Top DCU Tips

glenn3ie

So what stuff do incoming freshers need to know about DCU? Where/who do we avoid? Where do ya go for a nice pint? Anything in general that will give us a head start?

Will

Spar in shanowen is where it's at. Better value and nicer sandwichs with a better array of food also.

Canteen is a rip off.

Get involved in some society or sports team.

Make sure to join a society that gives you freebies and where maybe you can watch tv or films...

Avoid upper Ballymun...go to the santry omni for tesco or phibsboro...remember that dominos do a student special for €15 - med pizza and 2 garlic bread...remember the dominos glasnevin number...Macaris is the best take away in the world...FACT...Also, it's all on the top of the ballymun road entrance - weldons(for a pint or 12, for a good dinner), chambers(if pharmhealth for some reason is closed), eurospar because it is so much better than the spar on campus, centra because of all the offers on drinks etc., macaris because it beats cooking, bookies if want to make money(warning some people make actually lose money...), i believe there might be a barbers there, also maybe a cleaners?, stay away from the chineese!!! It's called aberdeen and it will make you excrete colours you have never seen before...

c0rk3r

You get out of college what you put in. Get involved in clubs and societies. Otherwise you'll be sitting in the same place you are right now moaning that dcu is nothing but a degree factory. Hey its not DCU;s fault you came in for 2lectures a day, ipod constantly in your ears, oblivious to your surrounds and not making any effort to get involved instead lamenting the **** atmosphere all the while sitting on the sidelines.

People that go to lectures and tutorials pass their exams.

Repeats are not fun. avoid them, see above.

Its perfectly acceptable to take every drug under the sun afterall college is a time for experimenting. If questioned about what your doing you'll use the "experiment and college" excuse. You smoked it but didnt inhale. Your drink was spiked with ecstasy and you've no idea how that cocaine was in your system, probably spiked again. Your body shouldn't be a temple, it should be an amusement park.

Venues that host €3 tuesday / thursdays in town are absolute ****s holes but they're an essential part of college life. To survive the night you'll need to be legless before you enter so drink before you head out. You need to select beverages under €1.25. Getting sick and starting fights are considered a badge of honour. Collect these like they are pokémon and you'll be the cheese. In college theres no such thing as a good pint only a cheap pint. Its proper ethic to live by that rule even if you can aford it.

Dont get involved in any drinking games with culchies. You'll lose and may be molested in the process.

The sofa's in the Henry Gratten building are a great place to fall asleep. Feel free to lay down taking up two seats. People are too polite / sacred of creating a scene to give out to you.

Dont eat banana's in class. Theres no straight way to eat a banana.

Dont date/screw anyone in your class or have classes with. When it ends horriblely as these things usually do its going to get ugly. Remember in these situations the women will get all the sympathy so strike first. Tell the class she tried to touch your 7year old cousin or something similarly disgusting. Every girl in the class will hate you. Congratulations you've just been marginlised. Its really not worth it.

Attend lectures on time.

Enjoy the experience. You still arent socially or personally responsible adult until you leave college so lap it up.

ding_dong

c0rk3r wrote: »

You get out of college what you put in. Get involved in clubs and societies. Otherwise you'll be sitting in the same place you are right now moaning that dcu is nothing but a degree factory. Hey its not DCU;s fault you came in for 2lectures a day, ipod constantly in your ears, oblivious to your surrounds and not making any effort to get involved instead lamenting the **** atmosphere all the while sitting on the sidelines.

People that go to lectures and tutorials pass their exams.

Repeats are not fun. avoid them, see above.

Its perfectly acceptable to take every drug under the sun afterall college is a time for experimenting. If questioned about what your doing you'll use the "experiment and college" excuse. You smoked it but didnt inhale. Your drink was spiked with ecstasy and you've no idea how that cocaine was in your system, probably spiked again. Your body shouldn't be a temple, it should be an amusement park.

Venues that host €3 tuesday / thursdays in town are absolute ****s holes but they're an essential part of college life. To survive the night you'll need to be legless before you enter so drink before you head out. You need to select beverages under €1.25. Getting sick and starting fights are considered a badge of honour. Collect these like they are pokémon and you'll be the cheese. In college theres no such thing as a good pint only a cheap pint. Its proper ethic to live by that rule even if you can aford it.

Dont get involved in any drinking games with culchies. You'll lose and may be molested in the process.

