What does your lanyard say about you?

Having a lanyard around your neck is a way to define yourself.

When meeting someone for the first time it is vital to project the right image for yourself, but the helpful ribbon around your neck can be your best friend, or worst enemy. Choose wisely.

The Palatinalps

You want everyone to know that you are such a keen skier that you got to the Palatinalps stand at Fresher’s Fair before they ran out of freebies. You like to compare Durham’s nightlife to Folie Douce to prove you’ve been, and randomly mention Chourchevel in conversation in the hope that someone will invite you out there for some snowy fun. You’re so excited to hit Val Thorens in January that your Christmas list consists solely of pastel salopettes and mirrored sunglasses.

The Gap Yah

You got your lanyard from a bus company when you were touring Oz, shortly after you got your nose pierced, but before you ended up living off stale cereal bars and begging your mum on Skype to send you more money. Now you’re back in rainy England, tan fading, you cling to that lanyard like it’s the last remnant of sunny freedom. You probably have a dream catcher in your room and a lot of leather bracelets on your wrists/ankles/both, and you like talking about the time you spent the night on the beach gazing at the stars with a surfer called Jackson.

The chain

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You’d quite like everyone to think you’re a bit of an enigma, and your edgy half grunge, half classy, neckwear proves it. No one needs to know that you only use your key as jewellery because you get far too trashed on cheap wine and tequila on the regs and it seems to be the only way not to misplace it. You wouldn’t mind but the £30 replacement key fee has been eating into your drinking fund.

The Uni pride

When you got to Durham everything was so surreal, and the first piece of stash you got your happy little hands on, this branded key-holding necklace, made it real; you’d got to Durham. You’ve proudly worn this declaration of association since, using it to replace your old school tie to illustrate what everyone who sees you traipsing back and fourth to the Science Site knows- that you bloody go here!!!!

The college shame

You’ve lost your key so frequently that college have actually given you a lanyard to try to keep track of it. You also have a picture of your face on a key ring, as a handy guide to anyone who might find it milling around, as to whom to return it to. Bonus points if you have your room number on a key ring too, just in case Christian Union find you wandering the streets on a Wednesday night and have to return you to your abode.