Things we actually *like* about NUIG

TheCosmicFrog

In this thread we discuss things we actually like about NUI Galway. The reasons why we're happy (or at least partially so) to be a student here. Think of this as the opposite to the "Official Bitch" thread. The Anti-Santa, if you will.

Personally, I like the huge society presence (largest for any college in Ireland I believe?) on-campus. The societies also have fantastic facilities compared to a lot of other colleges, even if they can be difficult to book at short notice. Much of this is owed to the tireless work of Ríona Hughes, the Societies' Officer, who genuinely pours her heart and soul into the job.

Trying to think of the positive things in this university just makes me want to post in the other thread :rolleyes:

JohnnyHubcaps

RAG Week

oh, wait

Squeeonline

Chilling out in Smokey's with friends, skipping yet another lecture.

Hunchback

everyone holds doors open for each other

joeKel73

College bar dinners (usually)

JohnnyHubcaps

CKonetheonlyone wrote: »

everyone holds doors open for each other

Tell you what's awkward. Walking from the concourse to the IT building and holding a door open for someone, then having to pick the pace up a bit so you put enough distance between the two of ye that you don't have to hold the next door open for them as well like some sort of corridor slave.

RolandIRL

Squeeonline wrote: »

Chilling out in Smokey's with friends, skipping yet another lecture.

This...a thousand times this

ru437z9t8fidq2

JohnnyHubcaps wrote: »

Tell you what's awkward. Walking from the concourse to the IT building and holding a door open for someone, then having to pick the pace up a bit so you put enough distance between the two of ye that you don't have to hold the next door open for them as well like some sort of corridor slave.

so so so true... happens every single day

the keen edge

I like how town is only a few minutes walk away from the campus.

It seems to be crime free in my experience. Pretty much everyone is sound, I haven't seen any student that a would class as a scumbag. The only rough characters you'd see are those taking a shortcut through the college grounds.

KittyeeTrix

The students are some of the soundest people I've ever met!!
I'm a mature student (37) but they have never made me feel like an auld wan:D
Have to say that the 4 years I spent in NUIG were brilliant. Wish it wasn't coming to an end:(

Zillah

As a recent graduate I am delighted that our student cards don't have expiry dates on them.

Squeeonline

Zillah wrote: »

As a recent graduate I am delighted that our student cards don't have expiry dates on them.

This.

I have used them more since I'm no longer a student than when I was.

Bluffed it on the Luas the other day when using a student ticket but didnt have a stupid travel card. Worded a charm.

aperture_nuig

The new Engineering building

bildo

I love that there is ALWAYS something to do. Any evening you can find something interesting on somewhere to go to see beit a film screen, debate or lecture organised by a society there is just constantly somethign interesting to go to

Ruire

The IT Café. Oh €1.70 flat whites, where have you been all my life...

Zillah wrote: »

As a recent graduate I am delighted that our student cards don't have expiry dates on them.

There's a chip inside that does, however. So you might fool the stewards, but it's otherwise useless.

dastardly00

Ruire wrote: »

Zillah wrote: »

As a recent graduate I am delighted that our student cards don't have expiry dates on them.

There's a chip inside that does, however. So you might fool the stewards, but it's otherwise useless.

Sorry off-topic, could you explain about the chip?

On topic, It's great that the university is close to the city centre and the countryside. There are alot of societies and clubs. And the new engineering building

QueenOfLeon

Ruire wrote: »

The IT Café. Oh €1.70 flat whites, where have you been all my life...

:eek: I am there!

Smokeys It is shameful the amount of free coffees I get throughout the year, I try not to think of how many I had to buy in the first place to get them

Ruire

dastardly00 wrote: »

Sorry off-topic, could you explain about the chip?

I'm the wrong person to ask. All I know is it's that RFID chip thing what allows me to swipe my wallet against the printers rather than have to bother taking my card out, like with an Oyster or Navigo card.

QueenOfLeon wrote: »

:eek: I am there!

I'm that one who continuously annoys the poor barista woman by asking for them all the time.

dastardly00

Ruire wrote: »

I'm the wrong person to ask. All I know is it's that RFID chip thing what allows me to swipe my wallet against the printers rather than have to bother taking my card out, like with an Oyster or Navigo card.

