2020 at Trinity – a year to remember

Patrick O’Dwyer (Semester 2 2019-20 and Semester 1 2020-21 exchange student from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)

When I arrived into Dublin in early January, I…(like almost everyone else) had no idea of the year that was in store for us. No idea of the scale of the global pandemic that was looming just around the corner. However, in the few short months of face to face classes that I could attend on campus, I was able to make friendships that have lasted throughout my whole year in Ireland (and will continue into the future, I’m sure). These friendships were essential to managing the tougher times of the lockdown.

Trinity pre-pandemic was an amazing experience. I got the chance to collaborate with some classmates in a creative film-making class, perform weekly music pieces in front of peers in my recital course, attend a roaring-20’s themed film ball and even jet off to Germany during a long weekend for the Berlinale Film Festival, all before the first lockdown commenced!

However, after the pandemic had hit, my exchange experience felt honestly just as enjoyable as before. I truly believe that under the circumstances, I got the absolute most out of my year abroad! My logic was pretty much everywhere in the world was in the same boat in March, so my plan was to just try to live it up as much as I could within the recommended guidelines… and I feel like I definitely achieved that!
During Hillary Term one of my assignments was to collaborate with a group and create a short film. However, due to the restrictions enforced at that time, we had to work remotely in creating this film. It made
for a very challenging but rewarding experience.

One person would film the background / ‘B-roll’ shots, another would film the principal photography, a third person worked on editing whilst the fourth member composed the score! We were all really proud of the
finished product, and it proved that we could still have a thoroughly immersive and enjoyable university experience, even with the pandemic. I also found the transition from in-person to online learning really interesting and a welcome change given the blow of the lockdown. I had fun creating my own online workspace, and I must admit there are some perks to rolling straight out of bed and into a 9am lecture! After the term ended, we were well and truly in the middle of the lockdown, so I decided to tick off some bucket list hobbies I’ve been wanting to try for a while
now…the first one being brewing my own beer! It was so interesting to learn about the science of brewing, and given our limited resources we resorted to some pretty interesting methods of brewing…like using a kiddy pool to cool the ‘wort’ (unfermented beer). This hobby has turned into a passion for me, and I’ve since brewed 4 more batches, each better than the last (if I do say so myself)!

Another fun activity I took on during the summer break was working on a short film near Bray, Co Wicklow. At this point the restrictions were starting to ease slightly, so thankfully we were allowed to work together
from the pre-production phase right through to the final shot. I was the 3rd Assistant Director, which meant I was in charge of locking down the set, making sure no film equipment or “nonnarrative” items could be seen in the background of any shots, and making sure we were running to the schedule as smoothly as possible. The filming took place entirely at night, starting at 6pm and finishing at 4am… but the experience I gained was invaluable and I felt so proud that we were all able to come together and make a professional short film, whilst still making sure everyone was keeping safe distances and following all the guidelines. And this diligence paid off, as not a single cast or crew member tested positive throughout the entire 1 month production period.

After shooting wrapped, I had about two months left before I’d be commencing my second semester at Trinity (I did Hillary Term first because it aligned with my university calendar back in Australia). So, now that the travel restrictions were completely lifted, my girlfriend and I decided to take a road trip around Ireland and try to see as much of the natural beauty and landmarks that this beautiful country has to offer. We ended up clocking up 5000km and were on the road for 5 weeks! We traced the entire coast of the island of Ireland, from the tumultuous seas off of West Cork, to the winding roads of the Wild Atlantic Way, to the fantastical Narnia-inspired forest in Co. Down. It was by far the best road trip I have ever been, and honestly…if it hadn’t been for Covid, I think our eyes would’ve been set on Europe, rather than looking at all the amazing experiences that were on offer right at our doorstep!

What I wish I would have known about study abroad

By Leah Bode, third year Biochemistry, pre-med student from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN; Michaelmas term at Trinity College

It seems that whenever you see or do something new, people are always asking, “what do you wish you had known beforehand?” I usually try to take this question with a grain of salt because if I had known everything before having the experience, then the mystery and the joy of doing it would be taken away. However, when it comes to studying abroad in a foreign country, there’s a bit more at stake than just having a good time. Studying abroad doesn’t just mean abroad, it also means studying. And when it comes to academics, there are some things I wish I knew beforehand.

