How are you getting to the RDS?

Mr.Nice Guy

So how are you all getting to the RDS for the exams? I'm thinking I'll get the bus but my mother wants me to get a taxi over just to be sure I make it in on time.

I still think I'll get the bus in from town though. There's one near the end of O'Connell Street, I think it's the no 3 but I'm not sure, and it leaves you really close to the RDS.

How are you guys getting there? Do many of you have a long journey to make?

TheVan

Bus, 46a all the way.....although I plan on being there at about half 8...I like being early!

One exam in Blackrock, a nice walk down from Stillorgan!

The good old 18. Took an average of 1hr 40min at the Christmas exams, mainly due to traffic. This time I'll bring a game of Kerplunk with me.

arbeitsscheuer

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

So how are you all getting to the RDS for the exams? I'm thinking I'll get the bus but my mother wants me to get a taxi over just to be sure I make it in on time.

I still think I'll get the bus in from town though. There's one near the end of O'Connell Street, I think it's the no 3 but I'm not sure, and it leaves you really close to the RDS.

Got the bus the last 2 years but, what with these bein' finals and all-important and all that b0llocks, I reckon one of my parents will gimme a lift to most of the exams.

The buses I used to get were the 45 and/or the 7, IIRC.

Since I live in lucan, I reckon it'll take maybe an hour and 15 minutes to get to Ballsbridge. Shouldn't be a problem.

elmyra

I shall be driving, thank God.

Last year we had to take the 17 from Rathfarnham to college, get a 10 out to Donnybrook and walk on down.

Chinafoot

Train from Balbriggan into town, then a dart over to whatever dart station is closest to the RDS. Can't remember the name of it now (feel free to enlighten me). All in all it takes about an hour and 45 minutes.

Mr.Nice Guy

Anyone bringing in notes with them for last-minute study? Last year I printed a load of sheets off Wikipedia and read them on the bus in. I miss that sense of panic.

Font22

sandymount is prob the closest station. and dont get the no. 3 bus! i got it for two years when i first started college and it is a nightmare!!! its never on time and there are v few. plus it doesnt leave u near the RDS as far as i know! it goes by sydney parade.

i shall be driving. i swear if i hit major traffic i'll cry.

arbeitsscheuer

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Anyone bringing in notes with them for last-minute study?

Pffft... Dude... That's the only study I do.:o

Might grab the bus instead of a lift for some of the 2pm exams, but after missing a 9.30am History exam in first yr I'm loathe to trust public transport for such important events!

rainbow kirby

Well most of my exams are in UCD.. so just the usual. I have one in the RDS that I'll be getting the 49 to town and either the 7 or the 45 out for. It'll take me about 1hr 20 minutes, and in keeping with my punctuality paranoia, I'll be at least an hour early for my exam, if not more.
I'll have made out notes onto index cards that I'll be using on the mornings of the exams.

meowCat

No 10 from UCD to the stop by the bus depot in Donnybrook and walk down Anglesea Rd from there. Was relatively quick in Winter. Should be good enough now.

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Anyone bringing in notes with them for last-minute study?

I have never seen anyone without notes for last-minute study!!

besty

I haven't decided if I will drive or get the DART to the RDS yet. I'm not sure I want to risk the traffic! Also, I can keep studying on the DART!

Mr_Roger_Bongos

Ill be getting there via parachute. I like to travel in style. It's not great for reading you notes during the fall though. They blow all over the place.

Blush_01

To get from Deansgrange to the RDS on the 45 through Blackrock in morning rush I have to get the bus at 10 to 8 at the very latest, in order to make it with very little time to spare. I could get it at 7, but I'd just freak out. I almost missed an exam because I didn't get the bus until 8.10 last year. Considering how close it is, it's nonsense. Takes about 80 minutes.

MNG, get the 7 or 45 and get off opposite Bewleys, or get the 84 and get off between the RDS and the hotel, walk as far as the corner and keep left.

Mr.Nice Guy

Blush_01 wrote:

MNG, get the 7 or 45 and get off opposite Bewleys, or get the 84 and get off between the RDS and the hotel, walk as far as the corner and keep left.

