Global Room Student Ambassador Perspective…

By Kelly Konya

Hey everyone! My name is Kelly and I just started working as a Global Room Student Ambassador this very Monday morning. Already today, I have assisted a tour of campus with Byrne Hacking, where we met students from the University of Macau (who all loved Trinity!), and I’ve helped with the set-up of a lunch reception for a graduation ceremony. My first day on the job has already rejuvenated my love for this university and my on-going excitement to be doing research here. I am currently an M.Phil in Irish Writing student but will finish up this August and jump right into my Ph.D with hopes that the momentum will allow me to write my first book!

My Time in Trinity College Dublin by Tushti Singla

By Tushti Singla

“Moving to Trinity College from India feels as if I were pulled out of my cocoon, only to be given wings to fly through the immense sky.”

It is one thing when you hear that Trinity College Dublin is amongst the world’s top 100 universities; it’s another when you actually experience it and realize how true that is! With state-of-the-art facilities and distinguished faculty, Trinity provides an unparalleled learning ground to kick-start your engineering career. I believe, the pleasantly challenging project work with befitting technology has prepared me to work on real-world applications in the industry.

Top Live Music Venues in Dublin

Interested in exploring Dublin’s music scene during your stay? Byrne, one of our Student Ambassadors, offers his thoughts on where to go to get your fill of live music this summer.

“In my experience, live music is truly a cornerstone of Irish culture. Musicians, back in the time of Brehon Law, were held in the third highest regard in Irish society, next only to the Poets and the King (Rí). During the Protestant Ascendancy, Irish music was taken from the courts, and into the home. This resulted in the music mentality that has permeated Irish culture to this day. It has manifested in the form of Trad (traditional) sessions – gathering, sharing, and appreciation of live music – a long time custom in the typical country Irish home for the past centuries. Nowadays, live music is still just as prolific about the city, with venues ranging from huge stadiums, to small traditional pubs.

The Big Ones:

1. Three Arena

The Three Arena is the go to large venue for touring artists. Dublin is typically a must stop location for all the biggest touring acts. We recommend checking ticketmaster.ie to see if your favourite superstar is making a pit stop in Dublin – they probably are!

The Three Arena is super accessible – at the end of the Red Luas Line in the docks, east of the city. It can be absolutely packed, as the amphitheatre holds up to 15’000 people.

2. Croke Park

Croke Park is the giant. It is usually a year round GAA (Gaelic Athletics Association) stadium, hosting the Hurling and Gaelic Football inter-county competitions. But from time to time, the 82’300 capacity stadium is transformed into a mega amphitheatre. Music giants like U2, Take That, and Red Hot Chili Peppers have filled out the stadium, inducing an electric atmosphere. Again, look out for touring artists on ticketmaster.ie.

The Mediums:

3. The Academy

The Academy is the smaller sister of the Three Arena. It sees smaller touring acts, including many DJs and general Dance Acts and club nights. It is located on Abbey Street, just before Jervis Shopping Centre.

4. Vicar Street

Vicar Street is a multi-functioning venue, hosting a plethora of comedy, dance and music acts. It is a very personal-feeling venue, with good audience-performer engagement. Vicar Street can be found just past Christchurch, on Thomas Street.

5. Olympia Theatre

The Olympia is a charming old theatre, built in 1879. It is full of character, able to maintain an intimate atmosphere, whilst also able to hold a large enough audience. Medium size touring Artists often do gigs in the Olympia. It is located on Dame Street – straight out of the Front Gate exit from Trinity.

Irish Music:

6. Whelan’s

Whelan’s is the quintessential “gig” location. There is live music here almost every night. The performers range greatly between international touring acts, Irish popular and alternative acts, and Irish traditional acts. Whelan’s has a lively ambiance, offering a unique live music experience. Artists as big as Ed Sheeran have played this small, iconic venue (with exceedingly high demand) just in order to experience the atmosphere themselves.

7. Foggy Dew

Foggy Dew is a more traditional Irish Pub and Music venue. Here, you will find Irish Pub culture, inextricably linked with the Irish Music tradition. A blend of Irish Trad and Alternative is played in session style every evening. The venue is open and spacious – good for sociable gatherings, with friendly bar staff, accompanied with live music.

