As a fresher, I, similar to most current Trevelyanites, have never experienced the now retired tradition of livers-in swapping rooms every term. Changing rooms each term was abolished by the university in 2020 to reduce the mixing of students, making the COVID-19 pandemic protocols and measures easier to manage. Cost saving measures around cleaning were also a factor, especially as terms only last about ten weeks.

However, I have mixed feelings around this tradition. On one hand, I can’t imagine the pain of having to haul all your belongings around college three times a year, moving in is already an ordeal. Secondly, at least for me, I have formed quite a tight-knit friendship group with the others on my landing and I shudder with the thought of having to acquaint yourself with new neighbours every term. Although this would probably be a godsend if you absolutely can’t stand your neighbours, especially if they are the type that blast music to help them study or party into the early hours of the morning or leave a weird smell in the communal kitchen.

The room swap allows students to get to know people they wouldn’t usually mingle with or encounter

On the other hand, I am someone who values traditions and by removing them, it could be a slippery slope to other traditions being abandoned. Attending Durham University is a unique student experience due in large part to all the many weird and wonderful customs established by either the institution or former students wanting to leave a legacy. In a way, losing this ritual is a shame as I think it could further strengthen the community feeling that Trevelyan, as a small college, prides itself on. The room swap allows students to get to know people they wouldn’t usually mingle with or encounter. In addition, if all students swapped rooms termly, it is also a chance to liberate those sharing a room with someone who unfortunately is not going to be a lifelong best friend without having to go through the awkward room change request.

In conclusion, I believe there is no definitive answer. Personally, I couldn’t imagine how inconvenient it would be to move termly. Maybe in a hypothetical scenario, the best thing would be to operate it in a similar fashion to room sharing (sadly this tradition also seems to be on its way out), in that students could opt into a specific percentage of Trevelyan accommodation that has termly room swaps, meaning there is the best of both worlds, and the tradition lives on, just slightly modified.

Illustration: Annie Collier