Going to college young

matthew the statue

Not sure if this is in the right forum but I am going to be in college at 16 wont be turning 17 till November and wont be 18 till November of next year. I am just wondering how much of student life will I miss by not being 18 and being able to go out?.

partyatmygaff

Not much tbh. You can always go to house parties or society events to make up for it. It's not the end of the world.

JDOC1996

Get yourself an ID somehow

Macavity.

Getting into nightclubs will be difficult unless you get an ID of some sort. It's really not ideal.

Chancer3001

From more than one viewpoint, it would be so so much better if you deferred for a year and got a part time job.

You'd mature a year, you'd have friends in second year and make new friends in first year.

And obviously, you'd save up a load of money for when you do go to college.

If you can get any job, I'd do that.

thegreatescape

I only turned 17 when I did my Leaving Cert and got offered a course in Dublin. I went and did a PLC for the year even though I got the points for my course and I 100% will never regret it. The year I took out really taught me a lot in terms of what I really wanted to study. I matured so much during the year too and now that I'm 18 I think I'm so much more ready than I was last year for heading to college in September.

EoghanIRL

I'm only 17 and going into first year . I don't see how it's a disadvantage .
Also , Sessions > clubs
Cans > clubs :P

pourquoi

I'd agree with Chancer and Great Escape: take a year off.

I was a year older than my peers going to college and I feel that it benefited me. Your future self will thank you.

It might feel like "all my friends are going to college and I'm not", but in five years' time--even a year's time--that won't be an issue.

Don't ignore your academic maturity either. College is a big step up from school--you're expected to do everything yourself, and that can be more of a challenge than you think. I'm not trying to be patronising, but it is something to bear in mind.

matthew the statue

Should of made myself clearer I am definitely going I have my place accepted I was just wondering what I am messing out on

jd1594

Friend on mine only turned 18 in the summer after a year at UCD. He loved it, went to sessions on campus, even got himself a whirlwind girlfriend. His birthday was in June so we all took him out in Dublin for it.

It's really how you approach it. You don't need clubbing to make friends, I've befriended even the mature students .

Plus, you'll finish your degree at around 20/21? You'll have more time than anyone to find your feet in the world and build some experience.

Macavity.

matthew the statue wrote: »

Should of made myself clearer I am definitely going I have my place accepted I was just wondering what I am messing out on

Getting into most nightclubs and pubs. To be honest, it really depends on what the group of people you hang around with will be doing. For me, it would have been very difficult without ID. Some people who have this problem overcome it by acquiring a fake ID, but do not do that because it is bad. :pac:

petronius

I don't see it as an issue -
if you feel you mature enough go for it, or if you are unsure what you want to do.
I have known friends who deferred a year and in they year away decided to do a different course than they one they had got in the CAO, so reapplied.
I had friends repeat to get more points and while they did, they ended up going to the same college as their friends some of whom were repeating first year, or changed courses.
It doest really matter and in 5 or 10 years time it wont really mater when you started college.
If i was taking/deferring a year from college, I would make sure to make use of it, work to get some cash for college, or go away travelling, learn a skill, explore a talent etc..