting involved in the running of the common room, you can run for a position on the MCR Executive Committee. There are all sorts of roles you can do, from publicity to organising events to chairing meetings to managing the MCR’s finances. I decided to get involved in the Exec as I had previously been involved in the JCR equivalent as an undergraduate and really enjoyed it.
This year, I was elected as MCR Vice-President. The main responsibilities of this role are to assist the president, organise Research Talks and the G.M. Trevelyan Research Prize and manage MCR stash (Trev’s merchandise). Research Talks and the Research Prize allow students in the MCR to give a presentation on a topic they are researching. They are great opportunities to practice public speaking and can often lead to discussion following the talks. These events are also followed by a drinks reception and further refreshments in the MCR afterwards, so they have a social element too. I have really enjoyed learning about all sorts of topics this year, from Archaeology to Physics to even beer!
A real community
It might sound cliche, but I truly think that the best thing about the MCR is the community. Everyone has been genuinely so welcoming and supportive this year, which has made my time in the common room fantastic. It is very comforting to know that there is a group of people who you can attend college formals with as well as other Trev’s events, which is always reassuring when you’re worried about not knowing anyone. The Middle Common Room at Trev’s is currently very active and thriving with social and academic events. Whether you wish to get heavily involved or only attend the odd event, you will be part of a wonderful community of postgraduate students at Trev’s.
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