Lectures, TutorialsandOffice Hours

There arethree types of ways to learn from professors: lectures, tutorials and officehours. The best students are always well-prepared for all of them, and theyalso take time to do the revision after lectures and tutorials. You can alsomake a good use of office hours to solve problems, it is just like a personallecture.

Differentfrom that in Shandong University, the total time of lectures and tutorials perweek is around 13 hours (for me), which means there will be plenty of time toarrange on your own. It is important to mention that you have to push yourselfto be more reflective, hardworking and independent in Durham.

Examination

During therevision period all of us get very busy. But the best way to survive is to takesome time to relax yourself to make it efficient and easy.

Summer iscoming. It’s quite common to see students enjoying sunshine during their sparetimes in revision period.

My firstexamination in Durham was taken in Maiden Castle on 11 May. Definitely thisexamination room for more than 500 students is the largest one I have everseen! To perform well in exam, the best way is to make yourself well-prepared,and of course, early and sufficient enough.

Life

My firstyear in Durham is a wonderful experience. Life in Durham is peaceful but alsolively, made up of all kinds of activities in college, beautiful nature,British cultures. The contemplation and accumulation in these two years will neverbe found anywhere else.

--- 2012级国际化实验班李帆

Study

About the academic, in the first year, youtake 3 compulsory modules and choose 3 modules. The lectures are HUGE andnotes-taking is important. My advice is to spread the work load evenly andstart revising for exams early and they are not as hard as you imagine (butdefinitely not easy). Most modules are 100% exam assessment, so they aremake-it-or-break-it deal. For math-related modules, do NOT memorize theformulas 3 days before the exams. Many people are not familiar with the nameDurham, but it is indeed a good university with high academic standard.

CollegeSystem

One thing that makes Durham unique is thecollege system. You live and eat in college and each college organizesdifferent activities through the year. Of course you don’t need to go to allthese activities, but these are good opportunity to meet someone new.

You may have formed stereotypes aboutcertain things. But I found out the difference between humans, ethnic groupsand cultures are marginal and like everywhere else, you will meet someextremely nice people that are always there for you as well as some not-so-nicepeople that will make you stronger.

--- 2012级国际化实验班 孔欣雨