Dunno where to go to college :/

LegacyUser

Im from a very quiet area and Im in sixth year at the moment. I really want to do a science course and I am unsure as to where to do it. I had initially planned to go to dublin as I feel I need to get out of my comfort zone. The only thing is Im very worried that its too far out of my comfort zone?
Im very nervous when In dublin, as in constantly watching my bag etc. and I get very nervous waiting for the luas and stuff when there are people begging and druggies nearby.Im afraid that I will go up there and have a pure heart attack and hate it.
My other option would be galway but the problem is that an awful lot of people in my town go to galway and it would just be a continuation of secondary school, whereas I would prefer a clean slate.
Anyone have any advice?thanks

tommy21

Would you consider Cork (UCC)? Has elements of what you are looking for but in a smaller setting. Beyond that you must watch this tendency of yours to be afraid all the time - you may need to see someone to see where its coming from. Nothing wrong with a healthy dose of suspicion, but if you feel on edge all the time when nothing is wrong, its a problem, and one that will likely worsen.

I don't mean to scare you, but your bag can get stolen anywhere. Yeah some parts of Dublin are dodgey, but so are some parts of Galway. If you stay away from home, stay in the college accommodation, you'll be with other students, most likely the same age as you, probably also their first time away from home. Everyone's in the same boat. If you're the type of person who wants college to be a new experience, finding independence and looking after yourself, then take the opportunity to move away to an environment that isn't home, but is full of people who both understand your situation and are probably in the same situation themselves.

I commute to college, but I've stayed with friends in college accommodation before, and there really is a sense of everyone being independent but still having the help of those around them. There's a good sense of community. Even though you're living on your own, there's a real sense of safety. The first time your clothes are dirty, there'll always be someone else who's never used a laundrette before, or when you don't know where a class is, or have college issues, there'll always be people around who get it, and can probably help. Plus the people you live with are a ready-made group of friends, likely from different courses, so that you're not confined to just making friends in your course.

I live in Dublin, half an hour from the city, and I spent most of my weekends in the city from the age of 14, and I've never been mugged, or hassled, or harassed. I'd be lying if I said it was some kind of safe utopia, it's certainly not, but once your sensible, and you don't let yourself get scared before anything's happened to you, you'll be fine. Sometimes if I'm in town at night, waiting for the bus/dart, someone who's had a few drinks might come over and start talking to me, but these guys are generally harmless, just a bit tipsy and thinking they're the biz. I'd always keep my hand on my bag in a public place, but I'd do that whether I was in Dublin, the back end of nowhere, or off having tea with the Queen. Once you're not wandering around the city centre at night, you've not much to worry about, and certainly, the level of safety is not going to change dramatically between Galway/Dublin/Cork.

If this is what you want to do, do it. You might regret it for a long time if you don't. Everyone feels nervous their first time away from home. I didn't even leave home when I started going to college, just commuted half an hour, and I was really nervous too. I almost got sick on the way in! You can't start letting it hold you back or it will hold you back your entire life. Good Luck

Zen65

collegewoes wrote: »

The only thing is Im very worried that its too far out of my comfort zone?

Dublin is close enough to anywhere in the country, so you'll never be too far from your comfort zone here. The science courses in UCD & TCD are top class and that's what you should be focussed on. You'll get over your fears after your first week, so don't let them hold you back.

You do need to consider the cost of going to college and discuss that with your parents. Their views are really critical on this matter, so start talking to them about it.


Be at peace,

Z

reap-a-rat

On the matter of you being unsure about Galway because a lot of folks from your town go there I have some advice! My area is the same, but Galway is a big enough place to avoid people if you want to! In student accommodation and your course you'll make new circles of friends and if you want to stick with your home friends, you can! Its very different once you actually experience it:)! Either way, go with your heart!

WhatWillBee

OP if you want to do a science course I would only recommend two colleges; DCU or UL.

This is not to say that other colleges don't have excellent courses but only DCU and UL offer a work placement in the 3rd year which means you come out of your degree with something on your CV, which in this climate is invaluable.

Look, no matter where you go it's going to be a shock, moving out of home, being an adult for the first time etc etc. You may start watching your bag on the luas, and thinking everyone is out to get you, but I can guarantee that feeling will be gone after a month. Once you see that everyone else is fine and make a few friends, you will be grand.

If it's only fear stopping you from going to a college, then just suck it up and give it a go. You're never going to get anywhere in life if you let worries and fears stop you getting what you want.

Firetrap

I think you shouldn't let your fear of Dublin stop you from doing the course which suits you best. As long as you use a bit of common sense, you'll be fine. If you let this fear best you, you'll never go anywhere. Will it mean that when you go jobhunting, that you'll strike Dublin off the list straight away? You get my drift. Dublin's not all bad. Sure, you'll need to keep an eye on your bag and exercise a bit of common sense regarding where and when you go places. That applies to any city/town in Ireland that is of any size.