Yeah my mate advised me to get the 7. I think that's the one I'll go for.

The_Minister

46A then stroll down the hill

GusherING

Don't forget there are roadworks along the Rock Road if your coming into the RDS from the southside.

Blush_01

Ooh, nice one, would have remembered they were there but not made allowances for them.

Maybe I should buy a bike and cycle. Although I'm really bad at cycling when there's a prospect of traffic... so on second thoughts!

Is anybody (other than Hermione*) lucky enough to be able to walk to the RDS from home, rather than drive or take public transport?

beanyb

I'll be driving wohoo.

Umaro

-get up at 6
-breakfast and whatnot
-drive into wicklow town
-abandon car
-catch 7 o clock bus
-sleep/last minute revise
-arrive at RDS at 8.20
-hang around
-begin exam at 9

rain on

i always cycle, i don't trust public transport.

anyone know where the rds shelbourne is? i always had exams in simmonscourt but i'm invigilating in shelbourne this year.

Font22

i too shall be getting up around 6. i have an exam in blckrock and will be coming from the northside. wud i b better off going by the dual carriageway and then turning off instead of going along the coast, in order to avoid all the roadworks????????

meowCat

rain on wrote:

i always cycle, i don't trust public transport.

anyone know where the rds shelbourne is? i always had exams in simmonscourt but i'm invigilating in shelbourne this year.

I am invigilating there too. They explained how to get there at the invigilators' meeting this week. But it's really not difficult:
It's easiest to find if you get in at the Anglesea Rd Entrance. You actually cannot miss it because there are signs up everywhere.

A map of the RDS showgrounds is online.

EDIT: However, I think they said the invigilator sign in will be in the main hall. So that's Anglesea Rd Entrance in, second left (after that mini green), door is to your right. And then after signing in, you just walk through the main hall to get to the Shelbourne hall. But don't worry. Once you've found the sign in desk, you just follow the others. Just make sure you are on time. 8.30am it is for exams starting at 9am.

rain on

meowCat wrote:

I am invigilating there too. They explained how to get there at the invigilators' meeting this week. But it's really not difficult:
It's easiest to find if you get in at the Anglesea Rd Entrance. You actually cannot miss it because there are signs up everywhere.

A map of the RDS showgrounds is online.

ta very much. i figured it'd probably be hard to miss, but still. at the meeting they said 'you can get in through the simmonscourt road entrance or the anglesea road entrance or the rock road entrance' but they neglected to mention where it actually was. assuming you were at the same meeting as me.

Riamfada

I get up at dawn (which is about 5:10 judging by last night) hop in the shower. Head out and get breakfast and coffee in Ranelagh or anywhere thats open at that hour. Pull up to the RDS and study in my car for around 6 hours then go in and splurt it all back out

meowCat

rain on wrote:

ta very much. i figured it'd probably be hard to miss, but still. at the meeting they said 'you can get in through the simmonscourt road entrance or the anglesea road entrance or the rock road entrance' but they neglected to mention where it actually was. assuming you were at the same meeting as me.

Ah, true. They didn't give an actual map, which was a bit surprising, tbh. But I didn't really listen at that stage as I had worked there for the winter exams, too.

See you there, rain_on.

BKtje

AH its that big hall where the trucker interview were being held over christmas? Will be taking the 7. Bit far to cycle (well its not but i like revising a lil on the bus). Must leave early tho with bloody roadworks.

Byrno

Will be getting the DART from Pearse Station to Sandymount myself. Only live about 3 mins from the station so it couldn't be handier to be honest!

Hermione*

Blush_01 wrote:

Is anybody (other than Hermione*) lucky enough to be able to walk to the RDS from home, rather than drive or take public transport?

I feel so special now!

I shall indeed be walking down the road, as I have most years (used to live in Sandymount;)).

Best bets from town are the 4(new service), 7 or 45. The 63 or 84 turn on Anglesea Rd iirc, but they're very infrequent anyway. Also the 46a of course, but the others bring you much closer. Sandymount Dart station is the a five minute walk from the horseshed.

