Rant about St. Pat's College, Drumcondra

dazey · 08-03-2011 10:23pm #1

Cannot stand the college! I am settled now so may as well stay but this post is inspired by the NUIG bitchfest I saw and also the fact that college life is rubbish here!

Everyone is mad about drinking and playing Gaelic sports. God help any of the foreign exchange students who come here. The lifestyle presented is really limited. We NEVER have any non-white non-Irish students except those who arrive with the erasmus programme. Exotic = someone from Northern Ireland/ Cork

The place is so small in size and mindset. The student's union do FECK ALL in terms of delivering on their promises. It is just a yearly friend count.

I know of several people who just don't show up to class and still recieve high 2.1s. I don't think it is because they are particularly academically gifted, the arts course in particular is notorious for handing the exam questions to students on a plate. Everyone knows now and as a result a large chunk of my course just don't attend as there is no point. The degree feels worthless if no one is bothered to show up on a day to day basis.

This week is mental health week in the college. Which is laughable as every other week it is 'go out to where ever has the cheapest drink and get ****faced without anybody questioning it' week. This is promoted by the student's union. Sure it is only a bit of craic.

That pretty amazing series of lectures that are held in our college, the Seamus Heaney series, are attended by very few undergrads. What a waste.

Oh. The lack of a healthy male/female ratio is just not normal. Rant over!

wonderfulname · 08-03-2011 11:17pm

What you gonna do about it?

DeadMoney · 09-03-2011 12:58am

OP I think its fair to say that unless you are a hurler, footballer, or general Gareth Brooks loving country buck or gal you are against the masses that comprise St.Pats. I feel sorry that you are obviously not part of this crowd as I can imagine how frustrating it is to be around muckers all day. I can hardly even bare to go to the tesco across the road as the amount of GA jerseys and penney's beach shorts just make me cringe. I guess just try find some nice friends where you can and keep the head down and get your teaching degree done. Its a really nice degree to have so will be worth it. Anyway most colleges the pretty much the same in Ireland from what I've seen.

Good luck!

bc dub · 09-03-2011 1:09am

not a student but a neighbour and the amount of p***heads out on he drumcondra road most nights is laughable.

I can't help but think back and wonder were my primary school teachers all dipso's in disguise?

oh and i ain't giving out, I'd love a students life

g5fd6ow0hseima · 10-03-2011 9:41pm

Camogie, Bulmers, Vodkova, J1, Quinns, The Big Tree,

pretty much sums up pats

dazey · 10-03-2011 10:33pm

wonderfulname wrote: »

What you gonna do about it?

You know it is too late for me to run for their student's union, but if I could I would. The head of one particular department gave a lecture today ...in any other college the hall would have been packed, today it was half full

Also had one girl have a big moan at me the other day about how one particular lecturer was off their rocker, an eejit, and the reason for this judgement was because this lecturer occassionly veers away from the given curriculum to give students a taste of the real 'unexaminable' context of events. The lecturer has a masters and a PhD under their belt, this person had a big gob and no respect.

I think young people in Ireland who can afford to go to college or are on the grant take the whole system for granted and so treat the place badly and don't take it seriously. Good luck in the real world lads!

KenHy · 11-03-2011 2:15pm

Grass greener on the other side and all that? That's people for you, they'll be the same in all colleges. It's unfortunate if you don't like them.

DDC1990 · 11-03-2011 6:03pm

I feel sorry for you to be honest. Im in Pats and love the place. I've made great friends, and yeah GAA and Drinking play a part in College life but, they do in every College. Why wouldn't it when the Senior Mens just won the Trench cup, Our Hurlers compete well every year in the Fitzgibbon, and our Fresher Footballers just won the All Ireland. For a college so small that is unbelievable. If you don't like Gaa, find something else to do. Play a different sport. Rugby, Soccer, Rounders. Do you go to the Seomra Caidreamh, are you part of the Drama Soc. You had penty of notice about running for the SU, so don't bitch about that. You should have run if you think you could change things.
This years SU did plenty, organized many charity events, had awareness weeks, so what if there was Alcohol involved? Thats what draws the majority of people in so its going to make more money for the charities.

Why are you complining about what other people do. If its so easy then you go get your 1.1 and stroll out with the best qualifications you can. Ignore people who don't work. Thats their own choice, and plenty of other colleges have this experience. I din't attend the Séamus Heaney lectures because its not an area that interests me. I did however attend some of the guest History lectures, as this is an area that interests me. Did you attend those lectures.

