Epiphany term in BeReals

Mia Ainsley

Ahead of starting my final term of second year, I thought it would be nice to round off Epiphany by sharing some Be Real content of what I got up to in Durham over the last ten weeks. Whether you are a current or prospective student, hopefully, this blog can give you a realistic view of what studying and spending a term in Durham could look like.

Summative season

If you are a student at Durham then you may have heard Epiphany term being referred to as ‘summative season’, which signifies the fact that a lot of us must complete summative essays and coursework during this period. Summative work is classed as anything which counts towards your final degree. Therefore, it is only right that my first selection of Be Reals consist of study content (I could not use study photos without also including a coffee, to me the two are mutually exclusive).

Something for everyone

One of my favourite things about Durham is the fact that there is truly something for everyone! I love spending time with my friends, and these are just some of the things we got up to last term. Halfway formal is an occasion celebrated at many of Durham’s colleges with a formal dinner, it celebrates second year students being halfway through their degree. If you prefer something more relaxed, I recommend Durham’s amazing cafes and tearooms, a personal favourite of mine, Chapters, is shown in the second picture.

Student employment & volunteering

At the heart of my Durham experience is the volunteering, outreach, and ambassador work that I have been fortunate enough to participate in and organise. My time at Durham and the person I am today would not be the same without it. This term I worked on Open days, residentials, and campus visits as part of my ambassador work. I also led a Spanish outreach event which is shown in my BeReal. I believe that it is crucial to engage in your hobbies and passions outside of your degree course whilst at university and this wider student experience is definitely encouraged at Durham.

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Mia Ainsley


Hi! I am Mia, a third year Modern Languages and Cultures (MLAC) student at Durham University. From the north east & a very proud member of Josephine Butler College. When I am not studying for my degree, you can probably find me taking part in some of Durham's societies. I am one of the project coordinators for MLAC Outreach society, a member of the 93% club and hoping to join yoga soon too!


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