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!

Abroad in the Time of Corona

Kelly Knickerbocker

In more ways than one, this semester was not anything like I had expected. Going into my semester abroad in Dublin, my biggest concerns consisted of figuring out public transportation, finding my way around a city I had never been to before, and navigating an entirely new school system. The potential of there being a global pandemic was certainly the last thing on my mind. 

The middle of March is a blur to me. I was sitting in a pub on Camden Street on March 11th when the news hit that President Trump was banning travel of foreign nationals to the United States. Two days later, my study abroad program announced that they were shutting down all of their European study groups. Not two days after that, on March 15th, I was sitting in the Dublin airport with all of my belongings and a plane ticket that cost most of my savings (prices of tickets sky-rocketed after the travel ban was announced). The whole experience was completely surreal, as it only took four days for my time abroad to become completely unravelled. 

Since then, I have been social distancing in my home in New York, attempting to make sense of my remaining month or so of online classes (just as all of my fellow Trinity students have been doing). I have never taken an online class, and have only been taught in a classroom setting, so as you might imagine this has been a time of major change and growth for me. 

One resource that has been a saving grace to me, however, is my history tutor. Despite there being an ocean between us, she has been an incredible help to me and has been unwavering in her support. As she is a PhD candidate herself and has other students to tutor, her timely responses to my questions and genuine interest in how I’m holding up have not gone unnoticed, especially in a time when she has a lot on her plate, as well. 

It is these relationships that, when I reflect back upon my time abroad, I will be forever grateful for. Even though my time in Dublin was cut in half, I will never forget the people that had a positive impact on my experience at Trinity, whether it was on the physical campus or from thousands of miles away.

Music is the perfect type of art. – Oscar Wilde

By Ava Kristy, UC Santa Cruz student studying at Trinity College Dublin

I think one of the things people most readily associate with Irish culture are its pubs. When I told family and friends that I had decided to study at Trinity, I got a lot of pub recommendations and a couple warnings about not drinking too much. While I would say that drinking is a big part of college culture in any country, Ireland does it in a really unique way. The live music in almost every bar I’ve been to has been one of my favorite things about going out in Dublin.

Experiencing Art in Europe

By Ava Kristy, UC Santa Cruz student studying at Trinity College Dublin

When I left for Trinity in the Fall, I wasn’t really sure what I would occupy my time with. Obviously there were classes, but these took up even less of my time than they did at my home university in California. I knew I should also spend time studying for classes, but honestly how much of that could I be expected to do on exchange in a continent I had seen so little of. Like many other exchange students, I decided the best way to spend my time abroad would be to travel. I decided I would see as much as I could and soak in the culture wherever I went, which is to say I booked plenty of trips with very little in the way of a plan as to what I would do when I got there. No one has ever accused me of being the most organized person. Despite this lack of planning, I knew generally, what I wanted to see: art.

Incredible Hong Kong

By Daryl Egan, Hilary Term Business School Exchange to the Chinese University of Hong Kong

My name is Daryl Egan and I am a 3^rd year Trinity College Dublin Student studying BESS.  I am a little over a month into my Hilary Term Business School Exchange to the Chinese University of Hong Kong and it’s safe to say that the time has absolutely flown by! Hong Kong is a truly incredible place and is nowhere like I’ve ever been before. There is the unconventional cocktail of steel skyscrapers, consumerism and an urban feel only comparable to great cities of the world such as New York mixed with the stunning natural beauty of the forests and beaches. The chaos of the neon lit streets and vibrancy of the markets in Mon Kok is a complete juxtaposition to the tranquillity and calm one experiences hiking through the forests or camping on a secluded beach. It is this variety that Hong Kong offers which appeals to me most.