I love Pats and im not going to apologize for that at all. Get off your high horse, and try embracing the college instead of knocking it.

ocli64 · 13-03-2011 3:48am

DDC1990 wrote: »

I feel sorry for you to be honest. Im in Pats and love the place. I've made great friends, and yeah GAA and Drinking play a part in College life but, they do in every College. Why wouldn't it when the Senior Mens just won the Trench cup, Our Hurlers compete well every year in the Fitzgibbon, and our Fresher Footballers just won the All Ireland. For a college so small that is unbelievable. If you don't like Gaa, find something else to do. Play a different sport. Rugby, Soccer, Rounders. Do you go to the Seomra Caidreamh, are you part of the Drama Soc. You had penty of notice about running for the SU, so don't bitch about that. You should have run if you think you could change things.
This years SU did plenty, organized many charity events, had awareness weeks, so what if there was Alcohol involved? Thats what draws the majority of people in so its going to make more money for the charities.

Why are you complining about what other people do. If its so easy then you go get your 1.1 and stroll out with the best qualifications you can. Ignore people who don't work. Thats their own choice, and plenty of other colleges have this experience. I din't attend the Séamus Heaney lectures because its not an area that interests me. I did however attend some of the guest History lectures, as this is an area that interests me. Did you attend those lectures.

I love Pats and im not going to apologize for that at all. Get off your high horse, and try embracing the college instead of knocking it.

I totally agree with this post. While I am definitely not the typical pats student you have outlined above, I am enjoying my time in the college. I think rather than complaining about the college for what is basically the norm in colleges around the country, your time would be better spent scratching the surface to find like-minded people and other ways to spend your time. The poster above has mentioned the drama soc and there really is a club to suit everyone. If not set one up! Yes, gaa will always attract the most members, but thats the norm right around ireland. However, the college has a particularly active St. Vincent de Paul society. If you dont want to spend your nights drinking why not go on the soup run in town for them?

I agree that there is a large emphasis placed on drinking but I also think Pats has quite a high emphasis on non-alcohol related activities compared to other colleges. Pay a visit to UCD or UCC and you'll find students drinking in the student bar from 10am. Compared to these colleges pats has a particularly good work ethic. You speak of a lecture by the head of a department being poorly attended but the majority of the year are B.Eds who have totally different priorities. If you were to visit an important B.Ed lecture you would find the room full on most days. When you have 28 hours a week, a history or geography lecture is not really a priority.

Im sorry to hear that you are not enjoying your time in pats and, on the surface, I agree with much of what you have said, but just because someone wears a gaa jersey does not mean you cant be friends with them or that you wouldn't get on with them and its not right to tar the whole college with the same brush. You are not the only one that feels this way so I suggest rather than ranting about the college, you find some like minded people and make the most of your time in Dublin.

timewilltell · 18-03-2011 6:47pm

I myself am in Pats and like DDC1990, I adore it. Admittedly, the SU left a little to be desired this year but last year they were FANTASTIC in every sense of the word.
I'm not exactly a GAA head but as other posters have mentioned, Pats isn't all GAA. WE have a Drama Soc, a Trad Soc, a Paintball Soc and so on!
Also further to the drinking comments, sure aren't most colleges the same? While thre is an emphasis on alcohol, the same people who enjoy a few beers are also the ones winning Trench etc! And the same people who I have spotted in the last few weeks putting the head down in the Reource Centre.

Personally Pats is like a home from home for me.Lecturers are extremely easy to approach and very supportive. As regards Mental Health Week, it would have been a great success had it been promoted differently, but these things happen!

And a word to the wise.. those people not attending lectures are porbably notdoing as well as you think. I was foolish enough to believe those people until I did some detective work!

In short, if you don't like Pats, hard luck, but it's a bit unfair to all those who do love it for you to vent so publicly. If you have a problem, why not take it up with the college itself?

Rosita · 21-03-2011 11:38pm

dazey wrote: »

This week is mental health week in the college.

Sounds like this arrived just in time.

Rosita · 21-03-2011 11:42pm

DeadMoney wrote: »

I feel sorry that you are obviously not part of this crowd as I can imagine how frustrating it is to be around muckers all day. I can hardly even bare to go to the tesco across the road as the amount of GA jerseys and penney's beach shorts just make me cringe.

