Oscar Denvir is a fourth-year business and law student in UCD, and he knows that burning the candle at both ends is something to avoid. “There’s going to be nights out. There’s going to be chances to meet people – definitely go to them. But at the same time, don’t shoot yourself in the foot by not showing up to lectures.
“I’d recommend people to go to lectures even if they’re hungover. It’s very easy for people to become anonymous. So, from a social perspective, even if you’re not going to learn anything, just showing your face can make a difference”.
Getting a part-time job while at college may be very normal, but Denvir says to make sure the job gives students the flexibility to fully enjoy and embrace the college experience also.
“The part-time job I had at the time [in first year] was very restrictive. I had to be in work four evenings a week. And I’d be working 6pm-10pm. It shot me a bit in the foot with regards to a social life. You’d have to say no, or it’d be a big hullabaloo trying to get a shift moved.
“Find a job that you can balance with a college schedule. If you can get something that you can just tip away with for two big shifts in the weekend or something like that, that’s what I recommend people do.”
Denvir didn’t know anyone in his course when he started, and this can be “a bit intimidating”, he says. “Initially it can seem a bit hard to break barriers or break into circles, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be in your own course. Everyone’s lovely in the course. You do get to know them because, at the end of the day, you’re going through the same thing for four years.”
Clubs and societies are key to settling in to college life, Denvir says. “You need to force yourself to go to at least one club, or show up to at least one event. It’s something that I didn’t do. I wish that I’d gone into more clubs.”
And the opportunity to join clubs and societies lasts beyond Freshers’ Week, he says, though he cautions that some societies wrap up their activities early in the academic year. Societies are generally very welcoming and keep students up to speed on events, he says.
“Even with the Gaelic team, if people are interested in sports or the hurling team, there’s third and fourth teams there, that are just purely for socialising.”