Everything I wanted from a study abroad experience Past Review
By A student (Chemistry., Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/28/2016 to 12/16/2016 with
Trinity College - Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Studying abroad at Trinity was the best four months of my life. Ireland offers the perfect blend of a big city in Dublin with easy access to the Irish countryside and coast. I learned so much about Irish culture and about myself. I had never travelled outside of the United States prior to arriving in Dublin, so my semester abroad was an invaluable growing and learning experience.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academics at Trinity are much less rigorous in comparison to Wellesley. All of my classes were large lecture halls with 100-250 students. Most classes had additional required tutorials, where smaller groups met with a professor or graduate student for seminars and discussion. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I enrolled directly through Trinity College, so I was not part of a host program in Dublin. I found the college administration and the Trinity Global Room to be incredibly helpful in directing me to any resources I needed and answering my questions. In particular, I would recommend participating in the Semester Start Up program because it connects you directly with Trinity staff and faculty who are eager to help you transition and adjust throughout the semester. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in on-campus accommodation at Goldsmith Hall. The location of this hall is excellent, requiring just a 10 minute walk to get to any campus buildings. I never felt unsafe in the area around Goldsmith and Campus Police does an outstanding job monitoring guests on campus and ensuring the safety of residents. The Goldsmith rooms are about what would be expected for any dorm room, but were comfortable and sufficient for the semester. |
| * Food: |
Trinity does not offer a meal plan for students, so I primarily cooked for myself all semester. There are plenty of grocery stores nearby with inexpensive food options. I would recommend purchasing the kitchen starter pack from Trinity if you are staying on campus because the apartments do not come with dishes/silverware/cookware/etc. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Trinity's location in the middle of the city centre made it easy to jump right into Irish culture. Almost everything I wanted to do or see was a walking distance from my room on campus. I would strongly recommend the Semester Start Up program for anyone enrolling at Trinity for the cultural and social benefits it offers. The program connects you with other international students and helps you transition to Trinity and the European educational system. Additionally, the program features field trips and lectures that teach you about Irish culture, history, and traditions. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any healthcare needs while in Ireland, so I cannot personally speak to this with any detail. There were no prevalent health issues in Ireland that I had to prepare for prior to my arrival. |
| * Safety: |
Dublin is one of the safest places I have ever been. I never felt uncomfortable walking alone or being out at night. The people are friendly and more than willing to help and give directions. Even though I never had any incidents where I felt unsafe or threatened, I would still recommend vigilance and caution because Dublin is a big city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
Finances
|
* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50-$100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Many of the students in my program spent the most money in their first two weeks in Dublin; while it is challenging to budget upon arrival because it's hard to gauge what things cost, I would recommend frugal spending until you can determine exactly what you need and how to most efficiently purchase it. Additionally, I would recommend cooking as much as possible. Groceries are cheap and accessible in Dublin and you can save a lot of money by limiting eating out to 1-2 times a week. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I stayed on my ATT mobile phone service and opted for an international plan they offer called the "Passport". This was absolutely my biggest mistake of the trip. The plan is expensive and offers insufficient data/calling for what it charges. I would recommend that students forgo their home mobile service provider and instead get an Irish sim card (offered by companies in Ireland such as Vodafone and Three). These plans are cheap (~20 euro a month) and offer reloadable, pay-as-you-go data plans that actually work. Opting for one of these plans would have saved me hundreds of dollars. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
