Studying Abroad in Singapore

By Mark Byrne, Business, Economics and Social Studies (BESS) student, studying abroad in Singapore Management University.

Studying in Singapore has already surpassed my expectations. The humidity and thunder storms have too. The city is beautiful and safe. The greenery that decorates the metropolitan area can’t be justified in any filtered Instagram post. The Singaporeans are so friendly. Although I have only been here for a short period of time I have been made feel at home from the outset.
I have spent the past month studying in Singapore Management University (SMU). The university itself was only founded in 2000 but it already excels in a number of areas such as Management and Finance. I am taking some fascinating modules such as ‘Analysis of Derivative Securities’ and ‘Mergers & Acquisitions’. These challenging classes are interactive and small in size. This has been an enjoyable experience and in stark contrast to some Trinity 1St year modules packed with 400+ people. My lecturers are primarily Asian and they have some interesting views on global markets and current events. It has been refreshing to analyse problems from a different perspective.
One of the main reasons I chose Singapore was because I wanted to travel. I have. So far I have been to the maddest city in the world, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam and a more relaxed city in Kuching, Malaysia. Both have been so enjoyable to experience their different cultures. I am also planning a trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia in the coming weeks. Flights are so cheap if you can get them at the right time and hostels are too. I am also staying on top of my studies.

In Ho Chi Minh

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European Explorations

By Kailee Madden

Before beginning my semester abroad at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, I took two weeks to travel around other areas of Europe. This whirlwind of a trip brought me from the city of Prague in the Czech Republic, through central Europe and Italy, and finally to Geneva, Switzerland.

Welcome to Singapore

By Cian Weldon (Biomedical engineer)

Singapore is known as The Garden City, and not for no reason. With an area less than a third of my home county of Meath, and with a population of nearly six million, one million more than Ireland, crowded was the least I expected of this South East Asian city-state. I was wrong. As a country boy in Dublin, I often found myself missing some greenery, but not here in Singapore. Every street is lined with trees, and parks are abundant throughout the city. Even the highly developed business district, where skyscrapers rarely drop below fifty stories, is lush with greenery. Traffic congestion and its resulting fumes aren’t an issue here either as heavy taxation leads the price of a VW Golf to be a whopping S$120,000 (€75,000)! Such is the result of an incumbent, but democratically elected, interventionalist government party.

Exploring Cork with DU Fencing Club

By Alvise Renier

 

Cork is the capital of the South West, the perfect place to enjoy life to the fullest, just 2.5 hours by train from Dublin! The city centre is built on an island, embraced by the River Lee and spanned by many bridges. Cork has numerous pedestrian walkways flanked by smart boutiques and vast department stores, but also theatres, museums and some of the best art galleries in Ireland. At every corner you can find an amazing panoramic view!

Travelling Through Ireland

By Tatiana Morand

Visiting Student Blogger

 

One of the best parts of being on exchange in a country I’d never visited before was the chance to explore all of it! Ireland is a beautiful country with a lot of history and atmosphere to absorb (and best of all, a lot of castles). Here are the spots I was lucky enough to visit over my time here, to provide you with a little bit of inspiration.

EXPERIENCING TRINITY AS AN AMERICAN – 5 Year’s Time: From 1st Visiting Trinity to My Graduation

Eli is one of our US students who is in her fourth year in Trinity.  Here she lets us know about her experience of moving to Ireland to study at Trinity. 

The first time I ever set foot in Trinity was November of 2012. It was Thanksgiving break of my senior year in high school and I convinced my family to fly half way around the world with me for what I knew would be a very important college visit.

The moment I walked through the front gate of college I was sold. There’s something magical about strolling in from the loud bustling street into the dark tunnel of front gate. Those big wooden doors transport you into another world, a bright imposing and enduring oasis. After over 400 years of change, so much remains remarkably the same at Trinity. The history really drew me in.

We got a tour from an American girl with an Irish accent who had just started her third year here and spent the hour singing its praises. Her stories and reassurances really made me confident that if she could do it so could I.

I met for coffee with a member of the Global Relations Office and a lecturer from the Political Science Department. They both made me feel important, like I was welcome and wanted at Trinity. That feeling, I’m happy to say, has never gone away. As I was leaving campus I wondered if walking down those cobblestone paths between the old stone buildings would feel just as magical if I was there every day. Five years later the magic still hasn’t worn off.

BITESIZE TOP 10 COURSES: ENGINEERING

Roisin is one of our US students who is in her 2^nd year in Trinity.  Here she lets us know about her experience of studying Engineering at Trinity, one of our Top 10 Courses. 

Your name: Roisin Donnelly

Your year of study: Second Year

Your programme of study / course: Engineering 

What made you decide to study your course at Trinity?

There are three reasons why Trinity was the obvious choice for me. Firstly, the prestige that the name “Trinity” carries is enough to impress future employers or doctorate admissions officers everywhere.  Secondly, Trinity offers a world-class education, which is immediately geared toward your major, from day one. Say goodbye to those pesky gen-ed courses that are mandatory in most U.S. schools. Lastly, attending Trinity meant that the opportunity to explore Europe was at my fingertips.

What, if anything, was the most challenging thing about moving to Ireland to study?

The hardest thing about moving to Ireland was saying goodbye to my hometown friends.

How did you overcome the challenge?

It helped a lot to think that it was time to for us to part ways anyway. Even if I stayed in the States for college, it was unlikely I was going to see my friends every day as we would all be going to separate schools regardless. Staying in touch is fairly easy though with social media and Skype.

What aspect / module of your course have you enjoyed studying the most so far and why?

So far, I have enjoyed Professional engineering module from term one the most.  The main goal of the class was to design some sort of product for Ireland 2075. It was fun to choose a prospective flaw with a county of Ireland (2075), and attempt to engineer a solution.

If you had one piece of advice to any other students about to start your course in Trinity what would it be?

Don’t be afraid to join lots of clubs and societies, and speak up in class. The earlier on you get involved, the easier it will be to make friends. Also I highly recommend doing the Smart-Start program, as getting to know people of similar backgrounds is extremely nice.

What is your favourite thing about Dublin?

There’s always something to do in Dublin. The city manages to be both quaint and vivacious all at once. It’s easy enough to find your way around but every day you’ll find yourself discovering a new hidden gem, whether it’s a free gallery you were unaware of, a quiet coffee house, or a venue with lovely live music all the time.

What three words would you use to describe Trinity to someone who’s never been here?

Enchanting, Respectable, Sophisticated.

If you would like to get to know Trinity College, consider coming along to one of our upcoming US events in New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.