Ah yeah I knew about that. I'm not too bothered about that functionality as hopefully in a couple of years I won't need to come back into NUIG to do some printing/photocopying.
However, still getting a student discount on cinema tickets will be fun

Ruire

dastardly00 wrote: »

However, still getting a student discount on cinema tickets will be fun

This is true. Though it will eventually become obvious!

aperture_nuig

Ruire wrote: »

This is true. Though it will eventually become obvious!

Just tell them you're repeating! Or a returning student :cool:

joeKel73

dastardly00 wrote: »

However, still getting a student discount on cinema tickets will be fun

The cinema in Letterkenny no longer accepts NUIG student IDs unless you have a current student travel pass to go with it.

the keen edge

foto joe wrote: »

The cinema in Letterkenny no longer accepts NUIG student IDs unless you have a current student travel pass to go with it.

That BS on their behalf TBH.

Students are not required to have a student travel pass, they are only require to have a valid college/uni student id.

Don't let 'em bastards away with it!.

dastardly00

the keen edge wrote: »

That BS on their behalf TBH.

Students are not required to have a student travel pass, they are only require to have a valid college/uni student id.

Don't let 'em bastards away with it!.

An "Occupy Letterkenny" perhaps :pac:

joeKel73

Liking the busking around college this week.

the keen edge wrote: »

they are only require to have a valid college/uni student id.

No way of knowing if the NUIG student IDs are valid now though. Sorry - moving off topic!

LadyMayBelle

Not sure if this still applies, but last year when I was there I discovered that the cafe in the gym had better and cheaper sandwiches than the ones in Friars...and the smoothies etc were also...and less of a queue. Win win all round.

Raging_Ninja

Moffets.

Ruire

Raging_Ninja wrote: »

Moffets.

Oh god, the food... The food! And the coffee. Oh sweet baby Jesus, the coffee.

And that time they were giving away coffee with lunch. Oh yes.

aido179

aperture_nuig wrote: »

The new Engineering building

predictably the most over-engineered building in the country.

Also...Whats a flat white and how do I get one?

Squeeonline

aramush wrote: »

Sin newspaper. The only use I ever have for it is putting it down the holes on the pool table.

Not in Galway any more, but managed to get a couple of issues of SIN this year, and it is WAYYYY improved. More like a newspaper now as it has had actual news with some analysis unlike the features filled years before.

NuckyT

Squeeonline wrote: »

Not in Galway any more, but managed to get a couple of issues of SIN this year, and it is WAYYYY improved. More like a newspaper now as it has had actual news with some analysis unlike the features filled years before.

Disappointing How are this years freshers supposed to learn how to get 'Da Shift' or 'Da Ride' in CP's ?

TheCosmicFrog

Have to agree about the new SIN. Fine work by Rosemary and her team. Last year's was cringe.

MissMoppet

We seem to have an ok SU compared to other Uni's..Gotta the College bar!

TheCosmicFrog

Must say, I love the new Reading Room. The antechamber on the doors keeps most of the noise out and the RFID lock on the outside will deter at least *some* people from coming in. Plenty of plug sockets too. And no-one climbing over everyone else just to get to their end seat on the table.

I was told about a possible Reading Room renovation by last year's SU Education Officer (this year's President Emmet Connolly). I mentioned that a door setup like there is now would help a lot with the noise and was told it was all in the plan. What's nice is that it was actually all done. Kudos to the library/SU/whoever else was involved in the planning.

the keen edge

TheCosmicFrog wrote: »

Must say, I love the new Reading Room. The antechamber on the doors keeps most of the noise out and the RFID lock on the outside will deter at least *some* people from coming in. Plenty of plug sockets too. And no-one climbing over everyone else just to get to their end seat on the table.

I was told about a possible Reading Room renovation by last year's SU Education Officer (this year's President Emmet Connolly). I mentioned that a door setup like there is now would help a lot with the noise and was told it was all in the plan. What's nice is that it was actually all done. Kudos to the library/SU/whoever else was involved in the planning.

