Advice for incoming first years

squishykins

I know when I went into first year last year I was chock-full of questions, so I gathered together all of the information I found to be perused at your leisure :P Even people who aren't in first year may want to look at this again

*Disclaimer* I did not write this, merely combined it all in one handy place

Don't take first year too seriously, but at the same time keep up with the work. Go to your lectures, do your assignments and you'll be grand Just remember, this year doesn't count towards your degree!

If you are doing Arts, try to have picked what you think you might want to do by registratrion. As far as I know/remember there are enough places for everyone, no first come first served, especially seeing as registeration is done in alphabetical order. If you are not sure of your subjects, you can move around and try others for up to 3 weeks (I think), and once you have decided for definite you can change them/keep the ones you want.

Check the submission guidelines for your particular department, some (e.g. music dept) don't allow online submissions. I'd be wary of sending it just as a soft copy.

If there's no possible way you can get your assignment in on time, don't panic! E-mail the lecturer/tutor, explain the situation (and send an attachment to prove the assignment's done), if you're sick get a doctor's note, and just get it in as soon as you can. There's no point stressing over something that's out of your hands.

It's a good idea to get an A4 pad for each module, or if you're gonna keep up with your notes, get one A4 pad and rewrite your notes that night. I swear, no later.

If it's easier for you to use a laptop in lectures, use it. But don't start pissing everyone off by using facebook etc.

Don't just wander into a class looking for something you think you might have forgotten maybe. Especially when that class has been going on for half an hour and you're disturbing everyone in the room. Wait till it finishes up at five to.

Generally, attendance is marked, and in some departments (like the German dept), if your attendance drops below 70% (without a good excuse), you get an automatic 0%.

Find out when you need to sign up for tutorials/labs in the departments (usually told in the first lecture) and sign up QUICK if you want a good time.

PACR - Public Access Computer Rooms. You can use teh internetz here. But don't hog it using things like facebook (or boards!) on people that genuinely need it.

You can borrow laptops in the library for up to 3 hours at a time. Ask at the desk.

Consider the other people around you, the ground floor of the library is there for a reason.

Do not powernap during class

Go to fairs day. Join clubs and societies. Have fun.

DO NOT TROLL MOODLE. It's for genuine questions. You will get into trouble.

If you've been promised certain things in your lease, i.e. cutlery in your drawer, not broken furniture etc., don't be afraid to fight and nag for it!

If you can't live in Maynooth, make friends with some people who do. They're invaluable resources

If you're living on campus, the ovens tend not to have markings on them, go to the Residence office and they'll give you a printout explaining the knobs

If you're living off campus and walking to college every morning ... always, always bring spare socks.

Good Pizza Places: Rebel Pizza/Papa Johns(Supermacs pizza place, surprisingly nice!)/Mizzonis

Good Pubs/Bars: O'Neills/Bradys/The Roost are excellent =D Mantra not so much :rolleyes:

If you enjoy writing or generally working with the media, send your details (i.e. name, email, phone number, area of interest) to communications@nuimsu.com

NUIM Medical Centre is behind JH. If you go out the back exit of JH it's the closest building to your right. http://studentservices.nuim.ie/medical-centre
Opening hours are half nine until 16:45 and they take lunch from 12:45 until 2 pm.
If you need a doctor after hours, call 01 6291169

It can get really stressful, don't be afraid to avail of the counselling service. http://studentservices.nuim.ie/counselling

If you have a problem, go to your first year rep! They're there for a reason! Also, don't forget to vote for them at the start of the year!

If you need it, use the maths support centre, nearly everyone does anyway, it's not shameful! http://supportcentre.maths.nuim.ie/

The pool and gym and astroturf are free, book the astroturf in advance though.

How to get a locker in the Arts block: http://campusservices.nuim.ie/StudentLockers.shtml
DON'T leave your stuff in the gym lockers, after two hours they lock tight until 10pm.

Visit the SU shop in the Arts Block! NUIM Hoodies are only €25!

For anyone living in Meadowbrook, Beaufield, Cluain Aoibhinn or any of the estates around there you might see the odd student on their walk to college hopping the wall the lines the back of the South Campus. They are taking the infamous short cut, there are a few ways to take this but I myself find walking down the Canal a bit and then hopping the wall the best option but you do have to hung a wall for dear life and jump about 2 meters but its well worth the risk of your life to shave off 3 minutes of your walk into college.

Pay parking is now in place, so get the bus/train or carpool pleaseandthankyou Don't park in estates/Aldi, you will be caught

Tesco is 24 hour. Dunnes is not. =D

Monday/Tuesday: 8.30 - 8
Wednesday: 8.30 - 9
Thursday/Friday: 8.30- 10
Saturday: 8.30 - 8
Sunday: 10 - 8