Going to college underage...

opinionated

Hey there. I will only be 17 going off to college...should I go even though I won't be able to go out?

brianthebard

A lot of people do, and a lot of people are still able to go out....I took a year out though, not quite sure if it was a good idea or not but it did pay for first year. When will you be 18?

Spud83

Ya mean ya dont go out now???? Hard to believe

opinionated

Tis different around ere...no ids...What was the year out like? Did you still get your grant?

caesar

Just finished 1st year in UL. I was 17 when I started and I turned 18 in February just a few weeks before rag week. It didn't make any difference to me at all really, it only mattered when I was going out at home. I considered a year out but it wasn't really because of my age, anyway now I've a year done and I'll be finished when I'm just gone 21:D

D. Coughlan

I will be going to UCC in september and i wont be 18 till next march.
My sister was the same and she said it does not really matter on campus as they never ask for id.
I suppose it will be a bit annoying at night but it will only last a few months of 4 years.

whassupp2

I'm just finished first year in Sligo IT. I turned 18 at the end of April so was 17 for nearly the whole year. I'd be lying if i said it didnt affect me.
Put it this way, in the whole year i was refused entry the following no of times roughly:

pub: once (didnt try it during rag week coz they id'ed everyone
niteclub: 4/5 times (not bad considerin i was out every week)

I say go for it. I would prefer be rejected from pubs/niteclubs than be sittin at home repeating lc or laouring.:D

Also when you go to college you'll meet people similar to yourself

caesar

whassupp2 wrote:

Also when you go to college you'll meet people similar to yourself

Ya there'll be loads in the same boat as you. No point in taking a year out to sit about and do nothing. If you have a job great but if your going through books you will probably not get the grant obviously it depends on what you earn and all that. It happened to my house mate and he got no grant for 1st year, he wasn't aware of this when he decided to take the year out and he found out after he came back from Boston.

brianthebard

opinionated wrote:

Tis different around ere...no ids...What was the year out like? Did you still get your grant?

Well I was living at home so not as much freedom as college, worked in dunnes which was soul destroying. But I did save several grand, bought a laptop, and took two months off in the summer. Didn't need to work during first year(have to budget fairly strictly) and still got the grant. I may have to take another year out if I don't get the postgrad I applied for, but if I did I'd have to move out.

Ishmael

I'd say go to college. I was 17 for my whole first year of college and i still had a good bit of craic. To be honest, even in the following years of college, i didn't go to the pub that often, mostly cause i couldn't afford to. Just join a few clubs and you should have more than enough to do.

Plus a lot of colleges are trying to organize events for students under 18 in recent times as it is becoming more common.

Rozabeez

I'll be 17 too, wouldn't stop me going out. You'd be grand I'd say. Try stick with house parties, where do you want to go?

Seinas

i think only 7 in my year will be 18 when college starts! one of them will be 16.....

adamcp

I'll be 17 going to college, wont stop going out the same as it dont stop me now

thejovialhost

I was 17 for the whole of first year in NUIG and only turned 18 in August. RAG week was a bit strange but I got a college ID from a mate who kindof looked like me and it worked 70% of the time. Go for it, as has been said it's way better than working for the whole year or repeating! Join clubs. House parties are just as good as nightclubs etc.