The sofa's in the Henry Gratten building are a great place to fall asleep. Feel free to lay down taking up two seats. People are too polite / sacred of creating a scene to give out to you.

Dont eat banana's in class. Theres no straight way to eat a banana.

Dont date/screw anyone in your class or have classes with. When it ends horriblely as these things usually do its going to get ugly. Remember in these situations the women will get all the sympathy so strike first. Tell the class she tried to touch your 7year old cousin or something similarly disgusting. Every girl in the class will hate you. Congratulations you've just been marginlised. Its really not worth it.

Attend lectures on time.

Enjoy the experience. You still arent socially or personally responsible adult until you leave college so lap it up.

You sound so cynical, that its impossible you haven't experienced it lol

^_^

Some good advice though. I particularly like your reference to taking part. Now I must admit, ive become fairly reticent in my stay in Kerry so hopefully people will not look at me to oddly O_o

cognos

join the gym. excellent way to de-stress!

ask questions in class - be that annoying guy thats always asking questions, it will pay off in the end!

DowneyBookGirl

C0rk3r, that rant was probably one of the funniest/most honest posts I've read on this forum. Good job. Your advice has been taken on bored.

c0rk3r

Some of it is personal experience, some observations and some other peoples mistakes. The don't have sex with a classmate rule is just common sense. Guy and girl in our class tried it with disasterous conqseuences. Its gotten to the stage where he either doesnt come in for lectures or comes in 5minutes late so he sits up the front or back of the classroom. Meaning he doesnt have to make a choice where to sit hence avoiding an awkward decision with the ex. Hes last in the door and first out of the room, like a flash. It was a fcuking stupid thing to do in the first place. A story we can all learn from.

The flipside of course is she turns out to be your life partner, you end up marrying her, having 2.5children, living a comfortable life in the suburbs and being happy for the rest of your life.

DowneyBookGirl

You're our Yoda.

Diarmaid07

I think I'm going to have to track down every single one of your posts, c0rk3r, and give you thanks on each one =D

mehfesto2

What I've learned in my years:

Best Chipper: Macaris - across from the Ballymun Enterance
Best Chinese: Excellent - Ballygall shops. Get the number. Seriously good stuff.

The Cinema in Omni Park does student rates Mon-Friday only.

You don't actually have to speak Irish to sit in the Irish Couch in the Canteen. Throw in the cupla focail or pretend you're non EU and demand equal rights if questioned.

Free condoms on freshers week can be used as currency if you know someone who goes through them at a rate of knotts.

The sudden, sharp decline in number of women around campus is usually due to the nurses going 'on placement'. Don't worry they'll return. But the glint in their eye may not.

When joining a society, be wary of the ones that talk about Pokemon. But smile and nod and quietly pocket their sweets.

The vending machines in the Nursing Building WILL eat your money.

The Poster Sale that says it won't return will. You'll have loadsa time to get that arty picture of the cat and the French Writing you don't understand to put beside your wall of Dutch Gold.

Calling it Bava-ria does not make it posher and/or taste better.

Pot-Noodles. No. Just... no.

Smile during your exams.

Don't use the PC's in the library for Bebo. It's proper **** behaviour.

Nanaki

nice posts

Dont get involved in any drinking games with culchies. You'll lose and may be molested in the process

:P haha

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

Nanaki

Is the spar *really* overpriced?

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

Nanaki

cool, I shall be stocking up on food to bring back after the weekends so :P

Diarmaid07

Mammy's home cooking, freshly frozen =D

goodgodholmes

Tips?

Choose life. Choose clubs & socs.

Nanaki

score!
good job I like pasta :P
*cliched I know*

ding_dong

mehfesto2 wrote: »

What I've learned in my years:

Best Chipper: Macaris - across from the Ballymun Enterance
Best Chinese: Excellent - Ballygall shops. Get the number. Seriously good stuff.

The Cinema in Omni Park does student rates Mon-Friday only.

You don't actually have to speak Irish to sit in the Irish Couch in the Canteen. Throw in the cupla focail or pretend you're non EU and demand equal rights if questioned.

Free condoms on freshers week can be used as currency if you know someone who goes through them at a rate of knotts.

The sudden, sharp decline in number of women around campus is usually due to the nurses going 'on placement'. Don't worry they'll return. But the glint in their eye may not.

When joining a society, be wary of the ones that talk about Pokemon. But smile and nod and quietly pocket their sweets.

The vending machines in the Nursing Building WILL eat your money.

