Massive Dub April 21, 2024
By Charlotte A (Art History, Criticism and Conservation, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/22/2024 to 04/12/2024 with
Trinity College - Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned that Wellesley is a microcosm of neuroticism and that in general, things are not that deep. I learned to not take everything so seriously all the time and to let myself live. It was very worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The "school" part was very academically easy, I hardly had 200 pages of reading a week, and my longest paper was 3000 words. Classes met maximum two and a half hours a week total per class. Professors were very accomplished and knowledgeable as well as passionate and helpful. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I experienced slightly inconvenient communication prior to arriving, and the issue of obtaining housing as well as registering for classes was difficult. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My on-campus flat was great! Some things in the kitchen and bathroom were prone to disrepair but maintenance requests were easy to file. Minus one star for the strange rules about guests. |
| * Food: |
Dublin has great food! I ate in the Buttery once, and got a lot of coffee from the arts building cafe. Aside from this, I can only speak to non-Trinity offerings. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Really great that they provide free STD testing and contraceptive access. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
Dublin is in a housing crisis, so I did benefit from on-campus housing. While Dublin is expensive by European standards, it felt very accessible to a person who studies in Boston. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | less than 100 Euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Most places offer student discounts. Even places where it doesn't make sense, like a record store. |
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
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Unfortunately, once you leave for Dublin, you will never ever want to go back to Massachusetts but transferring is almost impossible due to immigration needs so you will just have to go back anyway. |
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. |
