Daisy Mitchell talks to Issy, a current third year student at St John’s College, and her mum, Nicolie, a John’s alumna. In a unique investigation into the different experiences of John’s students across two generations, they were asked about their time and involvement in the college. Additionally, Nicolie speaks of finding her husband at university and her opinions on Issy’s admission into the college in 2021.
Nicolie, when were you at John’s? How did you come to study here?
I joined John’s in autumn 1995 (age 18) and graduated July 1998.
I applied to John’s because while I was applying to university, a school friend in the year above came back home to visit during her first term. She had just started Durham and was at St John’s and highly recommended it … so that’s how I came to apply (I knew nothing about the college system at Durham before that).
As I was applying to be a teacher, and study Education, I had an interview at all my university choices. John’s used to invite you to stay the night when you were interviewed and I tagged on an extra day with my school friend. Living in John’s for a few days, walking up the Bailey, seeing the river and the cathedral and eating meals in the then wood-panelled dining room, convinced me I wanted to put Durham as my first choice.
“I loved the friendly, small community of John’s”
Nicolie Chaffe
Tell me a bit about your experience in John’s and how you met your partner?
In my first year I shared a room and lived in the exclusive community that was 23 North Bailey. I felt privileged to be opposite the cathedral and loved the bells chiming every 15 minutes. We had to dash down the road to access the rest of John’s for meals. In those days, we all blue-tacked a piece of paper to our doors and a pencil, so if you visited and the person was not in, you could leave a note (the era just before mobile phones). I was involved in a John’s theatre group and performed in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in my first term, joined the John’s boat club and tried to learn to row, went to ballroom dancing lessons in the Elvet student union building (along with about 70% of John’s first year), helped run the John’s Christian Union, which used to meet in the Bailey room, and worked in the Friday night toastie bar, which was hosted by the CU.
I loved the friendly, small community of John’s. I lived in college for my first and third year, which was quite common at that time. In the second year, most people from John’s lived together in some flats the college owned in the Viaduct area. This had many advantages: we did not have to rent with private landlords, did not have to say who we wanted to flat share with until much later and the whole year group lived together. I’m still friends with John’s students I met over 25 years ago. I met one particularly lovely friend at John’s, who is now my husband! We got married the week after he graduated in 2000.
How do you feel now Issy, your daughter, is studying in St John’s College? And how did you feel when she first applied for John’s?
It’s wonderful that Issy is now at John’s. It was a place of many happy memories for me and it is fantastic to watch Issy be really happy there too. Issy applied to university when Covid restrictions were such that uni visits were not possible /straightforward. When she chose Durham university, I suggested St John’s College (everyone thinks their own college is the best!).
How does your experience of John’s differ from Issy’s?
The day we dropped Issy off at university, the Principal very kindly said we could explore the college, and we had an amazing hour walking all the corridors, visiting old bedrooms etc and seeing just how similar the geography of John’s was. We spotted some differences: big corner rooms in Cruddas had become shared, the old library had become the post room, the bar had grown to an upstairs room too, a new accommodation wing had been added (with en-suites!), a flashy new extension to the dining room and a gorgeous new library, where a house used to be, next to the chapel. John’s still has the same quirky character, with stairs everywhere, narrow corridors and happy people.
Issy got a warm welcome from Freps and they carried all her things to her room, which is just what I remember happening when I joined John’s all those years before. A few of the same kitchen staff were still there and I recognised a “bodge-it” (the maintenance people). The staff at John’s were always so friendly, from the cleaners who used to chat as they emptied your room bin, to the beadles (who were always in reception) and college tutors and officials, who you would see along corridors and at meal times.
“John’s still has the same quirky character, with stairs everywhere, narrow corridors and happy people”
Nicolie chaffe
Issy, what advice do you have to students in John’s or those thinking of applying?
If you are thinking of Durham, apply to John’s; it’s the best college! If you want to be part of a special, kind, happy community, John’s is a good choice. It’s a wonderful environment to be involved, be known and to belong. John’s has a gorgeous location, between the river and the cathedral on a cobbled street, near to the city centre and lectures. It may well be the prettiest place you ever live.
Issy, what impact did your parents’ experience at John’s have on your decision to apply?
Having grown up hearing all about Durham from my parents, I always knew I wanted to apply! I remember visiting Durham with my family when I was 10 years old and my parents’ love for the city and the university was infectious. They both stayed very close to all the friends they made during their time at Johns and over the years I have also got to know them as well as many of their children, whom I have remained close to growing up. So, when it came to applying to universities, Durham, and especially St John’s College, were at the top of my list!
How does your experience of John’s differ from your parents’?
Fundamentally, as my Mum has mentioned before, it is the people you meet and the friends you make that make your university experience so special and unique!
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