The Poster Sale that says it won't return will. You'll have loadsa time to get that arty picture of the cat and the French Writing you don't understand to put beside your wall of Dutch Gold.

Calling it Bava-ria does not make it posher and/or taste better.

Pot-Noodles. No. Just... no.

Smile during your exams.

Don't use the PC's in the library for Bebo. It's proper **** behaviour.

I shall bear this in mind

Good advice again thanks

goodgodholmes

mehfesto2 wrote: »

Don't use the PC's in the library for Bebo. It's proper **** behaviour.

Ah depends on the context. If someone goes into the library and spends hours on Bebo when people waiting on computers are stressed out of their minds waiting to get an assignment done, that's seriously arsey.

But once before, I'd spent 3 hours straight researching and writing for a huge assignment, and I decided to take a little break for about 10 minutes to look at some new photos and reply to a comment, flicked onto Bebo, literally less than 2 mins later some guy comes up and goes, "that's sickening, I've work to do!" and I was like... yeah so do I, showed him the screen, explained the situation and it was grand... but to be honest if I'd been standing there for ages and saw someone just on bebo for ages I'd be really annoyed (especially cos by the time I actually start my assignments, they're generally due in the next day or two!)

Wouldn't mind, but the guy wasn't even waiting, my screen just happened to be facing him when he walked in and he marched straight up to me... psh.

Diarmaid07

Pot-Noodles. No. Just... no.

What about koka noodle.... I just love them =D

AlkalineAcid

Diarmaid07 wrote: »

What about koka noodle.... I just love them =D

You can buy 5 packs (not the pot noodley ones though) for about €2.40 in Dunne's. Proper student food. That ought to do me for a week of dinners!

Fyr.Fytr

This thread should be printed off and sent in the post with orintation timetables lol

Diarmaid07

I'm well aware, but they're not as good as the ones in the pots... different kind of noodles... softer. They *can* be better depending on your mood though...



mood food =D

AlkalineAcid

Yeahh, I prefer the pot Koka myself.

goodgodholmes

I prefer packet noodles! they're so.. soft...

and they absorb flavour better. the pot ones taste like polystyrene...

off topic!

Fyr.Fytr

pot chicken koka's havnt had them in ages must go out and grab one

AlkalineAcid

Curry. So what is everybody's favourite noodle flavour?

mehfesto2

Y'see, what you do, right, is you go down to Tescos with a fiver. Get a big-ass portion of rashers and curry Tesco Brand noodles. And the you cook the noodles and grill the rashers. You break up the rashers into small bits and lump them into the noodles. Bingo-bango - yer fed for the week!

And if you're feeling a little adventurous, grab a packet of burger bites and lob hem in too. No need to thank me. I live to give.

goodgodholmes

mehfesto2 wrote: »

Y'see, what you do, right, is you go down to Tescos with a fiver. Get a big-ass portion of rashers and curry Tesco Brand noodles. And the you cook the noodles and grill the rashers. You break up the rashers into small bits and lump them into the noodles. Bingo-bango - yer fed for the week!

And if you're feeling a little adventurous, grab a packet of burger bites and lob hem in too. No need to thank me. I live to give.

... How are you still alive?! :P

AlkalineAcid

Good idea.

mehfesto2

goodgodholmes wrote: »

... How are you still alive?! :P

Oh forgot to mention the aspirin. Y'don't want the blood getting clogged with all that bacon. You can lump it into the noodles, sure. Might add a 'zest' or some high-fluting thing like that, to it.

Another good one is Rice Krispies and Skittles, but that's a recipe for another day. Can't be giving away all the good ones willy nilly.

estebancambias

I seen the fattest person ever waddling out of Spar in DCU about 2 years ago at the open day......

He seemed quite content within himself as he gorged on his chicken fillet role smothered in mayonaisse.

goodgodholmes

estebancambias wrote: »

I seen the fattest person ever waddling out of Spar in DCU about 2 years ago at the open day......

He seemed quite content within himself as he gorged on his chicken fillet role smothered in mayonaisse.

I tell you those rolls have you more than content

I can see how it's possible to get really fat in DCU, Spar rolls are amazing, vending machines left right and centre and the canteen food is fat-laden but really delicious

I've managed to avoid enormous bulge this year but it's tough not to just gorge!

robby^5

Go to Union Council meetings, get free food.

Winters

Alcohol is healthier than food you muppets.
Go down to the offie.

