A Not So Typical Week in College

Hey Everyone, 

As a first year I felt I should tell you all about some of the events of my life in college. The previous week was Week 9. With assignment topics being distributed faster than you can say 'lectures,' I felt obliged to get stuck into writing and preparing. I finished a couple of assignments and submitted another, so hopefully I can keep up the pace!

As life in college is more balanced I did some extra-curricular activities. On Tuesday evening, Cliona, Orla and I went to see Spectre in the cinema. We all thoroughly enjoyed the film, especially seeing Andrew Scott (aka Moriarty in Sherlock) featuring in a prominent role too. 

On Wednesday, the Mary I art society held a colour run around campus. I'd never participated in a colour run previous to this. Yet it's long been a feature of my Bucket List. (Maybe one day I'll publish it here) The colour run was fantastic and for cancer research, another bonus. We all went back to our accommodation covered in powder, much to the amusement of our friends. 

On Thursday, Cliona and I decided to attend a musical at the Lime Tree Theatre which is on-campus. The play in question was 'The Unlucky Cabin Boy' which was utterly phenomenal! We'll definitely be watching more plays and musicals in the future, such as the Addams Family. It was a superb experience. 

The previous week was incredibly busy. I was run off my feet between lectures, tutorials, assignments and extra-curriculars. It's a nice change. Since starting in Mary I, I've felt truly alive and, to paraphrase Socrates, living an examined life. Being in full control of my life is simply wonderful, a concept which is not imaginable to the Leaving Cert student I was.

Life has changed irrevocably in the past few months. I've never been happier to witness change as I have been now. I met up with one of my secondary school friends, Maeve. We're in colleges in 2 different parts of the country so it was great to meet up for a cupcake and a chat in town on Saturday. Speaking to her made me realise how our lives have all changed since we sat down to sit exams last June. 

We're now all college students, on the courses we craved and dreamed of for years. I am the sibling of a University graduate and subsequent Emigrant. (More about the Sibling in my next post) Times have changed so suddenly and drastically. I, a creature of habit, was initially hesitant of these changes. Now I embrace them. I said in a previous post, I closed one chapter of my life in order to open and start another. My God, I adore this chapter and it's development. 

Stay Strong, Happy & Fearless!
Aveen xx 

Another week of adventures!

So this week has been very random if I say so! I'll tell you all about it sure!

On another note, I just saw that I have over 1000 views on my blog! This is just incredible! Thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate it. 

On Wednesday the Guidance Counsellors (they give you guidance about various things, like your career or if you're having problems) organised a trip to Trinity College and UCD for the whole of Transition Year. We visited Trinity first. We were brought into a lecture hall and watched a presentation about the various difference options should we decide to go to Trinity after the Leaving Cert. 

One of the PhD students then gave us a tour of the campus, being honest, it's actually kind of smaller than I expected! They aren't very big into their sports, just academics, as we could tell by their pitches. Their courses look excellent, but I just didn't like Trinity! It's just not my place to be. I have a theory on why I didn't like the college, (one in particular cannot be discussed on my blog in case some TCD students happen to read it, if you're from TCD, HELLO!) 

Afterwards we travelled to UCD. I know a few people who go there, my cousin and some of my brothers friends who are also my friends. As we were all simply starving, we first had lunch in the UCD canteen. They had a great selection and it caters to a diverse range of people and tastes. 

Everyone from my school took over a corner and all stuck together, the place was packed! After an hour of lunch, we were all rejuvenated and set out to a lecture hall to be shown a presentation on UCD.

We all filed in and I, being a Twitter addict, instantly connected to the UCD wi-fi, (I got a great connection if I do say so myself!) and sent a text to my friend Jess, who's studying Law in UCD. 

''OH MY GOD JESSIE I'M IN A LECTURE HALL IN UCD, are you around today?'' 

The presentation was great, they even handed out iPad's so we could all like the ''MyUCD'' page! It was really good for interaction and interest. They have such a great range of courses. The Student Union Ambassador's were so funny and kind too. One was even from the county  as us! 

Afterwards we were brought in groups of around ten to view the campus and have a nice look around. Out tour guide even attended our secondary school! It's such a small world. I loved the tour, Ciara was really funny and told it how it is. Sadly I won't post any of her comments, some may be offended! 

The trip lasted an hour and was a long walk. We visited nearly every building on campus and learnt about what happens in them. Some of the lecture halls were HUGE, like ''Oh my god if I fell from the top row and landed on the bottom would I still be alive?'' huge. 

Ciara the tour guide left us outside one the buildings with the rest of our school. We were chatting away about UCD and courses and someone comes up behind me ''Hey Aveen!'' I turned around and it was Jessie!! I squealed and hugged her, it's been ages since I've chatted to her. 

Turns out she was on the way to a law lecture at 3.30, it was 3.25 at this stage, so we said our goodbye'. Everyone in TY was like ''Ehh, how do you know someone in UCD?!'' Some obviously considered me a very shallow person to have friends in college, but as I explained she was in my brothers year in school and we played badminton together. That shut most of them up! 

On Friday, 25 of us went to Croke Park! (If you don't know what Croker is, then you clearly aren't Irish) for a ''Leaders on our Level'' event organised by Terenure College. 

It was actually quite good! Lots of people who had achieved something in their life, eg. successful business/ career or job. They came in to talk to us and give us advice and guidance for our future careers. They included: 
Bobby Kerr
Enda McNulty
Microsoft
Fr Peter McVerry
Anne Boden
Mark Pollock
Google them seriously, they are all such inspirational people. It was a truly great experience to hear them speaking about their past and present day. 

A 7 seater bike in UCD!

Croke Park <3

Rhea and I meeting The Gooch! 

Nadine meeting The Gooch

One side of the pitch

The other side of Croke Park (couldn't walk on it, it was being watered)

Thought I'd include this, this was taken at my Aunty's 60th birthday party last Sunday. The chocolate ones were simply delicious. 

This is from Home Ec, we calculated how many sugar cubes were in a bottle of Lucozade. 

My friend Maeve with the sugar cubes in a bottle of Strawberry milk. We kept saying ''Want a sugar cube?'' like Finnick Odair from The Hunger Games.

Here's my friend Maeve, check out her amazing blog at http://maevesfashion.blogspot.ie/ I took this photo in the UCD lecture hall. (If you look in the background you can see a Project Smilier hoodie!) Comment if you find it! 

Wow, that really was an interesting week, I hope you're not all exhausted reading it! Talk soon! 

Stay strong, fearless and happy, 

Aveen 

xxx