Some of the best friends i've ever made in my new favorite city on earth Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It is a well-renowned institution, however, it often felt like I wasn't really being taught much. I know I did learn new things, however the lecture style is very inaccessible and the learning process is directed at the students, without working with the students at all. There was a lot of 'optional' (but seemingly required) reading that were only available in the libraries on campus. Most required resources were not accessible online, which was frustrating for times such as the snowstorm this spring, and other times when living 25 minutes from campus made accessing physical materials difficult. Professors were very distant and unresponsive. There was little to no continuous feedback on midsemester assignments.

On-site administration of your program

The administration of Trinity is very old-fashioned. While they seemed to get things done, applying for classes partially on paper and partially online made it very difficult to coordinate and actually register properly. I and others I knew had several issues with the administration in registering for classes, obtaining student ids, and getting proper documentation in order to register with immigration.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My apartment at Aparto Binary Hub provided a lot of great things, like a dorm-like community for study abroad students, and nice amenities. It was very expensive, perhaps too expensive for the small spaces. It was nice to have a full kitchen, living space, and personal bed and ensuite bath.

I cooked for myself. I enjoyed my own cooking a lot.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Dublin is a friendly place. If you are wiling to go out and explore and visit local pubs, seek out trad music, and act like a local rather than a tourist, people accept you and want to bring you into their culture. You could spend a day in Dublin alone and not feel lonely. Irish people are generally kind and welcoming. Pub Culture is all about making connections with strangers.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The severest health issue I faced was a cold, and I was able to obtain medicated cough drops from pharmacy without issue. Many people I know had colds due to the heavy wet air and cold wet winter, but were all able to make it through with little more than cold medicine and hot tea. A friend did go to the emergency room once for a bad illness, and she said it was relatively easy, aside from some cost to her.

Many local people told me that my apartment building was in 'unsafe' neighborhood, but I was never afraid to walk alone in the city. I was definitely wary at night, but most of Dublin is well-lit and busy into late hours of the night. I never encountered more crime in my entire time there than petty pickpocketing during the St. Patrick's Day parade, and that was a friend of a friend. As long as you're aware of the city you're in and make smart choices, you will be just fine in Dublin.

I wouldn't trade Dublin over anything, and as frustrating as Trinity was, I felt like I was a part of history to be at such an old and iconic school with some really wonderful Irish friends.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

It was not largely expensive to get groceries and spend money on drinks at pubs and such. It did depend, however, on which grocery store you were shopping at. Lidl was extremely cheap, I never spent more than 30 euro at a time there, where some grocery stores like Fallon and Byrne were unreasonably costly.

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• Apartment

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• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans

• Living in and exploring Dublin
• The friends I made

• Accessibility at Trinity

The Avid Adventurer