By Thea Opperman.
Autumn leaves turning; thick knitwear and coats being brought out again; the fading, but still somewhat fresh tan from summer giving the illusion you are not as exhausted from freshers as you feel; limited assignments and work; the joys of making your new house (filled with mould) feel more like home. These are just a few of a myriad of reasons why the beginning of the year is so enjoyable, and why October is a happy month – I think.
Now, remember that feeling – that happiness – because by week 3 it all comes crashing down, and like a bolt of lightning, you are hit with the question of housing. “Where will I live? Who will I live with? How many of us will stay together? Are we really good enough friends yet? I’ve only known them for two weeks!! And what if my budget doesn’t stretch? How will I tell them I can’t afford what they can?…” and on, and on, and on. The anxiety of housing is an age-old problem, but something feels different in the air this year, something much more alarming.
Traditionally, one of the main problems facing freshers is the question of who they will live with, considering how quickly Durham’s housing drive gets going. We have all been there, sussing out your hallmates whilst they size you up too. During the coronavirus years, this problem could not have been felt more prominently, given how small fresher’s social circles were, and thus their ability to ‘find their people’, as the saying goes.
So when reaching second year, one would hope those problems might stay firmly put in the memories of ‘the good old days.’ But alas, just as soon as you have figured out how the malfunctioning shower works in your new house, you have to start thinking of third year housing, and the cycle restarts: “Which group will you fall into? How can you slim down from 6 people to 4? Would writing a dissertation with their mess be possible? Can I really live with them again?!” Once again you find yourself frantically running around Durham begging any estate agent to show you something half decent within budget, all the while trying even harder not to jeopardise friendships and feelings.
As mentioned above however, these issues are not particularly new, and, as most students can attest, come Christmas, the nightmares of housing are a thing of the past. But this year there is an added layer of complexity in the air: the excessive rise in the cost of living, paired with the overpopulation of such a small city as Durham, has led to an atmosphere of extreme stress and anxiety when it comes to finding student accommodation.
It has been reported that the day before Frampton & Roebuck estate agents released their housing, students were waiting in line from 2am. Now, where the fault lies for these cases is a potent question, and undoubtedly, the university’s responsibility for the extremities of the situation cannot be understated. Zara, a second-year student waiting to sign for her final year, told Wayzgoose that “having to queue through the hours of the night to sign a house, because of the university’s desire to oversubscribe for profit, was a hard pill to swallow at 2 o’clock in the morning.”
Sadly, Zara’s words ring true. In 2017, Durham released a document outlining their Building Strategy for the next ten years. They write “[we are] committed to delivering excellence across the board… Nevertheless, we can do better and to that end we have reviewed the size, shape, and mission of the University. We currently have 15,000 students in Durham City… [but] Following extensive work, [the] Council [of the university] has agreed to increase the student population at Durham University to 21,500 by 2027.”
Let’s take stock of these staggering figures for a moment: Durham has reached 20,268 students, according to their website. That is only 1000 students away from their predicted target for 2027. To have achieved an 81% increase of the 10-year goal in just 5 years is terrifying, even when considering the argument that this extreme spike has been compounded by coronavirus.
Zara went on to highlight that “it also puts students in an unfair position of risk and vulnerability” by having to queue in the middle of the night; but I would argue it does much more. By expanding Durham at such a rate that their 43% 10-year growth rate is achieved in half the time, the university makes students incredibly vulnerable to private landlord’s fluctuating rent prices. Looking at my own third year flat this year, costing us £140 per week, including bills. Next year, however? It has been raised to £195, not including bills. That’s a near 40% increase in just one year.
But what does this mean for the everyday student trying to find somewhere to live? Well, the university clearly has severe structural issues at hand, but the mental health factors and implications of this crisis are arguably far greater. One student told Wayzgoose that their friends, having formed a group of 5, were “forced to drop one person as the 4-man houses were all they could afford”, leading to obvious cases of loneliness, exclusivity, and seclusion. Furthermore, Max, a third year looking for Master’s accommodation, stated that “housing has taken up so much of my time that work and sports have had to take a back seat.”
Clearly, then, everyday life is being seriously affected here for many. But, as Emma, a second-year student, told us, her forced re-shift of their group last year has meant living with an add-on who “has been the best new housemate!” This crisis is undoubtedly a problem, but perhaps it may lead to more patience and kindness from one student to another. The reassurance of home security creates the space in which art, academics, personal growth, and creativity may flourish. Students now stripped of this sense of security are not only plunged into impending physical vulnerability, but also a mental ‘fight-or-flight’. All I can hope for by highlighting these issues is that those feeling them most profoundly might see that it is not their fault, and that they are not alone.
Sources: Durham University Strategy 2017-2027
(https://www.durham.ac.uk/media/durham-university/about-us/pdfs/DurhamUniversityStrategy2017-2027Summarydoc.pdf)