Why Easter term at Durham is the best: A love Letter to summer term

Summer term is the best term in Durham. This is simply not up for debate.

My qualifications? Someone who, tragically, missed it last year. Instead of day drinking in the sun like a normal person, I was off doing an internship that was, apparently, “great for my CV” (because growing up means making sensible decisions now, which feels a bit like a scam). Character-building? Sure. Worth it? Jury’s still out on that one.

The FOMO was brutal. Watching everyone else live their best lives while I was busy “gaining experience” really put things into perspective: No amount of professional development beats summer term in Durham.

Technically called Easter term, but let us not be pedantic, summer term is when Durham finally shows up as her best self: Good weather, a packed social calendar, and overall 10/10 vibes.

So, as someone who has studied it from afar, and suffered accordingly, and is thus an expert on the topic, here are the entirely objective and indisputable reasons why summer term at Durham is elite, and no, I won’t be taking counterarguments.

The (blessed) lack of university

Let’s start with the obvious: There is, quite literally, barely any uni.

Yes, exams exist. My sincerest thoughts and prayers to those of you doing STEM and Law (couldn’t be me, sincerely, an anthropology student). But once they’re over? You are free. Genuinely, spiritually, academically free.

Until results day, of course, but that’s a problem for future you.

For now, there are no summatives lurking around the corner, no deadlines quietly ruining your week, just unadulterated free time which you can spend doing exactly what you want 🙂

It’s also the only term where your parents might start questioning what exactly they’re paying for, because from the outside it does look like you’re just doing sports and going out. Which, if anything, is a sign you’re doing it right!

Your social calendar: Booked and busy

If Michaelmas is about settling in and Epiphany is about survival, summer term is about overcommitting.

Your calendar? Full.

Your bank account? Empty.

Your willingness to say no? Gone.

Between balls, college days, racecourse picnics, and spontaneous “one drink” plans that absolutely never, ever stay at one, there is always something going on. It’s also the perfect time to make up for all those nights you “couldn’t go out” because of deadlines – a concept that, conveniently, no longer applies.

The weather (finally)

After the long, grey suffering that is January and February where the sun disappears, summatives pile up, and everyone collectively loses the will, summer term feels like a reward.

Durham in the sun is genuinely a different place. People are outside, the river actually looks inviting, and suddenly everything feels lighter.

And when the weather is good, it would honestly be rude not to make the most of it…

Regatta season

Slightly biased take (yes, I row), but Durham Regatta is genuinely a 10/10 event. There’s a reason it’s called the “Henley of the North”.

It’s one of those weekends where the whole city feels alive, with students, families, and locals all coming together. Whether you’re racing, watching, or just there for the atmosphere, it’s peak Durham.

Most Read

I hate to say it, but Bonnie Blue’s filthy response to HSTikkyTokky has changed my opinion of her

Miss Universe shares statement as OnlyFans model boyfriend cheats with huge male pop star

I made OnlyFans content with HSTikkyTokky, this is how gross he and his comments truly are

Day drinking, obviously

This deserves its own section.

Racecourse afternoons. Sitting by the river. “Just one drink” turning into several. The kind of days that start casually and end with you wondering how it’s suddenly evening.

No explanation needed.

Taking time to breathe and explore the North East

Let’s be honest: Most Durham students know embarrassingly little about the place they’ve lived in for years.

Summer term is the perfect time to fix that. You suddenly have free time, decent weather, and no real excuses. Whether it’s beaches like Crimdon Dene, countryside walks, or just getting out of the Durham bubble for a bit.

It turns out, there is a lot more to the North East than campus and Klute 🙂

Make the most out of it

Not to sound overly sentimental, but there is something special about summer term. Something fleeting. It is one of the last times everything still feels as it always has: Your friends all in one place, the routines you have built, the familiarity of Durham wrapped around everyday life.

There is something almost suspended about it all. The people, the place, the rhythm of Durham life you have grown so used to suddenly feels brighter, softer, more precious because, somewhere beneath it all, you know it cannot last forever.

Because alongside the sunshine and celebrations, there is an undercurrent we all feel. Summer term is not just about formals, river walks, late evenings, and watching the sun rise over Observatory Hill. It is also about goodbyes. The kind that are gentle and half-hidden, full of laughter and warmth, but still ache if you sit with them for too long.

There is a quiet awareness that things are changing. Not in an overly dramatic way, but in that strange, subtle way you begin to realise that what once felt ordinary is becoming something to look back on.

For some, it will be the last time seeing certain friends for a long while, especially those who came from across the world and somehow became part of your everyday life. The people who felt so woven into your routine will suddenly become the people you promise to keep in touch with.

And yet, that is exactly what makes it all so meaningful.

Durham in the summer does not just mark an ending: It gives us a send-off. A golden, joy-filled, memory-soaked farewell. Whether you are stepping into life after graduation or simply heading home for the holidays before returning again, it offers a chance to really appreciate everything Durham has been.

So make the most of it. Stay a little longer. Do not rush off. Say yes to things. Heck, jump in the River Wear (at your own risk and if you’re a confident swimmer)!

But most of all, spend time with the people who made this place feel like home. Because one day, you will look back and realise just how much these moments mattered.

In the wise words of Winnie-the-Pooh: “How lucky are we to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard”. 

And maybe that’s what summer term really does best. It reminds us, quietly just how much this place has meant.

So I think it’s safe to say:

Thank you, Durham.

And thank you, summer term, for making us realise just how much we love you x

For more of the latest news, guides, gossip, and memes, follow The Durham Tab on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.