FRESHERS WEEK EDITION

Rumour has it you can tell a lot about someone on whether they’re keen to go to the College Service of Thanksgiving at South Day. It’s a quiet affair – with gentle hymns, poetry, and holy readings from students and staff alike. On leaving, you get a breakfast sandwich and a glass of bubbly (though, I confess, part of my freshers’ fun was seeing how many times I could circle back to blag seconds). Sure, this kind of event seems inconsequential, especially considering its morning timeslot – and I am no early bird – but to me and others, it’s part of the unmistakable charm that makes Durham’s traditions so lovable, not least on South Day.

Well, what is South Day? It’s part of a university-wide bubble of annual festival-ish events where specific days are put aside for each college to enjoy a packed schedule of entertainment and socialising, from sunrise through sunset. Prime to soak up summer weather and the unbeatable feeling of exam freedom, ours usually falls in early June. Our college bar, The Nest, extends its hours to serve the favourites – as well as South Day-limited cocktails – all day long; and the Plaza, MUGA, and grass patches outside flats are populated with events, games, and attractions for all to partake in.

From around noon, the special stage just outside Reception begins its stacked itinerary of musical acts that serve as the day’s continuous playlist. All tastes are catered for – with setlists spanning genres from new-wave to neo-soul, alt-pop to acapella, all the classic pop/rock bangers (plus at least 3 seemingly obligatory covers of ‘Love Story’), and in 2024 even throwing in karaoke and musical theatre. Heavy on the acapella; my go-to has always been the simply stunning Northern Lights group. If you haven’t heard them live, you haven’t lived.

Each year brings something special; just like our biannual Ball, there’s hardly a feeling of having done everything before.

In 2023, as the day’s events closed, The Nest became a nightclub under the spell of South’s resident DJs Luke and Ned. 2024 brought the inaugural South Day Awards, with Southies nominating collegemates in questionable categories like ‘Klute veteran’ and ‘Biggest liability’. A rotation of fairground-style rides, inflatable attractions, and prop-based time wasters – like giant chess, crazy golf, and wet sponge throwing – between years keeps the day ticking nicely.

When I reminisce on my South Days, I think of my pride-and-joy photo album: those who know me will have already guessed it, my BeReals. Repping my complimentary t-shirts in each with a smattering of neon face-paint, and a South Day-themed cup/beverage in hand, I’m surrounded by friends from across the college – whose busy uni schedules mean these events are special, where we can all congregate to have great fun.

So no matter how you mix-and-match the things South Day has to offer, relish the knowledge that while every college has their esteemed day, no other quite has the secret ingredient: the inclusive, universally amiable, and thoroughly entertaining spirit of one South College. ∎