Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
DCU Freshers 2015/2016
Comments
-
Hey, there ,
I'll be starting dcu myself in September and I don't really know many people starting so I'm up for meeting new people and also if anyone else is looking for accomodation in dublin and would be interested in sharing with me could you pm me? Thanks
Hey, what course will you be studying.?0 -
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
Well just came across this thread there now, its cool to see people that might be going to DCU talking like this.
i have Enterprise computing down on the old CAO too but its kinda starting to look like most people do :O im also looking for accommodation i might have someone to share a room with me depending on how the house hunting goes, just out of interest where is the best places to go looking for accommodation ?
And is there any usfull tips i should know regarding life in DCU as a first early e.g. the do's and don't. :P0 -
Well just came across this thread there now, its cool to see people that might be going to DCU talking like this.
i have Enterprise computing down on the old CAO too but its kinda starting to look like most people do :O im also looking for accommodation i might have someone to share a room with me depending on how the house hunting goes, just out of interest where is the best places to go looking for accommodation ?
And is there any usfull tips i should know regarding life in DCU as a first early e.g. the do's and don't. :P
Handy areas would be Glasnevin, Drumcondra, Santry, Phibsborough - they're all only a short walk/cycle/bus from DCU. When you're looking at houses make sure you check what public transport options etc. are available nearby as you don't want to be stuck somewhere very awkward. House hunting is pretty tough in Dublin these days as there is a huge shortage of housing so be prepared to make a quick decision if you want a house - waiting around will almost guarantee it gets snapped up in the meantime. Start as soon as you can after getting your results too cause it's gonna be cut-throat in August.
For do's and don'ts... well, talk to as many people as possible in your first few weeks. You won't hit it off with everyone but it'll broaden your circles and help you find people you get on with. Give any society you're interested in a go, especially in first year. You'll regret not getting involved when you're in final year and bogged down with work!
That said, don't totally ignore your studies either! There's a lot of pressure in college with every exam and assessment because if you fail, you have to repeat - and if you repeat the fail you have to repeat the full year which costs a lot in both time and money! So keep on top of your work and don't ever skip out on any continuous assessment even if it seems stupid and is "only 10%". Exams are tough and CA will be what gives you a good chance to keep your grades up.
That's all for now, though I could ramble on for ages ha :P0 -
Ha thanks, well i have a car anyway so i suppose i can look a little out of the way but i hear that parking is a bit of a problem in DCU ?
i know what your saying about getting out there and meeting people to be fair i say i wont have a problem with that i usually will talk to anyone about anything, not always a good thing but sure be grand too
Would you recommend any good society i should look at ? i was just wondering is there a Macra in DCU ? i know not usually something you find in a city but still worth the ask
im just wondering are the exams very hard ?0 -
Ha thanks, well i have a car anyway so i suppose i can look a little out of the way but i hear that parking is a bit of a problem in DCU ?
i know what your saying about getting out there and meeting people to be fair i say i wont have a problem with that i usually will talk to anyone about anything, not always a good thing but sure be grand too
Would you recommend any good society i should look at ? i was just wondering is there a Macra in DCU ? i know not usually something you find in a city but still worth the ask
im just wondering are the exams very hard ?
Yea, parking is a bit of a pain unless you're there very early. If you've a 9am and you get there by 8.30/8.40 you'll be grand but anything after that? You'd have to be very lucky to get a space on time for your lecture. So unless you start at 9am every day or maybe if you only have an evening lecture (after 4pm-ish), I wouldn't really chance it. You'll soon figure out what's best but when you're looking for a house try and look for ones close to the college or public transport all the same! Driving in Dub can be an awful pain sometimes anyway.
I had to google what a Macra was and I'm not even from the city :P I've never heard of one in DCU but I couldn't say there isn't for sure. I don't have a huge experience with societies (my advice about regretting it if you don't get involved in 1st/2nd year was from first hand experience!) but give anything that catches your interest a go. It's very cheap to sign up so you won't lost much by joining anyway, even if you never go to any of the events.