You need to get out more. It's a fact of life that you will meet people who are different to you and will need to engage with them at some level. I didn't think the country was still producing young people so blinkered as you appear. But a more open mind will be necessary if you intend to stand in front of a group of impressionable young people in time to come.

g5fd6ow0hseima · 22-03-2011 6:02pm

Rosita wrote: »

You need to get out more.

Who do you say that? Because he has a dislike for bulmers drinking, osaka 6 t-shirt wearing eejits? Have a bit of consideration for their situation. Their frustration hasnt arisen out of thin air.

Rosita wrote: »

It's a fact of life that you will meet people who are different to you and will need to engage with them at some level.

You must realise that quite a lot of people would struggle to engage with a typical 'pats' head. You can only talk so much about hangovers.

Rosita wrote: »

I didn't think the country was still producing young people so blinkered as you appear. But a more open mind will be necessary if you intend to stand in front of a group of impressionable young people in time to come.

Yes, it is. I'd know, im from the country myself. It's generally accepted that if you are from the country and you have zero interest in the GAA and dislike getting pissed in the same pubs / clubs week in, week out, you will always be at a disadvantage socially, and that is exactly what the OP has expressed. As a 3rd level institution, Pats is the purest representation of rural ireland there is.

KenHy · 22-03-2011 7:13pm

Ariah Unsightly Flood wrote:

Yes, it is. I'd know, im from the country myself. It's generally accepted that if you are from the country and you have zero interest in the GAA and dislike getting pissed in the same pubs / clubs week in, week out, you will always be at a disadvantage socially, and that is exactly what the OP has expressed. As a 3rd level institution, Pats is the purest representation of rural ireland there is.

Nonsense. There are lots of people who have broader horizons then gaa and drinking. If you fail to notice that your at a social disadvantage for another reason.

g5fd6ow0hseima · 22-03-2011 8:22pm

KenHy wrote: »

Nonsense. There are lots of people who have broader horizons then gaa and drinking. If you fail to notice that your at a social disadvantage for another reason.

Those I have outlined about comprise the vast majority of young people in the country. Yes there are people whose interests lie elsewhere but what I said is that you are at a disadvantage if you aren't into GAA and getting pissed in the local at the weekend. That claim still stands.

tradhead · 24-03-2011 12:17pm

DeadMoney wrote: »

I can imagine how frustrating it is to be around muckers all day. I can hardly even bare to go to the tesco across the road as the amount of GA jerseys and penney's beach shorts just make me cringe.

That's a bit offensive! Not to mention snobby... What's wrong with GAA jerseys and being into sports? Am I the only one who thinks that's better than being obsessed with clothes and how you look?

OP Why don't you calm down, and try actually making an effort with what's obviously a new cultural experience for you, God forbid you might even enjoy your time in Pat's instead of being so concerned with whether or not your classmates go to their lectures! You're not their mother! What do you care what grades anyone else is getting, if you're so horrified with the social life and general population of Pat's then surely you have nothing else to do but study all day and get a first, well done you.

lithiumoxide · 29-03-2011 12:29pm

Lol. Wearing hoodies, with a sports bag round one shoulder and a chicken roll in hand, taking up ludicrous amounts of space on the 16.

And don't get me started on the girls who carry bags and luggage twice the size of them.

DeadMoney · 29-03-2011 9:10pm

lithiumoxide wrote: »

Lol. Wearing hoodies, with a sports bag round one shoulder and a chicken roll in hand, taking up ludicrous amounts of space on the 16.

And don't get me started on the girls who carry bags and luggage twice the size of them.

LMAO you bloody nailed it!

DeadMoney · 29-03-2011 9:19pm

Rosita wrote: »

You need to get out more. It's a fact of life that you will meet people who are different to you and will need to engage with them at some level. I didn't think the country was still producing young people so blinkered as you appear. But a more open mind will be necessary if you intend to stand in front of a group of impressionable young people in time to come.

Thanks I'll bear this in my mind the next time I wander in to county colors or county bingo nite in Quinn's

tomombo · 30-03-2011 12:32am

dazey wrote: »

Cannot stand the college! I am settled now so may as well stay but this post is inspired by the NUIG bitchfest I saw and also the fact that college life is rubbish here!

