Christmas Commons 2008

Cantab.

So who's going?

I'm booked for 3 sittings already.

It's a pity students don't attend more often during the year. The place is going stale with the scholar clan having taken over the whole show.

And why don't students wear their gowns anymore?!

PurpleFistMixer

How much does it cost if you're not a scholar?

antiselfdual

27 euro apparently. That may be a special Christmas commons price though. I know it's 18.50 for societies normally; I'm not sure if that's different to the student rate. It's possibly worth it. There were crackers (of the pullable variety, not the biscuit) yesterday and a choir today... all very festive...

Cantab.

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

How much does it cost if you're not a scholar?

Am I detecting an implicit assumption there that Commons is reserved for the Fellows and scholars?

Commons is for everyone.

PurpleFistMixer

Cantab. wrote: »

Am I detecting an implicit assumption there that Commons is reserved for the Fellows and scholars?

Commons is for everyone.

Commons is for everyone willing to pay for it, and scholars, I think you mean. : p
The fact that I asked how much it is for non-scholars, and not "you mean the normals can get it?" might suggest that I know it's not reserved for them. I imagine more of them get it than non-scholars, but that's due to the free issue more than anything else.

Podge_irl

Cantab. wrote: »

The place is going stale with the scholar clan having taken over the whole show.

Yeah, we suck.

€27 is quite steep for what you actually get at Christmas Commons. If possible go when the choir is there, it enhances the entire experience somewhat.

Cantab.

Podge_irl wrote: »

Yeah, we suck.

€27 is quite steep for what you actually get at Christmas Commons. If possible go when the choir is there, it enhances the entire experience somewhat.

Well maybe if students participated, economies of scale would kick in. I'm sure the nice people in the catering office could do with an extra few bob coming in (like everywhere else in College at the mo).

And maybe if certain Scholars (we all know who they are) actually engaged in civilised discussion instead of sneering at the Commoners, we wouldn't have this staleness problem.

I've been insulted twice already this year. The Fellows gave the scholars a serious dressing-down last year over their attitude and quite right too.

Mark200

I heard a rumour that Trinity College is involved in education too....

james80000

Cantab. wrote: »

I've been insulted twice already this year.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Cantab.

Mark200 wrote: »

I heard a rumour that Trinity College is involved in education too....

This is a university with a collegiate tradition. It's not a technical training college.

I recommend you read Cardinal Newman's "The Idea of a University".

HL-203-144

It should be taken out of Santry and put in LEN alongside 10 additional copies.

Mark200

Cantab. wrote: »

This is a university with a collegiate tradition. It's not a technical training college.

I recommend you read Cardinal Newman's "The Idea of a University".

Not if he's going to moan about students not wearing gowns aswell

Boston

Cantab. wrote: »

I've been insulted twice already this year.

There's more where that came from!

starn

Mark200 wrote: »

I heard a rumour that Trinity College is involved in education too....

Really ??

Running Bing

Cantab. wrote: »

Well maybe if students participated, economies of scale would kick in. I'm sure the nice people in the catering office could do with an extra few bob coming in (like everywhere else in College at the mo).

And maybe if certain Scholars (we all know who they are) actually engaged in civilised discussion instead of sneering at the Commoners, we wouldn't have this staleness problem.

I've been insulted twice already this year. The Fellows gave the scholars a serious dressing-down last year over their attitude and quite right too.

Maybe if they were encouraged more?


As somebody who has recently finished a four year undergraduate programme the only knowledge I have of commons is what I have gleamed off this very forum!

Im still not 100% on the concept. Its not like I dont care or think we should turn TCD into some sort of IT....I think traditions like this and schols are fantastic and make the college what it is, not once was my class ever informed of commons by anybody in authority. Im sure the majority of my class wouldnt have a clue what they were if you asked them now.

I think a greater effort needs to be made on the college's part to inform students, promote these traditions and basically keep them alive.

Mark200

Babybing wrote: »

Maybe if they were encouraged more?


As somebody who has recently finished a four year undergraduate programme the only knowledge I have of commons is what I have gleamed off this very forum!

Im still not 100% on the concept. Its not like I dont care or think we should turn TCD into some sort of IT....I think traditions like this and schols are fantastic and make the college what it is, not once was my class ever informed of commons by anybody in authority. Im sure the majority of my class wouldnt have a clue what they were if you asked them now.

I think a greater effort needs to be made on the college's part to inform students, promote these traditions and basically keep them alive.

I agree. Definitely from my side too, as someone who has just started in Trinity, I've learnt the vast majority of Trinity's traditions etc from this forum. Not once have I heard most of this stuff been mentioned from Trinity itself.

Tricity Bendix

Cantab. wrote: »

(we all know who they are)

Nope.

And why don't students wear their gowns anymore?!

I don't have a gown.

Podge_irl

b.ie curious wrote: »

I don't have a gown.

While I am thoroughly loathe to agree with Cantab. on anything (especially as his knowledge of Cambridge seems spotty at best), I do think that scholars should still be made to wear gowns. Its a small issue, but I think it would help scholars realise that its a tradition and there is a lot of history to it rather then just the "free meal" attitude that goes with it these days. Also they look cool.

As regards the first bit, neither I nor any scholars I knew "sneered" at "commoners". If anything I was slightly embarrassed that the commons experience could and should be so much more - at the moment its just a (rather rushed) meal with a latin grace at either end. The ceremony surrounding it is important, its supposed to be more then just a meal, it is an important college tradition. A balance does need to be struck between tradition and function, and I feel the college is currently tending too much towards neglecting its tradition.

Running Bing

Out of interest can graduates go to commons? If so how do you actually go about it? Turn up at the dining hall at a certain time and give a secret handshake?

How much does it usually cost?

Randomness

I definitely agree that more should be done by the college to promote traditional college events etc.

I'm the kind of person who would find these things out and even I didn't know about Christmas Commons. So I can guarantee that 90% of the student body don't know.

Stuff like the College Races, Chariots of Fire, Chapel Carol Service, Commons, Colours Match and many others things.

It's a shame really, there is so much history, tradition and ritual associated with Trinity yet many students will pass through and never experience any of it.

Telling students about this should be done online but the problem is when you click on tcd.ie all you see is either a) stuff that already happened or b) stuff that has nothing do to with you e.g random talks about a new policy or something.

I propose a weekly email (don't moan about more emails, they are the easiest way to reach people) with a list of events (criteria for inclusion would be an issue) that are going on in college. E.g talks, lectures, events and the traditional college events when they occur.

Maybe the Provost could email us or something so that we actually know who he is and tell us what interesting things are going on in the college he is in charge of.