The period after exams is easily my favourite time of year in Durham. Not only is there more time to chill, but the sun is shining and there are so many events and celebrations! Societies usually pick back up again, after a quieter period for revision and exams, so it can be nice to catch up with people again and get back to rehearsals and training.
College Day
In St. Mary’s, our college day falls after exams. It’s essentially a huge celebration of college with all your college friends. It functions like a mini festival, with food, rides, games and music throughout the day. Last year, we had a Take That and Taylor Swift tribute act playing late into the night. There was an insane downpour of rain and we all stayed outside with our ponchos having so much fun. Other colleges have their celebrations on different days throughout the year, but at Mary’s it’s something we look forward to after exam season.
Summer Ball
Yet another huge event in the college calendar, summer ball is not one to miss! Each college has their own ball, unique to them in some way. St Mary’s summer ball promises an evening of great food and drink, rides, live music and entertainment, and some core Durham memories. It’s a great excuse to get glam and feel fancy for an evening – many Facebook profile pictures arise from a summer ball photoshoot. There is a tradition at Mary’s that, after the ball has ended, we watch the sunrise over Observatory Hill. This is followed by a ‘survivor’s breakfast’ for those who make it through the whole night. I can specifically remember eating my survivor’s breakfast and then heading up to bed, not to resurface until 6pm. Summer ball is truly not one to miss, and I am eagerly awaiting this years!
Festival of Sport
The festival of sport is like the ultimate sports day. All the colleges get involved and compete against each other in basically every sport. As a theatre kid, I lack the qualifications to speak on this in depth but I can vouch for the fact that it’s fun to watch! There is a really friendly atmosphere, food vans and lots to take part in or watch. A bit of friendly college rivalry is healthy for us all.
Rowing
The warm weather makes for ideal rowing conditions after exams. You can hire traditional wooden rowing boats for a more casual experience, or if you are a keen rower, of course there are the University and college rowing teams. The Durham Regatta also takes place this time of year, in early June. Once again, I am not the sporty type – but it’s fun to watch!
Societies
During exams, societies usually slow down a little bit because everyone is studying. Theatre productions and shows come to a halt for those weeks and sports teams will train less or not at all. Once exams are over, it’s back to business and you can be as busy as you want to be. Last year, I took part in a 48 hour musical where we only had 2 days to audition, rehearse and perform. I played Gabriella in High School Musical and we raised lots of money for charity. This year, the theatre company that I am Vice President and Treasurer of is going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! I am so excited for those that are going and I’m sure they will do so well.
Chilling out
Whilst there are many events on offer, it is also important to take this time to relax and enjoy the lesser workload. You’re only a student for so long, and soon will come the time where ‘summer holidays’ don’t exist. It can be nice to wake up a little later, lay in a bit longer and just spend the day doing absolutely nothing. I like to take up a few more shifts at work now that I have more time and make a huge effort to spend time with friends. One of our favourite places to chill is the racecourse along the riverside. It’s also great to take this opportunity to go on day trips to Newcastle or Seaham, for example. My college is also offering free enrichment trips to Beamish and Whitby which should be fun!
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