Diarmaid07

Wincest is best! wrote: »

Alcohol is healthier than food you muppets.
Go down to the offie.

I like this guy...



Hear hear!!

GLaDOS

Wincest is best! wrote: »

Alcohol is healthier than food you muppets.
Go down to the offie.

On that note, there's an offie in the eurospar on ballymun road

essential knowledge

goodgodholmes

More essential knowledge:

In aforementioned Eurospar offo, you can get yourself a nice bottle of INTIS wine for 4.99.

Not all that bad and it gets you flootered.

INTIS is the staple drink of my mates... as we say "get stuck INTIS"

Diarmaid07

what's the best deal you'll get on cider?

AlkalineAcid

Beer?

mehfesto2

The best deal on cider is drinking it for more than a year and not getting some sort of stomach disease.
That or Druids. That's cheap.

Diarmaid07

I was more hoping for cheap bulmers..... =[


ah well

c0rk3r

I was a bulmers drinker and theres no such thing as cheap cider. The cheapest can ive found is tescos for €2.25 whereas anywhere else its usually €2.35... i think. Hardly in the spirit of college living. Heading into 4th year so ive quit my job and have been relegated to Bavaria or some other 4 cans for €5 deals. After the inital first sip, gasp and contorted facial expression, replused head gesture followed by the universal yelp of "jesus this is fcuking digusting", it gets easier to swollow. Its always that first step though.

Good luck with the conversion.

Diarmaid07

Well it's not the taste that turns me off, it's the fact that all beers etc tend to... disagree with me.


I can down 10 to 15 bulmers over a night, but a few sips of beer can have me giving my lunch up...

Shiny

Diarmaid07 wrote: »

Well it's not the taste that turns me off, it's the fact that all beers etc tend to... disagree with me.

I can down 10 to 15 bulmers over a night, but a few sips of beer can have me giving my lunch up...

You could drink "Frosty Jack"......
What I used to drink in first year before I discovered Wine/Dutch Gold.

Buy the 2KG bag of pasta from Tesco, it lasts AGES!

Leave your PC on 24/7 during the winter, more efficient heater than a
2KW monster, gas or Oil. Will also dry clothes hung in the same room.
Never use a tumble dryer due to massive ESB bills.

Rapidshare is your friend for large files in college.
Backup everything to gmail every day to prevent problems with
loosing stuff etc

Forward all your DCU mail to gmail, saves you having to use the crappy
interface and you can block those annoying SU/mass emails easier.

Get a laptop to avoid all the hassle with crowed library and labs towards
the end of the semester.

Get a chicken fillet "wrap" instead of roll in spar, much nicer although
doesn't keep you as full as long as the roll does.

Use computers in your own faculty where possible, they are usually
faster than the ones in the library.

Keep to the lower floors in the library where possible, for the last few
years the windows on the upper floors are broken and don't open leading
to an "oven like" atmosphere up there. You will NOT be able to study in
that stinking heat.

Don't buy any books, get 'em from the Library of course.
Make sure to reserve popular books on the 3 week loan strategically
so you have them for the study period and some of the exam period.

Use the barcode scanner on the top of the turnstiles in the library as
opposed to swiping your card. It IS faster and you look much cooler.

Get earplugs if you are on campus, unless things have changed, the
fire alarms will be set off at 3am frequently.

Get a new account with AIB and get the €50 of whatever they are offering.
Once you have this, close the account and avoid the yearly charges.

Meh, enough ?

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

irish_boy90

eVeNtInE wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

That is a good point. Maybe just live off campus so.

Diarmaid07

Shiny wrote: »

Meh, enough ?

No, more.


Thanks for the 'frosty jacks' tip, I've also heard of 'scrumpy jacks', though I'm not sure if it's a cider?


Also, those two litre plastic bottles look..... dangerous but promising...

Shiny

eVeNtInE wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

You obviously never lived in the old/newish campus then.

Trust me, death is the last thing on your mind when the fire alarm
cannot be shut off due to some twat breaking the glass on 6 or 7
units around the building at 4am. Everyone had to wrap towels around
the sirens in their rooms and "go back to sleep?".
This is a prime example.

The alarms were set off nearly once a week when people come back
from town drunk.
Not sure what it is like on the newest blocks but it would drive you
out of your mind. I "evacuated" the first 3 or 4 times an alarm went
off, I got sense after that and stayed in bed.

Frosty Jack is nasty btw. :cool: