Summer Plans

syncosised

What's everyone up to for the summer? I know it's a bit away for most people, but I'm already finished college until September!

I'll be working for the next five months in Galway, but I plan to get loads of other stuff done. For the past two summers, I've made a list on 43 Things, basically just a place to put your goals. I find it's a really good way of keeping track of what you want to do and it makes you more likely to follow through. My list is here, there's only 10 things on it at the moment, but I've had 43 the past few years, so I would like to fill it up. Any suggestions are welcome!

Anyway, what's everyone else up to for their summer, when Leaving Certs and college exams are eventually out of the way?

jefreywithonef

Dinosaur Jr concert, Rory Gallager Festival, Bob Dylan Festival and the Beatles Festival.

Really could do with a job, but it's unlikely I'll be able to get one.

Might try and save up for a guitar (although that'd be quite hard to do without a job) as well.

degausserxo

Between working at the gaeltacht and generally being abroad for the summer (I've never actually had a birthday in Dublin!), I never really had time to just hang out with friends before, so I look forward to doing aaaabsolutely nothing this year!

syncosised

That sounds like a perfect summer blueprint, doing nothing!

Monzo wrote: »

Dinosaur Jr concert, Rory Gallager Festival, Bob Dylan Festival and the Beatles Festival.

Really could do with a job, but it's unlikely I'll be able to get one.

Might try and save up for a guitar (although that'd be quite hard to do without a job) as well.

Sounds like a very musical summer! Are you staying away from the bigger festivals?

jefreywithonef

syncosised wrote: »

Sounds like a very musical summer! Are you staying away from the bigger festivals?

Not deliberately, I just don't have the money to splash out. Neither the line-up or the "sort of crowd" of Oxegen appeals to me, and while EP does have a few bands I like I wouldn't pay 240euro to see them.

Pygmalion

Nothing, will probably be unemployed and inside 24/7 with the exception of the occassional trip to the pub/house party I probably won't be able to afford .
The joys of living in the middle of nowhere.
Seriously ****ing hate Wexford.

syncosised

I'm lucky, I've got paid placement as part of my course for the whole summer. You're in a similar course, aren't you, Pyg? Something to do with computers anyway? Do you get to do placement at all?

Monzo wrote: »

Not deliberately, I just don't have the money to splash out. Neither the line-up or the "sort of crowd" of Oxegen appeals to me, and while EP does have a few bands I like I wouldn't pay 240euro to see them.

Electric Picnic is amazing, way better than Oxegen. Overall the crowd is much more mature, and the general atmosphere is more enjoyable. All the different areas are really cool, the year before last there was one where they had loads of homemade cider. I'd highly recommend it to anyone to go at least once!

jefreywithonef

syncosised wrote: »

Electric Picnic is amazing, way better than Oxegen. Overall the crowd is much more mature, and the general atmosphere is more enjoyable. All the different areas are really cool, the year before last there was one where they had loads of homemade cider. I'd highly recommend it to anyone to go at least once!

Yeah I'd really like to head there at least once, I've heard the place is really relaxed and, unlike Oxegen, it is filled up with people who are actually into music and not just a massive piss up. Kicking myself I didn't go the year the Stooges, Sonic Youth and the Jesus & Mary Chain were playing.

Arcade Panda

Well I have my interview for art college on the 29th of April and about a week after that it's my birthday!

Then I have to get my toncils out:(

I'm going to have to find another job as I just left my old one...

Pearl Jam in June.

Cirque du Soleil in July.

Then at the end of August my friends and I are going to Turkey for two weeks! Wohoo:) (I'll basically be saving for this all summer).

The rest....prob just hang around with my friends,go out and shtuff.

(I'll be getting a day ticket for Oxegen for my birthday if Arcade Fire are playing the Friday night or the Sunday night, can't go if they headline Saturday night >.<)

jefreywithonef

Arcade Panda wrote: »

Pearl Jam in June.

Gah, really want to go to that. Some website once decreed that Pearl Jam, Radiohead and Arcade Fire are the three best live bands in the world. I've already seen the other two live but I'm probably gonna have to wait another four years for PJ to come around.

Davidius

Apparently I have to get a job or I won't be able to afford next year's registration fee.

Pygmalion

syncosised wrote: »

You're in a similar course, aren't you, Pyg? Something to do with computers anyway? Do you get to do placement at all?

Placement isn't until 3rd year (then it's 6 months I think and counts towards the degree), so no.
Haven't really got a chance at getting anything decent without experience, and even the likes of fast food places don't seem to have much going (which I can't say I'm entirely disappointed about).

Konata

Monzo wrote: »

Dinosaur Jr concert, Rory Gallager Festival, Bob Dylan Festival and the Beatles Festival.

Ah, Ballyshannon. I LOVE the Rory G fest, the whole town goes to hell for 4 days. Were you there last year?

Jay P

The big events are Rage Against the Machine, The Tallest Man on Earth two days later and Peal Jam all in June. June will be made of serious win. I'm considering Oxegen because of Arcade Fire and Julian Casablancas. But it's terribly expensive. Same with Picnic. I really want to go, but it's most likely gonna be too expensive. We'll see.

Other than that, there's a trip to Inis Oirr planned, and also possibly a trip to Portugal with my friends because one of them has a house there, so I'm really hoping that will go ahead.

I've smaller plans as well, like making a guitar, playing with Lego and mecano. I think there are a few smaller things.

I also want to get better at guitar and the drums.

I'll be working at the weekends.
And chilling out for the rest of the time.

Extrasupervery

Glasto

Lots of work

Hopefully getting the fúck away if I can afford it

Electric Picnic

unknown13

Do the Leaving Cert.
Play lots of sports
Get my Full driving license
Go away somewhere
Hopefully get a summer job.

Fad

Promised myself I'd get out of Dublin for at least 2 weeks. That's happening. Road trip of some description hopefully!

Working as much as I can.

Learning to code for next year, have to be able to code properly in Java or else I will not pass second year, regardless of whether I want to do CS in 3rd year or not >_<.

Reading up on Chem, UCD dont have an equivilant of schols, but I need to get a seriously good GPA in Second Year so I can try and get an internship for the summer before Third Year.

Do a bit of distance cycling.

Learn all of Ride the Lightening on guitar.

unknown13

Fad wrote: »

Learn all of Ride the Lightening on guitar.

Nothing beats a bit of Metallica.

Fad

unknown13 wrote: »

Nothing beats a bit of Metallica.

On the contrary, lots of things do , but I love Ride The Lightening, and it has a perfect mix of songs I'd like to learn on it.

norwegianwood

Make the most of it before I head for my impending doom in September.:(

Piste

I really want to go interrailing but I'm not sure if that'll work out with work or if I'll be around the same time as my friends

unknown13

norwegianwood wrote: »

Make the most of it before I head for my impending doom in September.:(

The Leaving Cert.

norwegianwood

unknown13 wrote: »

The Leaving Cert.

Really? Why, thank you for pointing that out.

unknown13

norwegianwood wrote: »

Really? Why, thank you for pointing that out.

Is that what you are doing

syncosised

Pygmalion wrote: »

Placement isn't until 3rd year (then it's 6 months I think and counts towards the degree), so no.
Haven't really got a chance at getting anything decent without experience, and even the likes of fast food places don't seem to have much going (which I can't say I'm entirely disappointed about).

I'm just finished third year now, and my placement seem pretty much the same as yours will be. Some companies do have placement opportunities for students in the summer, regardless of whether it's placement organised by your college. The college might have some information if you get on to them, though it's probably too late for this summer by now.

soccymonster

norwegianwood wrote: »

Make the most of it before I head for my impending doom in September.:(

Oh god, will ya stop!

I'm going to London shopping with my Waterford besties
Limerick hurling and football matches
Up to Mayo for the usual trip to Castlebar and Westport.
I was invited to my cousins rock gig again in Summer :pac:. Last time was hilariously fun. So going again!

suitcasepink

I havnt even thought about it..

Im gonna make a list later of what I want to do, and then see whats realistic!

jumpguy

unknown13 wrote: »

Is that what you are doing

Tis' yeah man! You're terrible at the sarcasm. :P

My summer plans is to get a job. /whatparentswanttohear

soccymonster

jumpguy wrote: »

My summer plans is to get a job. /whatparentswanttohear

I got one in a swanky hotel :P

jefreywithonef

Hotaru wrote: »

Ah, Ballyshannon. I LOVE the Rory G fest, the whole town goes to hell for 4 days. Were you there last year?

Couldn't make it last year because of the Leaving Cert (:() but I was there the year before. Can't wait for it this year, gonna head up the night before it actually starts.

Jay P

soccymonster wrote: »

I got one in a swanky hotel :P

I already got one in a swanky hotel so in yo face.

Mushy

Finish undergraduate college forever(I'm auld for this place)
Go to a festival(stuck between Rock Im Park, Southside, Pukkelpop, and maybe Lowlands)
Pearl Jam twice
could be Deftones gig if gf has her way
somehow keep a job
hopefully move up to dublin
try get some time in Valentia Island

I apologise for my punctuation, or lack thereof, also!

Craguls

It's all up in the air for the moment;

I've applied for an internship that if I got accepted to would mean I get to research either Epilepsy, Schizophrenia or Neurodegradation for 10 weeks but since I'm only I first year I'm a tad sceptical as to whether I'll get it. So I've been applying for other jobs in the meantime.

Everything's money dependant at the moment. However should I secure funding I wouldn't mind going away, heading to Electric Picnic and doing some work on the side for college.

Piste

Cragulus is that SPUR-ON? Because if it is, we both applied for the exact same projects, lol!

Craguls

Piste wrote: »

Cragulus is that SPUR-ON? Because if it is, we both applied for the exact same projects, lol!

It is indeed! I heard there's a bias towards TCD and RCSI applicants since they run the programme. *fingers crossed anyway*

How'd you find the application process? It took me ages to track down referees and letters of recommendation.

Piste

I did it pretty quickly, Wrote letters to my LC Chemistry teacher and my JC Maths/Science teacher. I was also asking a biochem lecturer if she had any research projects I could do and she said she didn't but that I was obviously enthusiastic about research so she wrote me a letter of recommendation for it. So I ended up with three LORs, ended up using the Chem teacher and Biochem lecturer as I thought their recommendation would hold more weight than a JC maths teacher, even though his reference was really lovely.

Is it very competitive to get into? I've no idea how many apply, it wasn't very well publicised in my college. Myself and a friend had to google Summer Undergraduate Reasearch before we even found it, even though it's on the RCSI site. Then there was just a small (A4) poster about it on the biosoc notice board. I'm hoping not too many people apply anyway. Do you've any idea what criteria they use?

Craguls

Piste wrote: »

I did it pretty quickly, Wrote letters to my LC Chemistry teacher and my JC Maths/Science teacher. I was also asking a biochem lecturer if she had any research projects I could do and she said she didn't but that I was obviously enthusiastic about research so she wrote me a letter of recommendation for it. So I ended up with three LORs, ended up using the Chem teacher and Biochem lecturer as I thought their recommendation would hold more weight than a JC maths teacher, even though his reference was really lovely.

Is it very competitive to get into? I've no idea how many apply, it wasn't very well publicised in my college. Myself and a friend had to google Summer Undergraduate Reasearch before we even found it, even though it's on the RCSI site. Then there was just a small (A4) poster about it on the biosoc notice board. I'm hoping not too many people apply anyway. Do you've any idea what criteria they use?

I had a similar experience, wanted a placement for the summer so asked around looking for work within a biology or chemistry lab in TCD. Searched the TCD forum since it's mainly science types and it came up that way from an old thread. So in other words, it was a complete fluke.

Took me ages to apply since I had to earn a letter of recommendation by doing a case study. However because it was to a high standard the developmental zoologist said she'd be happy to write me a glowing one. I did the young scientist back in 4th year with a biosensors & and science publication company where I was a research assistant to a theoretical physicist I helped him manufacture and research a Hep C sensor. I got in touch with him and he happily wrote me the second letter. Got two more scientists to be referee's on my CV too.

As regards criteria, I haven't a clue. Of all the projects running it's probably the vaguest since it's based in "research enthusiasm" rather than anything else. Numbers applying seem low though since only people who are interested seek it out but I hear provided you attend one of the institutes running the programme there's a visable bias. Helpful since it's RCSI & TCIN.

