Not a uni student but a durham local, the title is a legitimate question so please don't think I'm trying to be smart or a wind up merchant.

I've really noticed it since going out socially more the last few years, the way some people talk about the locals or northerners is genuinely vile. Its like we're absolute scum to some people and it's sickens me to think that these people parade around 5 mins from my house. I understand Durham attracts elitist people but do they expect the place to have no locals. On one occasion, I literally had someone stop me mid conversation to say that "they don't talk to povos", it's awful.

A few of my friends attend the uni and they say they get filthy looks in their ice breakers because of their accents. It absolutely boils my piss that we are looked down upon like its the middle ages. Its made me stop going out in Durham which is a great place to be for some.

Can any Durham students or students of similar situations explain this?

I'm sure there are lots of things they have to do but (assuming you're in work) I'm curious what exactly you do as a university lecturer during university holidays?

i was just looking into how much maintenance i can get as i’ve sent my uni applications- and come to find out i am barely eligible above the minimum grant amount?

apparently, SFE treats my 7 person, 5 children, £55,000 a year overcrowded household in london (which cannot even afford a proper home- we live in a 2 bedroom flat….) the same as a 3 person household with the same income living in much cheaper areas.
i cannot get a job that fits around my school hours because no one wants to hire students. I am not even eligible for most university bursaries because apparently our income is too high! This is beyond unfair and i am lost at what to do. I will be barely able to cover rent with the minimum grant, and i know my family will struggle to help.

SFE, do better.

I just started my course this year and my friend from home has decided he wants to apply for the same course and do a late entry in January (at a different university). He asked for my personal statement to which I said sure. I explained how UCAS checks for plagiarism and how his application could be rejected if any part of his was found to be inauthentic, so to only use it as inspiration. A week later he sends me his statement to review and it’s quite literally word for word the same as mine apart from some words switched out (like my job with his job) and an added conclusion.

I let him know this isn’t enough but he’s not listening (he’s very stubborn and thinks he knows better than everyone on account of having life experience (he’s 22…)).

Will I get in trouble for being linked to him if his personal statement gets flagged? I feel like I have no control of this situation, my friend can’t really be reasoned with.

I (24M) started a graduate entry medicine course last month. Most of us are in our twenties, with a few older people mixed in.

There’s a woman on my course, let’s call her S, who seems convinced I’m into her. I’m gay, but I don’t announce it in every new social setting. I assumed that would come up naturally, and I didn’t think I’d need to open with it.

Here’s what’s happened so far:

• I said “nice jumper” and she replied, “Thanks, my boyfriend got it for me,” in a very pointed voice.
• I asked how her weekend was and she said “Quiet, I was with my boyfriend,” like I’d asked for her alibi.
• I told our group her notes were really good and she said, “Thanks, but you know I’m in a relationship, right?”
• She now brings up her partner within about two minutes of any conversation with me. Last week it was before I’d even said hello.

I’m friendly with everyone. I compliment people a lot because it’s how I talk, and it’s the same with the guys, the girls and the lecturer who wears the questionable ties. I’ve never asked her out and never texted her outside the course group chat. I haven’t even looked at her for longer than normal eye contact requires.

The problem is we’re in the same small groups for everything, so I can’t avoid her. Whenever I say something she reads it as a come-on, and she’s started giving me this tight, pitying smile like I’m a puppy that’s about to be let down gently.

I feel like I can’t win. If I tell her I’m gay, it sounds like I’m only saying it because she’s dropped hints that she thinks I’m flirting. If I say nothing, I just keep getting turned down for things I never asked for. A couple of people in our group have noticed too, and I’m worried it’s going to get awkward fast.

She’s otherwise fine, and I’d like us to be friends. I just don’t want to be treated as a threat every time I’m nice to her.

How do I put this to bed politely without making it a big thing? I don’t want to out myself in front of the whole group over something this small, but I also don’t want to keep being quietly friend-zoned by someone I’m not even interested in.