The exams are hard mainly because of the pressure not to fail. The university style of teaching and assessment takes some getting used to aswell - in the leaving cert you're told exactly what to highlight in your book to learn and you can look at tons of exam papers to see the exact questions asked etc. There's less of that in college. Lectures are much broader and your lecturers could talk about tons of things you'll never be assessed on. You're also usually expected to do a fair bit of reading and research on your own, depending on the subject you're studying. You'll still get some samples and some modules have past exam papers available but its just a very different experience to the leaving cert and takes time to get accustomed to! I really do feel that its the pressure not to fail that makes college assessments more stressful too - when you were in secondary school you could've failed every test you took without much consequence as long as you passed the leaving cert but in college, every exam/assignment counts and the chances of failing are much more frequent. But don't worry - as I say, if you stay on top of things and don't leave everything to the absolute last minute, you'll be grand 0 -
Advertisement
-
-
Yea, parking is a bit of a pain unless you're there very early. If you've a 9am and you get there by 8.30/8.40 you'll be grand but anything after that? You'd have to be very lucky to get a space on time for your lecture. So unless you start at 9am every day or maybe if you only have an evening lecture (after 4pm-ish), I wouldn't really chance it. You'll soon figure out what's best but when you're looking for a house try and look for ones close to the college or public transport all the same! Driving in Dub can be an awful pain sometimes anyway.
I had to google what a Macra was and I'm not even from the city I've never heard of one in DCU but I couldn't say there isn't for sure. I don't have a huge experience with societies (my advice about regretting it if you don't get involved in 1st/2nd year was from first hand experience!) but give anything that catches your interest a go. It's very cheap to sign up so you won't lost much by joining anyway, even if you never go to any of the events.
The exams are hard mainly because of the pressure not to fail. The university style of teaching and assessment takes some getting used to aswell - in the leaving cert you're told exactly what to highlight in your book to learn and you can look at tons of exam papers to see the exact questions asked etc. There's less of that in college. Lectures are much broader and your lecturers could talk about tons of things you'll never be assessed on. You're also usually expected to do a fair bit of reading and research on your own, depending on the subject you're studying. You'll still get some samples and some modules have past exam papers available but its just a very different experience to the leaving cert and takes time to get accustomed to! I really do feel that its the pressure not to fail that makes college assessments more stressful too - when you were in secondary school you could've failed every test you took without much consequence as long as you passed the leaving cert but in college, every exam/assignment counts and the chances of failing are much more frequent. But don't worry - as I say, if you stay on top of things and don't leave everything to the absolute last minute, you'll be grand
Ha knowing me i will always be late :O But ye i understand what your saying, it would probably make more sense to take the bus.
Ye anyone i talked to about the societies said the same thing so i may just join them all
and if anyone wants to be friendly and have the chats just PM me dont be shy :P 0 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
I'm also starting computer applications this coming September (providing everything goes to plan)
I won't be staying in Shanowen Square however but I know a couple of people who were there last year and they said it was brilliant, its supposed to be really good for first years. 0 -
I'm also starting computer applications this coming September (providing everything goes to plan)
I won't be staying in Shanowen Square however but I know a couple of people who were there last year and they said it was brilliant, its supposed to be really good for first years.
Ah nice one! Only realised how late DCU's orientation is as well.
It seemed like the best choice, if I don't get on campus, which I have a fairly slim chance at I'd say haha, where are you hoping on staying? Or are you living in Dublin:)0 -
-
Ah nice one! Only realised how late DCU's orientation is as well.
It seemed like the best choice, if I don't get on campus, which I have a fairly slim chance at I'd say haha, where are you hoping on staying? Or are you living in Dublin:)
Ye I'm the same but I hear that the campus accommodation isn't that great and fairly stricked :0
Ye why is the orientation so late ?
I'm hoping to get a house close to dcu with a few friends, I'm just trying to find the sweet spot between what I want and the money I can spend not the easiest thing to do :0 accommodation is pricey :PGod we might just have the whole computer applications class here on boards
Who would have guessed that the computer students would find each other online :P I think it's good that people get to know each other before they start, at least you have some chance of seeing a friendly on the first day 0 -
-
No idea why it's so late, winter exams are in January too which is fairly strange!
Houses in Whitehall, in Grace Park Heights seem to be reasonably priced, someone I know lives there and it's pretty well fitted and between a few people it wouldn't be too much money!
Hoping I'll get into accommodation with a couple of CA/EC students tbh :P
That is a bit strange and a pain because then you have to be studying over Xmas :0
Ye I have heard that, i may just go house hunting fairly hard and find somewhere nice
Ahh surely there will be at least one or 2 people from those courses around 0 -
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
Do you have any interest in debating? Any law students I know all do it and it'd be cool to sort of know a fresher in DCU that wants to do it too :P
Um, I haven't really thought about that yet. I have heard that it is a good activity to take part in to develop skills etc. so I will maybe give it a go 0
Advertisement