By Ronan Smith
My preparation for a yearlong sabbatical to Hong Kong was pretty normal, except for the fact that it only dawned on me when walking down the aisle of the plane that I was leaving home for the first time in my life and decided to travel to the other side of the planet!
By Isabella Gentleman, Visiting Student Blogger
Music majors often find it hard to identify study abroad programs which will help advance their musical studies. As I study Church Music, it was slightly easier than looking for a performance program, but I still needed to find a school with a music program that was comparable to the one at my home college. I decided to come to Dublin because I would be immersed in Western Church music tradition, close enough to the UK to explore and experience more choral and church programs, and could be immersed in Irish culture. I knew Trinity had a music program, but of course it was hard not knowing what modules I would be able to enrol in until arriving at Trinity.
By Sarada Symonds
Visiting Student Blogger, Northeastern University
![Sarada_Blog_1_Photo_1[1].JPG](https://tcdglobal.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sarada_blog_1_photo_11.jpg?w=474)
The Campanile of Trinity College is one of the most iconic landmarks on campus.
As a freshmen engineering student, I was told that it would be very difficult for me to spend a semester abroad, especially after I decided to pursue a double major in computer engineering and computer science. I’ll admit, after I saw all the courses I would be required to take to graduate, I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to go abroad and still graduate on time. Luckily, during the fall of my sophomore year, I had an amazing professor who told me all about his time doing internships and getting his degrees in Paris and Beijing, and it gave me the jolt I needed to start planning a semester abroad for myself. Here’s what I learned while I was preparing for my semester at Trinity:
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.
Roisin is one of our US students who is in her 2nd 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.
The World of Trinity 