Do you refer to them by their professional title (e.g Dr …) or their first name? Most of my lecturers sign their emails off with their first names but I just wanted to check. I need to email my personal tutor. Thanks

Anybody else struggling with awful flatmates? :( I’m the only international student/non white one and my flatmates have treated me really poorly from the beginning. Yes, I was shy & scared the first week and took time to build courage and go to the kitchen, but even from then they’ve ignored me, made snarky comments about me, and accuse me of being the culprit behind all the mess that randomly appears. They have also made some micro aggression comments, which makes me uncomfortable. I am living the perfect life otherwise, love uni and the friends I’ve made. Is it worth moving to another flat? I have applied but am worried I’ll get a worse flat. What else do I do about this? :( I am actually scared they will do something physically to me

My parents have been pressuring me to go to university for the past few years. I am on a gap year right now and they are really pushing me to start applying for next September.

I don’t want to go to uni for a few reasons: I struggle socially and don’t think I can deal with moving away, I don’t want to continue education for 3 more years, I feel like having job experience will be more valuable than a degree nowadays.

I have tried to explain this but they keep saying I should get over this and having a degree is worth it in the long run. I have also explained there are other ways I can get a degree, and I have no idea what I want to do with my career.

I have a boyfriend at the minute, who, granted, is a small reason I don’t want to go but I am worried they think this is all about him.

Has anyone got any good arguments as to why I shouldn’t go, I struggle with being articulate and actually putting good points across.

EDIT: I have a full time office job at the minute but it is temporary until next September

hi! so i’m a late returnee to university, 28 years old studying to be a nurse. Honestly, im really struggling balancing part time work ontop of uni life. i get the full maintenance loan, plus i will be getting the nhs bursary, but i still need to work to pay all my bills. I’ve overdone myself by really trying to get involved in uni life (im enjoying having a social life for the first time in years, as well as setting up my own society and trying to keep on top of it all).
Work just feels like the biggest hurdle for me but i’m not sure how else to make money or last financially through the next 3 years.
i mostly just need to rant but if anyone has any advice please let me know!

I’m a gap year student I live in rural South west England . Love electronic music. I have the grades to be accepted in both unis. Nightlife is quite a big importance for me. I’ve been to Cardiff to see my mate at uni and it’s great, we went out and I met all his uni friends. Nightlife isn’t that varied and not many big names but it’s a really cool city and lovely uni. Cardiff also seemed to have much better transport than Liverpool. I’ve been to Liverpool just for the open day and equally loved it, I like the fact that there’s more clubs in Liverpool who often have big headliners, it’s also quite close to Manchester for warehouse project. I’m slightly introverted but really into meeting new people. I’m very unsure which uni I should pick. Liverpool is also like a 5 hour trip compared to Cardiff at 3hrs from home.

Has anyone spent much time in both cities as a student with similar interests, can you share some advice please 🙏

im 19 & i study at a part-time accredited uk uni online (from saudi arabia) bc i did not have the financial decision on how and where i'll be studying. i unfortunately, cannot speak arabic properly, so i couldnt enroll in any unis that teach in arabic, i was left with one uni that had full english programmes (of the ones i wanted) but the tutition was 25k euro per year (so around 100k euro for the entire program).

my parents weren't willing to spend that kind of money & thats totally understandable, i wont hold it against them. but if it helps my case im not allowed to work so all financial control is under them. i just hope this doesnt stop me from pursuing my career in the future because it does feel like my life is over. this overwhelming and suffocating feeling has been stuck in my throat the last entire year. i felt passionate ab what i wanted to pursue but now ive been so depressed and cant bring myself to lock in my studies bc it js feels like there is nothing to look forward to.

idk if its worth mentioning but ive been medically recognised w bpd & theres a possibility that i have ocd, however idk if these factors overlap my inability to pursue my life any further. advice would be nice.. idk what to do..

so basically we literally have 4 tiny fridges for an 8 person flat and i was one of the last people to move in so i have to share fridge space and i’ve been asked multiple times to move my things which i have and i’ve just been asked again but like there’s no room anywhere else and we aren’t allowed to have our own mini fridges so idk what to do

the only things i keep in my shelf of the fridge is a bottle of water, milk, greek yoghurt, salad, butter, and salad cream that’s literally it but the fridges are so tiny