Chinafoot

Sandymount, thats the one.

Dead handy to get the dart from town. Although it does mean that for early exams I need to be on a train from the 'Brig at 7am.

Bleurgh.

Can't wait til this is over!

Hermione*

Ugh, poor you.

All going to plan though, I shall be leaving my gaff at about 8.15 to be in the horseshed before 9am. It's a tweny-five minute walk, I reckon, but I hate being late Plus, I'll probably walk a bit further up and get a HUGE coffee to keep me going til 12.30!

snickerpuss

I'll be getting the 7.30am 27X to the RDS for morning exams and either 27 and dart or 27 and 7 for the afternoon ones. I usually do the dart thing cos i like trains so it makes exams slightly more fun.
*i'm lame*

pretty*monster

Dart for my weekday morning ones (I hate the dart).
I'll be getting the 10 from college for the afternoon ones (the wlak from Donnybrook is nice and it clears my head).
Double bussing it for my saturday mornings (same route I take to work so I know the scheduals well enough to leave myself the right ammount of time).

Oh, I'm organised about one area of this whoile ordeal.

passive

Here's hoping they pass for attendance alone!

Tomorrow i'll be getting the 27x direct and studying in RDS from 9ish-3ish (yeah.. i'm more likely to work than at home and my friend has an exam at that time). Later on I shall be journeying by anything to town followed by a 10/46A and a walk. Or if i haven't overused my UCD crashing privelages with a friend i'll probably be going from there for the last couple of exams as i like studying until the library closes and again in the morning...

Seraphina

i take my bi-cycle
marvellous fun. gotten a lift a few times, but tbh its quicker to cycle usually, especially in the mornings.

boneless

I do me exams in UCD because I'm special

arbeitsscheuer

boneless wrote:

I do me exams in UCD because I'm special

You better be takin' the piss otherwise I'll be pissed.

If you're serious... How come?

Blush_01

Reasons for having your exams in UCD include:

Dyslexia
Health problems - back ache and the like.


Although, last year one guy had an epileptic fit in the middle of an exam. The poor guy!

18AD

I'll be walking down to Harolds Cross from Rathfarnham and getting the 18 out. I only have one 9o'clock exam which suits my sleeping habits grand :cool:

boneless

SebtheBum wrote:

You better be takin' the piss otherwise I'll be pissed.

If you're serious... How come?

I'm not good in crowds... willy waving and all that!!

No. It's cos of me spine; artrithis and all that jazz... bloody hurts sometimes, and I need to stretch from time to time after sitting for long periods.

Young Siward

Ah all ye chaps are lazy.....

In the libro for 9 to cram and stroll to the RDS in the afternoon. Stroll is probably the wrong word, anxious walking sums it up much better.

Hermione*

Be careful getting the 18 though; it's not too bad going from Sandymount but going back it can be very hard to time. Just to warn ya if you're not used to it. Leave yourself time for error.

arbeitsscheuer

boneless wrote:

I'm not good in crowds... willy waving and all that!!

No. It's cos of me spine; artrithis and all that jazz... bloody hurts sometimes, and I need to stretch from time to time after sitting for long periods.

Aw man... How am I gonna get thru this without my favourite cuddly Commie teddy bear?:(

Good luck anyway mate, spose I won't see much of ya so. That sucks.

Hope the seats where u are doin' the exams are more comfy than at the RDS!:D

boneless

I brings a comfy cushion with me...

rainbow kirby

Well most of my exams are in UCD anyway, thankfully! I have one in the RDS, it's my first time having one there since 1st year.

anonymous_joe

Walking down to Ballsbridge...

18AD

Hermione* wrote:

Be careful getting the 18 though; it's not too bad going from Sandymount but going back it can be very hard to time. Just to warn ya if you're not used to it. Leave yourself time for error.

Yeah. I'm aiming to be at the bus stop at least an hour before the exam starting time.
During the christmas ones I did the same. One of the days the bus just didn't show. I got in at the exact time. But the panic of rushing isn't something I need on top of my limited knowledge of my course.