At 6 am on a cold, cloudy Monday in August, screams of joy rang out across Ireland. And in some households, they were certainly louder than in others, as I can vouch for myself. There it was, an offer to study Medicine in Trinity.
By a margin of one point, I was now a member of a select group of people, the students of Trinity College Dublin. It goes without saying that I was ecstatic. The dire night of nail biting and seriously radioactive coffee was over, and it could not have ended any better. For me, that one point was nothing short of miraculous, as even after the roller-coaster that results day was, I was still as uncertain as can be about the medical school I’d get into. But dreams do come true, and shortly after, it all began sinking in!
As the pressure to write a personal statement for Halls rose, a collective buzz began hovering about the place. The wait for precious student ID numbers, the talk of societies, the invitations to the numerous Facebook groups. We all already belong. Classmates whom we haven’t even met yet, clubs and societies that we’ve never heard of, lectures we’re clueless about. All this awaits us as Trinity Junior Freshmen, there for us to explore, and exploit as much as we can, because hey, Freshers’ week only truly happens to you once.
Can’t blame me for being the overly enthusiastic first year!
I’m undoubtedly looking forward to it all, and the list of societies to join grows longer by the minute. It’s been a while now since I last called myself that. I’m sure I’m speaking for many when I say that I will indeed somewhat miss my town, and also, my school friends who are scattered across the island as we speak. But above all, the year is about new experiences and expanding your mind. I was shaped greatly by my time in Ennis, and am truly grateful for the experiences I’ve had there, the good, the bad and everything in between. But the story of Trinity must now be written, and I’m sure it’ll be thrilling, even if certain comedy parts do have to come at the expense of some Arts Block students’ outfits!
Part and parcel of the looming change however, are the inevitable clichéd anxieties that arrive with that CAO offer. I’m sure most of us have them, though if you happen to be a confident special snowflake who doesn’t, I won’t begrudge you it either. Knowing myself, I already dread having to overcome my rigid homely habits! Summer time has been marked by all too frequent naps that were missed sorely during the Leaving Cert Year, and I can only begin to imagine the dying animal noises that’ll emit from my room upon having to rise at 9 am again. After all, it’s the future of healthcare that landed into my hands, and that’s nothing to be sneezed at, pardon the pun. Oh, and of course, the wonderful issue of managing your finances as a student. For one, I’ll definitely have to make a note to self that every day isn’t cheat on your bare-minimum student diet in M&S day! But as they say: be grand sure!
A new place, new interests, new people to join hands with in a circle and sing Kumbaya ‘round the Campanile. Or whatever it is that Trinity students do.
All qualms simply pale in comparison to the excitement I, and I’m sure most of you feel about starting college. Whatever college holds in store for each of us, I’m absolutely certain it’ll be phenomenal, and I’d like to extend my sincerest congratulations to every junior Freshman of 2013! Well done guys!