I’m 20(f) and it’s been 1 month since uni started. I go to a uni where most students commute. I found a few people to talk to but every conversation is superficial. I want a close bond with someone cause I never had any genuine friends in the past. During sixth form, I was a loner. When I say loner, I mean, sitting alone at lunch and I was depressed asf. All I’ve ever had are acquaintances. I also have extreme social anxiety where I would shake if I had to speak in front of lots people. I feel like I talked to people pretty well for the past few weeks, I asked people about their hobbies and all that but no one ever reciprocates the feeling. I got their instas and when I view their stories they’re always hanging out with their “best friends” from where they live. Whenever I see people with high insta followers, it makes me sad cause I only have 20 followers and none of them are my friends, they’re just random people. I’m genuinely so friendless and I rarely leave the house. I only have my family to talk to. I want my own person

I progressed onto a BSc course this year through a foundational course last academic year, and my old teacher urged me to get an ISP. I’ve used a ridiculous amount of extensions in the past due to my mental health and I know it makes me look lazy. I have anxiety and panic attacks and it does affect my attendance at times because I will cry all day or get overwhelmed by every noise. I have had a panic attack every time I’ve had to do a presentation and it really does not matter how many people I present to or how many hours and days I have put into rehearsing and practicing. If my brain isn’t already panicking, my body will panic itself and my brain goes blank and my throat goes tight and I can’t utter a single word. Often times I cannot breathe or calm down despite using breathing and grounding techniques. These panic attacks leave me mentally and physically exhausted for days after.

I’m also grieving right now and seeing a councellor that works with my university. Things are just getting harder, not easier and I think I really need the support. I’m finally looking into getting an ISP. For those of you who have the plan in place, what adjustments can they make for your coursework, presentations and exams and how has it helped?

Thank you

I started uni on September 28. I’ve spent 360 pounds so far, but 126 of that has been on one-time purchases. Is 234 pounds in 20 days sustainable, how does it compare to you

Im currently in year 12 studying a T-level in digital design and development. I’d really like to study at uni because I’d like to learn beyond level 3 about computing. However my parents have made it explicitly clear that they would not support me financially if I decided to take on a student loan to got to uni and that’s where the idea of degree apprenticeship comes in.

How can I make myself the best candidate possible for a computer science degree apprenticeship? I know that it’s quite hard to get and the number of positions advertised are even shrinking. So I want to know what I can do now to increase my chances of getting one. Do you know anyone who is currently doing a degree apprenticeship right now? What did they do before they got offered a position?

Hi, I’m curious if anyone knows what chance I’d have applying to Oxford or Imperial with a Upper-Class 2:1 in CS+AI from a Russell Group uni, with 18 months experience as an AI Engineer at a top investment bank.

Most of the MSc courses require a 1st or state most successful applicants have a 1st but I had a close family bereavement which meant I did awfully in my 1+2nd year at uni (avg 2:2 but brought avg up to 2:1 (68%) in 3rd year).

I’m really passionate about AI/ML and want to work more in the sector hence persuing MSc… anyone have any thoughts ?

hey guys :)
i’m currently predicted BBB (also taking an EPQ too) and wondering which university in England to go to for a Finance & Management degree?

I’ve looked in person at Winchester & Exeter which I’ve liked, but seen Winchester isn’t known for Finance & Exeter is AAB entry requirements….

is East Anglia a good shout? Or Loughborough? Or Nottingham? Where would u recommend? My dream would have been Bath but obviously the grades weren’t as I expected ahh

I currently live on the south coast of England 🙃

sorry it’s kinda late I’ve been prioritising degree apprenticeships x

A friend recently completed an MSc at Imperial College London and is seeking clarification about an issue concerning their examination results.
When the results were initially released, the student portal displayed a particular mark for the research project. The university later communicated a lower mark, explaining that the difference resulted from an administrative error.
The original mark remains visible on the student portal and has not been updated, while the university has communicated a different result. This has created uncertainty about which mark is considered official and how the discrepancy should be resolved.
Because examination results can affect academic progression, postgraduate applications and future employment, it would be helpful to understand how such situations are normally handled and what information students are entitled to receive when a published result is subsequently revised.
My friend has retained records of the result shown on the portal and intends to raise the matter through the formal academic appeals process.
I would be interested to hear from current students, graduates or others familiar with Imperial’s procedures:
Has the university ever revised or disputed a mark that was initially displayed on your student portal? Were you provided with an explanation of the change and a breakdown of how the revised mark was calculated? Has anyone challenged an administrative issue involving examination results through the academic appeals process? What was the outcome?

