The term ‘Middle Common Room’ is used to describe both the body of postgraduate students at St Chad’s, and their physical common rooms – spaces open to all members and located centrally in Durham, in the Main College building at 18 North Bailey. Always open to students who live in private as well as college accommodation, the rooms are used for all imaginable pursuits, whether it be meeting with fellow students, having lunch, topping up caffeine levels, studying, escaping from studying, or enjoying a board game in the evening. In the main common room, three comfy sofas are the perfect spot for watching television with friends or reading, whilst the large table is often a hub for people eating or working. Just along the corridor, our second room is a quiet space to work during the day, with dedicated desk space for postgraduates only, and during the evening is an overflow area for social activities.

The rooms are also used for MCR events regularly, which you can read more about under postgraduate social life.

Supplies of tea, coffee, and biscuits (within reason) are provided in the kitchen area, and the MCR boasts a reasonable collection of board games, films, and light reading material for members’ enjoyment.

The Domestic Committee of the MCR oversee the upkeep of the rooms (together with very welcome help from the cleaning staff) and make sure that the biscuit jar is full. Feel free to contact them with any suggestions you might have on stchadsmcr.domestic@dur.ac.uk. Better still, you can get involved with the committee and help decide anything from which biscuits to buy next, to how to furnish a study space.