Piste

Eep your application sounds really good. I'm kicking myself for having never done the Young Scientist. I could jsut never come up with a good idea. I did work experience in a Lab in Trinity, but that was in TY so I doubt anyone there would remember my name so I never used them as referees. I hope I sounded enthusiastic enough anyway. You're doing Neuroscience, aren't you?

Craguls

Piste wrote: »

Eep your application sounds really good. I'm kicking myself for having never done the Young Scientist. I could jsut never come up with a good idea. I did work experience in a Lab in Trinity, but that was in TY so I doubt anyone there would remember my name so I never used them as referees. I hope I sounded enthusiastic enough anyway. You're doing Neuroscience, aren't you?

Young scientist was a frustrating but formative experience. 9 hours of research and report writing were not uncommon. However it still helps me out now and again. I was also exceptionally lucky to get to do the project with a research scientist.

Aspiring to, unfortunately there's no direct entry like UCD so you have to do 2 years general science first which can be an awful pain sometimes. At least I can say goodbye to geology and plant biology next year.

Piste

Well if you get this it'll probably help you to get into Neuroscience at least! I know they said they'd let us know in April...any idea when?

Craguls

Piste wrote: »

Well if you get this it'll probably help you to get into Neuroscience at least! I know they said they'd let us know in April...any idea when?

That's the plan! I'm also just hoping applying this year will make next year look good as well. I'm guessing mid April to be honest. They seem to give non Dublin applicants the time to arrange accommodation anyway.

Piste

Were you told about the Galway EUREKA project thing? It looks pretty good, but it's for people with previous research so I might do it next year. I'd love a Summer in Galway!

Craguls

Piste wrote: »

Were you told about the Galway EUREKA project thing? It looks pretty good, but it's for people with previous research so I might do it next year. I'd love a Summer in Galway!

I only saw it after the deadline, it looks like so much fun. (Well about as much fun as infectious disease projects get.) I hadn't looked at any other sites because I didn't know they arranged accommodation for you. Although I hear free Corrib village has mold.... everywhere.

syncosised

Ah it's not that bad. It depends on which apartment, I guess. The apartments are like prison cells to start, but anything like mould and that are mostly due to the way the students treat them!

Piste

Corrib Village is pretty rank, we stayed there once as a family when my dad was at a conference in NUIG. The pay isn't great, per hour it works out at 8 euro which is less than minimum wage, and I don't think it includes accomodation. They do organise trips and stuff though which would be nice. I might do it next year. They provide up to 300 euro in travel expenses so maybe I could pop home the odd weekend too.

I'm really regretting doing so badly in my semester 1 exams. I can see it being a real setback for getting research work =/

Craguls

Piste wrote: »

Corrib Village is pretty rank, we stayed there once as a family when my dad was at a conference in NUIG. The pay isn't great, per hour it works out at 8 euro which is less than minimum wage, and I don't think it includes accomodation. They do organise trips and stuff though which would be nice. I might do it next year. They provide up to 300 euro in travel expenses so maybe I could pop home the odd weekend too.

I'm really regretting doing so badly in my semester 1 exams. I can see it being a real setback for getting research work =/

Apparently as a perk they pay for all your food in the labs too! You are a med student though so they can probably appreciate that background. I'm more annoyed that I was only given all my lab work results (and by extension class standing) now, I've also so much to cram now, alas it's my own fault! Next year I'll be good!

jefreywithonef

syncosised wrote: »

Ah it's not that bad. It depends on which apartment, I guess. The apartments are like prison cells to start, but anything like mould and that are mostly due to the way the students treat them!

As you say it's mostly the students who are at fault (can't believe I'm defending CV!) for not opening windows enough.

I'd say Corrib is grand for a summer stay since, I presume, reception wouldn't be as willing to swindle you out of money.

NTMK

I plan on goin to the Leeds Festival and not having any repeat exams and hopefully find a job

A Neurotic

Lollygag, lounge, mooch, dawdle, relax, faff, go insane with boredom.

KnifeWRENCH

I've applied to do a research project for the summer, but loads of people applied and I'm probably not going to get it.
So I'll more than likely do what I did last summer: sweet fcuk all.

red herring

working as a sailing instructor.