Alternative Music:

8. The Workman’s Club

The Workman’s Club is, first and foremost, a bustling club night that Trinity students flock to on Wednesdays. Every other night of the week, the Workman’s serves as an intimate gig setting for up and coming alternative and rock acts. If you are particularly interested in obscure or new bands, keep an eye on who is playing the Workman’s circuit. There is a chance that you are witnessing the next big act to emerge from Ireland!

9. District 9

District 9 has a warehouse feeling, tucked away in a suburban/residential part of Christchurch. It is often home to alternative and electronic gigs, with Trinity’s own Ents Officer using it as a venue for Trinity nights out. These are typical “club and DJ” nights, great for dancing! To give a flavour, Bakermat played this venue in the college’s official end of year party.

10. Twisted Pepper

The Twisted Pepper is your go-to dance venue. It sees an array of EDM, drum-and-bass and alternative dance acts every weekend. It is a sure-fire locations for some heavy bass and dance beats. It has typical stage area upstairs that has hosted the likes of Flume and What So Not. In addition, it has a low-ceilinged basement where you can dance until the early hours. The Twisted Pepper is an experience worth trying – particularly for those with light feet.

Dublin offers a huge variation in mood and ambiance for live music. The city is very proud of its live music culture, and we encourage everyone to experience it for themselves!”

A multicultural lifestyle

Having roots in more than one country across the world is a privilege many of our student ambassadors enjoy, whether it’s because they have made Dublin their new home having lived overseas, or because their family combines a few different cultures. Here Sally gives her perspective on the benefits and challenges of a multicultural lifestyle:

I’m half Irish, half Sri Lankan, which is a pretty weird mix considering the two countries are across the world from each other. My parents met somewhere in the middle, in Iran. As well as this already-confusing mix, I grew up in 4 very different places: Iran, Australia, India and Ireland.

“4 Years Later”: A Trinity Graduate Looks Back

The last time I wrote a blog post I was looking back on my Erasmus in Paris; and now, all of a sudden, I’ve graduated and I have a whole degree to reflect on. For the past year I’ve been focused on a dissertation, academic essays and job applications. And, although this year has been busier and possibly more challenging than my previous three here, I’m still inclined to say that my final year was the best. Yes, at times it was quite stressful. And yes, my coffee addiction did increase until I couldn’t function without at least five Americanos per day, but in this final year everything came together and I gained a new clarity on why, four years later, I’m so happy that I came to Trinity.

Trinity is home to such a broad multi-national, multi-cultural community. It’s a melting pot of diverse ideas and opinions, creating a unique learning environment where you’re pushed to question and reconsider your own long-standing opinions. In discovering cultural differences between themselves and their classmates students also gain a deeper understanding of themselves, of who they are now and who they want to be. Coming to Trinity gives you the opportunity to meet people from every corner of the world and build friendships that extend beyond the small island of Ireland (where, let’s be honest, everyone knows everyone!)

This university has a strong academic reputation for a reason. It takes high grades to secure a place here and that standard is maintained throughout your degree. At first it can be tough. A relatively high-achieving high school student can arrive at Trinity and discover that they’re one of many, that by Trinity standards they’re ‘beautifully average’. However, this type of learning environment really does encourage you to do your best. Students from different academic backgrounds and majors bring additional knowledge and insight to a lecture that might not necessarily have been covered.

However, what really makes Trinity stand out is its focus on the student as an individual, and not just their academic ability. You’re actively encouraged to join the many different student societies and sports clubs, to get involved with the Students’ Union (the oldest Students’ Union in Ireland) and to volunteer with the numerous charities. Additionally, the campus is located in the heart of Dublin city. Instead of a self-contained university town Trinity is connected and involved with the local community. The university hosts multiple events each year, such as last week’s Dublin Maker and the upcoming Discover Research Dublin, giving students the opportunity to get involved in new projects.

Ironically, Trinity wasn’t on my original list of choices. Despite the status of the university it wasn’t until I came to visit it that I could appreciate what a great opportunity it would be to study here. What was a last minute change-of-heart, rushing to re-write my applications and beat the deadline, turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Aoife was a Student Ambassador in the Trinity Global Room and now works for Global Relations