University College Dublin - Irland II

There are plenty of student societies you can join; from Harry Potter Society to Food Society, there sure is something for you. I joined the Harry Potter Society, the International Society, and the Tennis Society.

Exchange semester in Dublin – Maxim Schrader

 

College: University College Dublin (UCD)

Department: Sport Management

Period: September – December / 2019

Place of residence in Dublin: Phibsborough

One month has passed since I left Dublin. This gave me plenty of time to reflect on my four months stay in Ireland. Overall, I am very glad I was able to join the Erasmus Programme, both personally and academically. Going on exchange is a privilege and an opportunity to explore a different culture, a different institutional approach towards knowledge, and your own personality. Leaving your home country, or at least a place you have stayed for a long time and can call home, implies to leave your comfort zone and to venture into a new route.

Housing

Finding affordable and geographically convenient housing in Dublin is quite a challenge. For many students, it is difficult to find an accommodation that does not fully blow your budget. Your expectations should not be too high, you might end up in an apartment in poor conditions. Watch out for scams and their unrealistically good deals! You should spend a decent amount of time in planning your place of residence in Dublin. There are some student apartments offered by UCD on campus, or privately owned student apartments in the city-centre. Both are very expensive, and you need to apply for one of the limited numbers of available places at an early stage. I would either look at daft.ie or in Facebook groups to find affordable and adequate accommodation.

However, it depends on whether you prefer living in the city centre (commuting rather long to UCD) or on campus. For some folks it might be more convenient to live on UCD campus, where most of the other international/exchange students live. I preferred living in the city centre, commuting to college approximately:

  • 50 minutes by bus
  • 30 minutes by bike

I enjoyed being so central and having cultural offerings within walking distance. However, I was quite lucky to have a friend in Dublin who offered me one of their flat’s rooms for a decent rent. All my flatmates were Irish and eager to show me around, this facilitated my stay.

Study Environment

 

The study environment at UCD was very versatile and inclusive. The sport management department took good care of us and supported us where necessary. Further, the quality of the courses was high and ambitious, and I was surprised by the commitment and passion of my fellow students to actively take part in class discussions. UCD is Ireland’s largest and probably most diverse university, uniting various nations and paths. The study-offer is huge and so is the campus. UCD campus has the size of a small village, making it quite hard to orient oneself in the beginning.

There are plenty of student societies you can join; from Harry Potter Society to Food Society, there sure is something for you. I joined the Harry Potter Society, the International Society, and the Tennis Society. However, many of the societies have overlapping evening sessions which is why I had to prioritize two societies. I played a lot of tennis and made it to the College Team. As so often with Irish weather, the rain thwarted many of our sessions. It rains a lot in Ireland! However, I adopted quite fast and got used to rough climate conditions. Like Norway, Irish people have a “there is no bad weather just the wrong clothes” mentality. The sport facilities on campus are amazing, affordable, and in a good shape:

  • large swimming hall (recommended)
  • football fields, rugby fields, hockey fields, Tennis/Badminton courts
  • gyms
  • gymnastic halls
  • Etc.
Dublin. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).
Dublin. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).

 

Social Life, Dublin City and Travelling

The Irish people I met were very attentive, considerate, and would say ‘Sorry’ for anything. However, understanding some of them was tricky, as their dialects differ and vary strongly :D

Dublin has a vibrant night life with a variety of cultural offerings and pubs. The city itself is not the most beautiful and flawless one, yet the city’s vibrancy has its own charm. It is a very international city, filled with expats and international students. I enjoyed those days walking around Dublin without having any concrete objective in mind but exploring the city.

As with any other places, the people you are surrounded by make up the experience. I met wonderful people, with whom I discovered Dublin by night and by day. My advice: Do not be afraid of the uncertainty and get your-self out of the comfort zone. You will meet wonderful people and have an amazing time. Those rainy nights, you would rather stay home and watch Netflix, go out grab a pint or visit one of the many cultural events in Dublin.

Pub. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).
Pub. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).

My favourite neighbourhood is probably the northern part of Dublin, where I lived (Phibsborough). It is not as posh and shiny as the southern part, but it has its own old-school uniqueness and contemporary buzz. The community spirit, great coffee houses or old-fashioned sport-pubs, had the edge.

In terms of travelling, Ireland has much to offer. I personally loved the north of the republic (Donegal) which had amazing landscapes and reminded me of Norway.

I also travelled to Northern Ireland, Belfast. Living in Ireland will make you deal with the country’s history such as the great famine, the relationship to Northern Ireland, Ireland as an emigration phenomenon, or the financial crisis. It does depend on your openness and curiosity, but staying in Ireland for more than just vacations, helped me to develop a more concise and comprehensive picture of why certain things run the way they run, and that the past is still imprinted in societal structures.

Deer. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).
Deer. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).
Landscape. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).
Landscape. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).

Summing up my experience in Dublin: Even though public transportation, weather conditions or the housing situation were not the most convenient, I am very thankful for having received this opportunity from Molde University. I have got to know wonderful new people, met old friends, and experienced a city from its heart.

Road trip Irland. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).
Road trip Irland. (Foto: Maxim Schrader 2019).

 

Publisert 8. feb. 2021 12:51 - Sist endret 8. feb. 2021 12:56