Never been in the reading room yet, pre nor post renovation.

It seems a little cramped in there. I know the library can also be, however the RR seems always busy, whereas the library only has its rush hours, and typically I'm in there early mornings, Fridays and Saturdays.

I do however appreciate good manners and adherence to library etiquette:).
So what advantage does the RR offer over the library when it comes getting in some quality studying cramming.

meeka

the keen edge wrote: »

So what advantage does the RR offer over the library when it comes getting in some quality studying cramming.

I'm not a massive fan of it myself (don't really know why, I just get distracted in there) but I'd say the main advantage is that it's open after 5.30pm at weekends. and it's open from 7am, if you're so inclined..

TheCosmicFrog

the keen edge wrote: »

So what advantage does the RR offer over the library when it comes getting in some quality studying cramming.

The only real advantages are a guaranteed plug socket, the longer opening hours (7am to 1.30am) and the fact you can bring in things like tea/coffee without getting yelled at.

RolandIRL

NUIG Dog...I saw Foxy this morning outside Centra, the CIA still haven't been able to capture him.

Ruire

RolandIRL wrote: »

NUIG Dog...I saw Foxy this morning outside Centra, the CIA still haven't been able to capture him.

Unpopular opinion, I know, but I can't stand that ratty excuse for a dog.

Dave Van Ronk

Ruire wrote: »

Unpopular opinion, I know, but I can't stand that ratty excuse for a dog.

I second that motion. He's an attention seeking mutt, randomly barking at strangers outside the library & distracting people inside.

meeka

Dave Van Ronk wrote: »

I second that motion. He's an attention seeking mutt, randomly barking at strangers outside the library & distracting people inside.

But he's cute! :P I'd say he's just picked up terrible habits from students constantly feeding him, etc. It's bad form that his owners let him wander around aimlessly on his own, really..

Back on topic - I ate at Moffets for the first time today, (finally managed to get there, after 3 and a half years at NUIG...) - it was lovely! It seemed like an actual restaurant as opposed to a student canteen. I'll definitely make an effort to eat there again, the odd time..

BhoscaCapall

Where is Moffets? Is that the place next to the IT building on the ground floor? I saw that before but have never heard anything about it, and just assumed it was a place for university events/guests and not student scum like ourselves.

aido179 wrote: »

Also...Whats a flat white and how do I get one?

In the coffee shop I worked in it was just a stronger latte i.e. it was served in a small sized cup but with a double-shotof espresso (smalls would usually have one), therefore less milk:coffee.

Raging_Ninja

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Where is Moffets? Is that the place next to the IT building on the ground floor? I saw that before but have never heard anything about it, and just assumed it was a place for university events/guests and not student scum like ourselves.

Yeah, its in the ground floor of the Orbsen Building.

joeKel73

Ruire wrote: »

The IT Café. Oh €1.70 flat whites, where have you been all my life...

Tried one this evening - tasty.

joeKel73

The college bar has a real Christmas tree.

Gadhafi

having exams BEFORE the christmas

Skopzz

Gadhafi wrote: »

having exams BEFORE the christmas

I would prefer after x-mas because you don't really get much time to study before x-mas due to assessments, assignments. Having the holidays to study is definitely a bonus. I might recommend this to the exams committee.

Squeeonline

Skopzz wrote: »

I would prefer after x-mas because you don't really get much time to study before x-mas due to assessments, assignments. Having the holidays to study is definitely a bonus. I might recommend this to the exams committee.

GTFO.

My friends who were in Maynooth etc who have their exams after xmas, have their holidays ruined. It also screws things up for foreign students like the yanks who want to go home after exams, and not miss a second semester back in their own uni.

ethernet

Gadhafi wrote: »

having exams BEFORE the christmas

*sobs* How I dearly miss this about NUIG
Now back to studying for tomorrow ...

Foxx92

A bridge is going to be built by the kayaking club to shorten the journey from town-side by a few minutes!

Squeeonline

Foxx92 wrote: »

A bridge is going to be built by the kayaking club to shorten the journey from town-side by a few minutes!

The Kayak club are building a bridge all by themselves?