Everyone is mad about drinking and playing Gaelic sports. God help any of the foreign exchange students who come here. The lifestyle presented is really limited. We NEVER have any non-white non-Irish students except those who arrive with the erasmus programme. Exotic = someone from Northern Ireland/ Cork

The place is so small in size and mindset. The student's union do FECK ALL in terms of delivering on their promises. It is just a yearly friend count.

I know of several people who just don't show up to class and still recieve high 2.1s. I don't think it is because they are particularly academically gifted, the arts course in particular is notorious for handing the exam questions to students on a plate. Everyone knows now and as a result a large chunk of my course just don't attend as there is no point. The degree feels worthless if no one is bothered to show up on a day to day basis.

This week is mental health week in the college. Which is laughable as every other week it is 'go out to where ever has the cheapest drink and get ****faced without anybody questioning it' week. This is promoted by the student's union. Sure it is only a bit of craic.

That pretty amazing series of lectures that are held in our college, the Seamus Heaney series, are attended by very few undergrads. What a waste.

Oh. The lack of a healthy male/female ratio is just not normal. Rant over!

No friends.

dazey · 24-04-2011 4:32pm

DDC1990 wrote: »

I feel sorry for you to be honest. Im in Pats and love the place. I've made great friends, and yeah GAA and Drinking play a part in College life but, they do in every College. Why wouldn't it when the Senior Mens just won the Trench cup, Our Hurlers compete well every year in the Fitzgibbon, and our Fresher Footballers just won the All Ireland. For a college so small that is unbelievable. If you don't like Gaa, find something else to do. Play a different sport. Rugby, Soccer, Rounders. Do you go to the Seomra Caidreamh, are you part of the Drama Soc. You had penty of notice about running for the SU, so don't bitch about that. You should have run if you think you could change things.
This years SU did plenty, organized many charity events, had awareness weeks, so what if there was Alcohol involved? Thats what draws the majority of people in so its going to make more money for the charities.

Why are you complining about what other people do. If its so easy then you go get your 1.1 and stroll out with the best qualifications you can. Ignore people who don't work. Thats their own choice, and plenty of other colleges have this experience. I din't attend the Séamus Heaney lectures because its not an area that interests me. I did however attend some of the guest History lectures, as this is an area that interests me. Did you attend those lectures.

I love Pats and im not going to apologize for that at all. Get off your high horse, and try embracing the college instead of knocking it.

I really respect the majority of lecturing and tutoring staff, real honset to goodness people who have worked hard and enjoy teaching people.

I never really intended on running for the SU and I don't think I was complaining about it. I am in two socs and I like them. I am talking about the majority mindset that is propped up by our college

dazey · 24-04-2011 4:36pm

ocli64 wrote: »

I totally agree with this post. While I am definitely not the typical pats student you have outlined above, I am enjoying my time in the college. I think rather than complaining about the college for what is basically the norm in colleges around the country, your time would be better spent scratching the surface to find like-minded people and other ways to spend your time. The poster above has mentioned the drama soc and there really is a club to suit everyone. If not set one up! Yes, gaa will always attract the most members, but thats the norm right around ireland. However, the college has a particularly active St. Vincent de Paul society. If you dont want to spend your nights drinking why not go on the soup run in town for them?

I agree that there is a large emphasis placed on drinking but I also think Pats has quite a high emphasis on non-alcohol related activities compared to other colleges. Pay a visit to UCD or UCC and you'll find students drinking in the student bar from 10am. Compared to these colleges pats has a particularly good work ethic. You speak of a lecture by the head of a department being poorly attended but the majority of the year are B.Eds who have totally different priorities. If you were to visit an important B.Ed lecture you would find the room full on most days. When you have 28 hours a week, a history or geography lecture is not really a priority.

Im sorry to hear that you are not enjoying your time in pats and, on the surface, I agree with much of what you have said, but just because someone wears a gaa jersey does not mean you cant be friends with them or that you wouldn't get on with them and its not right to tar the whole college with the same brush. You are not the only one that feels this way so I suggest rather than ranting about the college, you find some like minded people and make the most of your time in Dublin.

I'm from Dublin so ....anyway the lecture was only B.A.s so no real excuses there I'm afraid. Jeez I have good friends that are mad into the GAA, it can just seem so monotonous

dazey · 24-04-2011 4:40pm

timewilltell wrote: »

In short, if you don't like Pats, hard luck, but it's a bit unfair to all those who do love it for you to vent so publicly. If you have a problem, why not take it up with the college itself?