TCD’s Global Room team had lots of great resources on the topic – I would definitely take advantage of those. However, I didn’t get a students’ perspective on what it really means to go to school in another country’s educational system until it was my own. Out of my experience, I’ve come up with a few pieces of advice that I find notable, especially in regard to the differences between the American and Irish college systems.

Academic Registration is a bit stressful, but it will be okay

I came into Trinity with an idea of the exact modules I wanted to take here. My home university had an extensive list of all TCD classes that had been previously approved, and I had cross-checked all of these with the module enrolment page on Trinity’s website. However, when I got here, only one of those modules that I had meticulously picked out was still being offered. At Notre Dame, I take classes in a variety of disciplines every semester. This means that at TCD, I was signing up to take modules in 4 different courses. Which meant criss-crossing all over campus that first week to get hand-written signatures from Every. Single. Department. Coming from a school where scheduling is done online, in one sitting, with all the timetables posted in the same location, it felt a bit hectic. But in the end, it worked out okay for me. And it will for you, too. If you have any questions about the madness, don’t hesitate to ask the Global Room staff – they are super helpful and conveniently located right next to Academic Registry! Just be ready to get your steps in on Week 1!

You have to hold yourself accountable here

At Notre Dame, I usually have exams every 2-4 weeks. Between those exams, I have problem sets due weekly, usually a couple of papers per semester, and quizzes sprinkled throughout. I usually spend a minimum of 5 hours a day, more when I have papers or exams coming up, on homework and studying, something that is fairly typical in the United States. Here in Ireland, I feel accomplished if I’ve done 5 hours of work in a week. No one is checking up on me or giving me assignments, it’s all on me. My piece of advice is to create a system that works for you early on in the semester and challenge yourself to stick to it as much as possible – keeping up on reading and notes will be integral to succeeding.

Make the effort with your professors

Similar to #2 above, professors aren’t going to make themselves as obviously available as they do in the United States. In my experience here, the professor is usually the last one in the room and the first one to leave. They will have office hours posted, but you’ll be lucky if they’re always in their office during those times. BUT, don’t let this deter you from emailing them after class about scheduling a meeting, or tracking them down in the hallway as you leave. My experience has also taught me that professors are just as excited to answer your questions and talk about the subject they love as they are in other countries – you may just have to do a little bit more work on the front end to track them down.

Live and let go

Not everything is going to go perfectly while you’re abroad. You’ll miss flights. (check) You’ll arrive and find out that your favorite class is no longer being offered. (check) You’ll get sick. (check) You’ll fall behind on reading. (check check check) You get the point. While it’s important to stay on top of things and ensure a successful semester in the classroom, it’s also important to remember that the chance to study abroad is once in a lifetime. One bad grade is not going to tip the scales in the direction of a bad life over the incredible experience of living and studying abroad in a completely new place. So live it up while you can, and cut yourself some slack!

Irish Beginnings…

By Pippa Herden

Welcome one, welcome all!! We will be trekking around Dublin and other parts of Ireland through a short and hopefully sweet series of blogs about living, studying and travelling around this magical country.

My Travels whilst attending Trinity

How is it already two weeks into my second semester at Trinity?! Time is flying by way faster than I would like it to and a lot has happened since my last post! I think it would be best to pick up at my trip to Amsterdam. The Saturday after my first semester classes ended a friend and I took a flight from Dublin to Amsterdam to meet up with my roommate, Lydie, as well as her friends from home. Here we had a blast, like any reasonable twenty-year-old would. For me, the highlight of the trip was spending a sunny day weaving in and out of the side streets and small parks, that are dotted across the city, on our rental bikes. Thanks to a foodie in the group who was determined to try as much traditional Dutch food as possible, we were able to indulge in ‘chips in a cone,’ olliebollen, poffertjes, and more delicious bites to eat. With adequate fuel, we wandered around a few colorful markets and checked out a variety of thoughtfully constructed museums. Two particular museums that I enjoyed, due to their intense content that forces visitors to unwittingly leave their superfluous thoughts and anxieties behind, were the Anne Frank Museum and the Museum of Prostitution in the Red Light District.

Living in The Liberties: Life in the heart of the city

By Paavani Pegatraju

My first month here in this unbelievably welcoming country has been a whirlwind, rich with experiences and adventures. Right from getting used to the weather (I’m from India), to taking tours and sightseeing, to registering for my modules and trying to keep up with my coursework, and to having tea, tea, and more tea, it has been overwhelming! Much of the credit for this amazing experience goes to the area where I live. Like most visiting students here for one-term, I chose to stay at Binary Hub.