Newbie Questions

peanuthead · 19-08-2009 2:29am #1

Hey

I'm heading to Maynooth in september, I'm a mature student (yeah yeah, I know, boo...mature fu**ing mature student )

I have a few questions about NUIM, hope you guys can help me out:

(1) Are there lockers available for rent? How much are they? Big? Small?
(2) There's a running track, right? How long is it? Can I just head out to it at 8am or so, before I start lectures? Are there showers available, are they close?
(3) Whats parking like? A nightmare or ok?
(4) Whats food like? Cheap?
(5) Are the computers on campus available or is it like the lottery getting one? I'm wondering if i'd be better off investing in a laptop as I hate waiting and I remember doing ALOT of this in my UCD days

Any other advice??? I know, I'm a geek!

Rozabeez · 19-08-2009 2:59am

The lockers are reasonably sized, I think they're 10 euro for a year. I'll be investing this year myself.

No idea about the running track. Parking can indeed be a bitch or so I've heard, I'm a bus/train person.

Food is an issue at the moment, I'm sure you're aware of our lack of canteen so the cheapest food on campus is gone. There are however, plenty of places in the town, a Dunnes, a Tesco and several pubs...as well as the on campus cafe, the bar, pugin hall and o'briens.

I've never really had any issues with pcs, the Rye Hall PACR is probably your safest bet, but closes at 5 now instead of 10 because of cutbacks. Arts block room is jammers during the day.

Anything else you'd like to know? And welcome to Maynooth

cython · 19-08-2009 12:52pm

No running track, I'm afraid. You'll have the choices of either:

Treadmills in the gym
Running on/around the pitches
Finding your own route to run around the campus

There are showers in the changing rooms in the Sports Centre on the North Campus.

Síle28 · 19-08-2009 12:59pm

What? no canteen?

should have found that out before I accepted my place

Beau · 19-08-2009 1:19pm

Síle28 wrote: »

What? no canteen? should have found that out before I accepted my place

I presume you didn't come down on the open day then

it went on fire that day.

Don't worry there's a temporary canteen type place in the process of being built (its been thrown up fairly fast so it should be ready in time) while the old one is being rebuilt.

Wendero · 19-08-2009 1:20pm

Hi

Do you have to see your apartment before paying the deposit? I need to know this, because in that case I'm going to have to book tickets to Ireland quite soon:( I did see an apartment during the campus tour however, but I guess that wouldn't count. I'm an EU student.

/John

mickstupp · 19-08-2009 1:23pm

Síle28 wrote: »

What? no canteen? should have found that out before I accepted my place

There's another on the south campus.
In the long run though, it's best bringing your own food.

Síle28 · 19-08-2009 1:29pm

What! no way, such drama, fire on open day jeje. No I wasn't there, haven't actually been to the uni at all so will be a nice surprise for me when I arrive to register on Sept 4th jeje

Rozabeez · 19-08-2009 1:36pm

TBH even when there was a canteen it was a bit nicer to bring your own food, the only issue is not having a place to sit if you do so. Cheaper AND you know whats going into it!

Harpie · 19-08-2009 1:39pm

Beau wrote: »

I presume you didn't come down on the open day then it went on fire that day.

Don't worry there's a temporary canteen type place in the process of being built (its been thrown up fairly fast so it should be ready in time) while the old one is being rebuilt.

Really?? whereabouts? Pugin= expensiveness!

Harpie · 19-08-2009 1:42pm

Wendero wrote: »

Hi

Do you have to see your apartment before paying the deposit? I need to know this, because in that case I'm going to have to book tickets to Ireland quite soon:( I did see an apartment during the campus tour however, but I guess that wouldn't count. I'm an EU student.

No you don't view the apartment before you move in. You just get your key from the office when everything is sorted and head over then. At least that's what I did!

mp3guy · 19-08-2009 1:44pm

It's being thrown up inbetween the Arts Block/EEng Building/Callan, that small stretch of grass that used to be a walk way.

Rozabeez · 19-08-2009 1:47pm

Also, if you don't know many people going to Maynooth, just join societies on fairs day/club and socs day as it's now called, and talk to people from your class. It's a very friendly place.

peanuthead · 19-08-2009 1:54pm

Ive heard its great and I'm really looking forward to it!! Going 3 days a week - doing the postgrad diploma in Ed!

No running track!! nooo!!!! I thought maynooth was well known for its sports??!! Maybe I'm mixing up colleges here!!

Didn't know that about the canteen - holy crap!! There are no seats around to eat your lunch?? Nooo!!! I'm actually kind of glad about the lack of a canteen, cause I can't afford it anyway!!

Harpie · 19-08-2009 2:18pm

mp3guy wrote: »

It's being thrown up inbetween the Arts Block/EEng Building/Callan, that small stretch of grass that used to be a walk way.

