The time has finally come. It’s almost four months since you traded your seat in the Ussher for a swivel chair in a law firm, or a deck chair in your Vancouver back garden. You’re ready to make your return to Front Square, re-acquaint yourself with your old friends from Halls and make the annual push to get involved in society life on campus. If you’re overwhelmed by Facebook event competitions, here’s your guide to what’s going on this week.
Monday
Freshers’ week is costly for even the most frugal among us, so why not take advantage of the free breakfast offered in the GMB by the University Philosophical Society (the Phil) to get the week started right. At 1pm, the society is collaborating with TCD Visual Arts Society (VisArts) for its annual Tie-Dye workshop in the Pav. For the Derry Girls fans among us, Law Soc will be hosting the Donegal-born star Jamie Lee O’Donnell in the Arts Block at 3pm, so make sure to get your membership card in time, as it promises to be a busy one! DU History will be launching their magazine in Chaplins at 7pm. This collection of short historical essays was put together by members as an introduction to new members. The first of this week’s Ents’ events, Carnivlaw, will kick off with pre-drinks in the GMB at 8pm, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the The University Historical Society (the Hist). Things will move from there to Opium to get freshers’ week started in earnest.
Tuesday
Rise and shine: it’s day two. If you’re looking for an incentive to crawl your way back to College Green, the Hist has very kindly provided a very unique and scientifically-approved hangover cure: a puppy room with Peata Pet Therapy Chamber. The promise of puppies is popular every year, so get your €6 membership card in time to get to the top of the queue. At 3pm, the Rose Garden will be taken over by DUDJ, who will be providing the tunes and the vibes for campus for the afternoon. Japanese Soc will be hosting its Speed Friending event at 5pm in The Atrium, so if you’ve yet to meet someone who loves anime and sushi as much as you do, this might be a good shout. At 7.30pm, the Robert Emmet Theatre in the Arts Block will play host to the inaugural LawSoc debate of the year: This House Would Enter the Love Island Villa.
Wednesday
You know what they say: another day, another free breakfast. If the Phil’s 9am breakfast in the GMB is too early for you, consider Anraith agus Arán in Seomra na Gaeilge at 11am with Cumann Gaelach. If you’ve still not got yourself sorted with homeware for your new apartment, never fear. The Sustainability Network invites you to the Sports Centre between 10am to 4pm for its Trash to Treasure sale. This guilt-free, cash-only event is the perfect place to acquire supplies without growing your carbon footprint at the same time. In the evening DU Photography Association (DUPA) will be launching its freshers’ week Exhibition, showcasing its past members’ best works in the Atrium. It’s then the turn of DUBES, Cumann Gaelach and Sci Soc to collaborate with Ents for Cóisir na Gealaí, or the Full Moon Party in DTwo.
Thursday
You’re over half way there – there’s no turning back now. Trinity Arts Festival will be teaming up with VisArts, DUPA, and the Architectural Society to take those of you who are new to Dublin on a trip to the city’s most notable artworks. The Buttery is launching its Zón Mac Léinn or Student Zone in the Vaults with an alcohol-free open mic from 6pm to 9pm. Collaborating with several different societies, the restaurant hopes that this event will help the space become a venue for students to study and socialise throughout the year. The Phil will kick off the term with its inaugural debate, ‘This House Believes Size Doesn’t Matter’, followed by Club Philth in The Hub.
Friday
You made it! You’ve survived orientation, you’re armed with a wallet full of sponsorship deals and you’ve successfully lived off free pastries and Apache pizza for the week. But freshers’ week is still not over, and you can still try what societies have to offer. Trinity Literary Society and the Classics Society are facilitating a Mythology Discussion and speed-friending event in the Atrium at 11am. If that’s not enough ancient history for you, join the Archaeological Society on its Unofficial Archaeology Tour from 6pm. DU Players will be hosting auditions all day today, and finishing off the day with its Murder in the Milky Way event at 8pm. This murder mystery interactive cluedo event will require attendees to deduce who exactly is to blame for destroying our planet.