I think the point of online spaces such as boards.ie is to disucc issues that you want to, so thanks for the recommending self censorship there but I think I'll carry on as I have been using this site - to share thoughts on topics in public.

The student body of Pat's is adult, so I don't really think it should be an issue to be dealt with in an explicit way by the college itself. I just wanted to see if many shared my views.

dazey · 24-04-2011 4:52pm

tradhead wrote: »

OP Why don't you calm down, and try actually making an effort with what's obviously a new cultural experience for you, God forbid you might even enjoy your time in Pat's instead of being so concerned with whether or not your classmates go to their lectures! You're not their mother! What do you care what grades anyone else is getting, if you're so horrified with the social life and general population of Pat's then surely you have nothing else to do but study all day and get a first, well done you.

Em far from a new culture experience so I don't understand where that assumption came from? I am far from being a first student, I like socialising and have met some sound people in the college.

I really couldn't give a fiddler's about the grades obtained by my peers. BUT you can't deny attendance at lectures represents the actual interest students have in academic side of a college. As I said in a previous post on here, many of the lecturers are top class and published. The fact remains that 'college life' in pat's revolves around everything but what happens in the lecture hall. I have to laugh when you see all of your class for the first time on the last day of the course in the semester. All scribbling down exam tips. Maybe it has to do with the ducation system in Ireland at a larger scale - learn off answers, no need to engage, spew them out at exam time, pass and leave. Just annoying s'all. I'm disappointed rather than angry

dazey · 24-04-2011 4:53pm

tomombo wrote: »

No friends.

Wow. Thanks for your input I suppose. Will you be my friend????

KenHy · 25-04-2011 10:02pm

dazey wrote: »

Em far from a new culture experience so I don't understand where that assumption came from? I am far from being a first student, I like socialising and have met some sound people in the college.

I really couldn't give a fiddler's about the grades obtained by my peers. BUT you can't deny attendance at lectures represents the actual interest students have in academic side of a college. As I said in a previous post on here, many of the lecturers are top class and published. The fact remains that 'college life' in pat's revolves around everything but what happens in the lecture hall. I have to laugh when you see all of your class for the first time on the last day of the course in the semester. All scribbling down exam tips. Maybe it has to do with the ducation system in Ireland at a larger scale - learn off answers, no need to engage, spew them out at exam time, pass and leave. Just annoying s'all. I'm disappointed rather than angry

So your listing to a Lecturer and scribbling down what they say and then regurgitating it on a particular day over a number of weeks is superior to those who do it just the once?

Education at university level is different to in school, some people have different methods of learning than attending lectures and if it's successful for them it's not your position to judge, they just learn differently then you.

ocli64 · 30-04-2011 3:47pm

OP, on reading your further posts I apologise for making assumptions and I can see your point of view.

I suppose the point of my post was to try and point out the other things you can do to escape the monotony of Pat's. I totally agree with your points about the collective mindset of the college and I have to say my heart sank when I saw the events planned for the coming weeks, "Shiftin' and ridin'" ...em no you're grand thanks.

Basically I was trying to illustrate that there are things that can be done to make things more bearable and it is something I'm struggling with myself. The fact that it was a B.A lecture takes away any excuses. I can only speak from the B.ed perspective where I can see that underneath it all most people are very hardworking. However for people who have less than 20 hours, low attendance at lectures seems like such a waste of college. I suppose you can just console yourself with the fact that you will more than likely receive a higher degree than them. I've seen it happen with people on the B.ed course who come out saying they're "delighted" with an exam. Don't be fooled...usually it means they have scraped a pass.

I suppose the only way to get through it is to focus on the things you enjoy doing and I find it helps to join some non-college activities too. It can be a nice break to head into the city on your own some evening and take a class on something totally random with people that are as enthusiastic as you are.

I hope this makes my original post seem a little less harsh as my intention wasn't to defend the college completely by any means.

ConnieBarry · 15-05-2011 8:56pm

i stumbled accros this post, and after reading it, im definately looking foward to going to st.pats, is it not every college in ireland that drinking, Gaa, and craic are the main past times,? YOU ARE ONLY YOUNG ONCE, but can anyone tell me about the on campus accomadation?, and the social life?, and the B.ED course itself?