That'll hardly be big enough to cater for the masses will it? Better than nothing though!

Nationalist · 19-08-2009 2:19pm

peanuthead wrote: »

I'm heading to Maynooth in september, I'm a mature student (yeah yeah, I know, boo...mature fu**ing mature student )!

How about a snack?

BuroniKiisu · 19-08-2009 2:52pm

Rozabeez wrote: »

Also, if you don't know many people going to Maynooth, just join societies on fairs day/club and socs day as it's now called, and talk to people from your class. It's a very friendly place.

+1.

I basically knew nobody when I first showed up in Maynooth, but thanks too throwing myself into the many societies on camus as well as getting heavily invovled in the Students' Union, I've made countless new close friends. As Rozabeez said, it's a very VERY friendly place; talk to EVERYONE during Orientation week and the weeks that follow!

Miss Lockhart · 19-08-2009 6:25pm

Rozabeez wrote: »

TBH even when there was a canteen it was a bit nicer to bring your own food, the only issue is not having a place to sit if you do so. Cheaper AND you know whats going into it!

So where do people actually go to sit and eat their lunch then?

Harpie wrote: »

Really?? whereabouts? Pugin= expensiveness!

What is Pugin??

mp3guy · 19-08-2009 6:42pm

I usually buy lunch in Dunnes and walk up the road eating it, or sometimes get a sandwich in Aldi then just eat it in the Callan building.

Pugin Hall is down in South Campus http://www.nuim.ie/location/maps/south.shtml

meganj · 19-08-2009 6:48pm

There's also a couple of chairs and tables in John Hume, near the o'briens where you can sit, or the uncomfy blue chairs in the arts block that make your arse fall asleep! n the sunny days (what few maynooth gets) it's nice to sit outside!

Eeek I'm getting excited about heading back with all these newbie questions!!!!

Rozabeez · 19-08-2009 6:59pm

Well you'll be able to eat in the temporary canteen, I've a tendency to sit in an empty lecture hall if there's no-one in there before my class and have a coffee/read, but you really do have to make sure not to make a mess and to clean up after yourself.

K4t · 19-08-2009 7:11pm

Síle28 wrote: »

when I arrive to register on Sept 4th jeje

I didn't even know about this. Do we have to go up to the college or can it be done online do you know?

Is use of the gym free? It says it is on the website but that sounds too good to be true??!

Miss Lockhart · 19-08-2009 7:13pm

Thanks for all the answers!

So what exactly is available in Pugin Hall? Is it a restaurant/cafe? Is it just a seating area?

Thanks again..

Holsten · 19-08-2009 8:22pm

Parking is an total nightmare.

After 10am it's pretty much impossible to get a space.

mp3guy · 19-08-2009 10:07pm

Pugin is a canteen and a seating place.

Ostrom · 19-08-2009 10:14pm

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

Thanks for all the answers!

So what exactly is available in Pugin Hall? Is it a restaurant/cafe? Is it just a seating area?

Thanks again..

And ye can all get out when the canteen opens up again

Michellenman · 19-08-2009 10:28pm

K4t wrote: »

I didn't even know about this. Do we have to go up to the college or can it be done online do you know?

Is use of the gym free? It says it is on the website but that sounds too good to be true??!

Yup free it is. It's alright, nothing amazing. Got the usual: treadmills, eliptical crosstrainers, rowing machines, bike machines, weights etc. There are showers too just down the hall. There's free use of the swimming pool too although the gym and swimming pool are about as far away from each that you can get while staying on campus's.

Jimmy Iovine · 19-08-2009 10:29pm

K4t wrote: »

I didn't even know about this. Do we have to go up to the college or can it be done online do you know?

Is use of the gym free? It says it is on the website but that sounds too good to be true??!

I presume you're a first year so yea ya have to go up and register. Get over there early though otherwise you could be there for a couple of hours.

The gym is free alright. Go early in the morning or late at night to avoid the rush at around 4 or 5

Harpie · 19-08-2009 10:51pm

efla wrote: »

And ye can all get out when the canteen opens up again

No chance :P

Just wondering though, before the fire I didn't even know Pugin existed- who exactly was 'allowed' eat in there (Apart from seminarians) before the general population took over?

Michellenman · 19-08-2009 10:56pm

Post grads and lecturers afaik

Miss Lockhart · 19-08-2009 11:15pm

mp3guy wrote: »

Pugin is a canteen and a seating place.

efla wrote: »

And ye can all get out when the canteen opens up again

Michellenman wrote: »

Post grads and lecturers afaik

I'm a post grad so I think I'll check it out, thanks.

This is a great thread for all those little questions!

I have to say I think NUIM's website is seriously lacking for general info or else it just has a terrible layout as I can't find anything.

For example, they seem to have info on restaurants/cafes around the town but no info on restaurants/cafes/shops on campus?!

Newbie Questions

Comments