I’m a gap year student I live in rural South west England . Love electronic music. I have the grades to be accepted in both unis. Nightlife is quite a big importance for me. I’ve been to Cardiff to see my mate at uni and it’s great, we went out and I met all his uni friends. Nightlife isn’t that varied and not many big names but it’s a really cool city and lovely uni. Cardiff also seemed to have much better transport than Liverpool. I’ve been to Liverpool just for the open day and equally loved it, I like the fact that there’s more clubs in Liverpool who often have big headliners, it’s also quite close to Manchester for warehouse project. I’m slightly introverted but really into meeting new people. I’m very unsure which uni I should pick. Liverpool is also like a 5 hour trip compared to Cardiff at 3hrs from home.

Has anyone spent much time in both cities as a student with similar interests, can you share some advice please 🙏

I would really appreciate some insight from my fellow university-going redditors.

I appreciate my degree programme. I love my professors and their wisdom. I like going to classes. I used to be the kind of university student who would cherish going to the library and answering all the questions I had about whatever burning question I had. I used to enjoy skimming through paperback books and reading online journal articles, understanding the different approaches and opinions and research being uncovered about whatever it was that I needed to read up about. Don't get me wrong, I was not by any means a book worm with my life completely revolving being in the library until it closed, I found (and still find) ample time for my social life too.

But something has changed over this past Summer and I'm not sure what. I've begun my last year, and arguably the most critical time period where I have my dissertation period looming.... and the idea of touching/looking at/reading a book/paper with words repulses me. The thought of skimming through another online (or printed) journal article repulses me. The thought of going anywhere near the library makes my gut churn. No, nothing traumatic happened over the summer. I did not get bad grades or fail a module or exam. Nothing happened on campus to put me off from studying (maybe my university's dull, dreary and boring buildings but thats another discussion for another day). It's just as if my brain has decided "nope, no more reading. No more books. No more words." And for extra clarification, no, I have not become repulsed or bored by my degree programme either -- I enjoy the degree subject. I still want to go to lectures and seminars and workshops and engage in discussions. But the thought of reading and researching and picking up a book and making notes on my computer or on a notepad has become astonishingly repulsive to me now. And it is bothering me to no ends because I really care about my academic performance and time at university (not because I have pressure to perform well from home or anything).

And no it doesn't feel like burn out either (unless this is some sub-variant of it). I've had 3 experiences of burn out that lasted a month each, from which I recovered and know what the warning signs are to look out for. This experience feels very peculiar, very different to burnout. A league of its own. And I haven't been doing anything to mentally burn myself out in any way, the term has only just begun!

So now I feel absolutely stumped. I have absolutely no idea what's happened? Has anyone experienced this before? How did you get back into the rhythm of things again? What did you do? Really need a second perspective on this.

Tl;dr -- The idea of picking up a book and reading for research has become repulsive and annoying to me and I want to fix this mental slump.

Hi everyone,

I'm a first year and haven't made any friends. I haven't been able to go to many societies - mainly because my uni didn't have many that interested me. I did join one, and although it was quite boring, I thought I would go again the following week because there were some nice people who I thought I could build friendships with. However, the next week I went, only like 2 people showed up. Some other societies I joined have no regular meetups and are just like a big group chat.

I'm going to try and push myself a bit more, but I was wondering if it would be too late to join a new society? I think they kicked off about 2 weeks ago. My main goal is to meet people, so I'll probably be a bit less selective with which societies I join. Is it quite normal for people to drop in and out of societies? I would assume you can't do that with competitive sports etc which require trying out, but I'm not interested in anything like that.

Also, there are some events at my uni like bingo, quizzes, pub nights etc. which I would like to go to, but I also feel really awkward to go alone, and I feel like its sort of expected that you go with someone else, even though my intention is to meet people there.

If you have any advice about how to approach this please let me know.

I'm trying to choose which Uni to go to and I'm not great at narrowing it down. I want to study something to do with art, history, English (lit over lang), philosophy or psychology. The unis I'm looking at are: University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, Durham University, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, Newcastle University, University of Oxford, Queen's University Belfast, and University of York. I have no clue which one to choose and would love to hear about what the community is like at some of these unis or what the courses are like from students. I also don't know weather or not it is worth trying for Oxbridge because of how competitive it is to get into. If you have any stories about any of these unis or any other unis that would be good for my subjects it would be much appreciated! I would prefer to go to a Russel group Uni but I am open minded to other places.