Clueless Cork Girl making the move to UCD...Help!!!

Kaitlyn

I've just been accepted to a masters in UCD, having done my undergrad in UCC (I'm from Cork) and I'm trying to decide if I should get my own apartment or apply to Glenomena. I've never lived in student accommodation before but seeing as I know nobody in Dublin maybe it would be a good way to meet a few people? But I couldn't live in a dive either! whats it like? I'm not sure about 6 people sharing, id say the place would be a dump! Plus I like my sleep! But I no nobody in UCD....!!!!
So nervous about it I hope I like it! UCC seems a lot easier to handle than UCD!

Paul Tergat

Glenomena is by no means a dump. The rooms are decent enough size with en suite.

As far as i know you can ask to be in a postgrad house or just apply normally and be in with final years (which I would recommend if you're looking to make social ties).

Dont worry though, theres plenty of chances to meet people in UCD!

Kaitlyn

Good to hear thanks!
It looked nice but I just don't trust photos of accomm!
and I had a friend who lived in Belgrove, now that was a dump!

Paul Tergat

Yeah its much nicer than Belgrove. I know it sounds obvious but it will only become a dump if you and your housemates let it.

Id say if you know nobody then being on campus would be best for ya. Plus, its obviously better for library/studying.

Pride Fighter

Glenomena is really nice. But for half the money you could probably get a place close by. If money is no option go for Glenomena, if you want to save a few bob go hunting for accomodation in Clonskeagh, Donnybrook or Miltown on daft.ie.

Dave!

There's no need to live on campus just so that you can meet people

If your classes are small enough then you'll probably get to know most of them, and if you get involved in any societies then you'll get to know people that way.

There's plenty of accomodation for rent close by if you're concerned about living in a mess, getting lazy housemates, etc. Just check out daft.ie

Don't worry bout it, you'll be grand

princess-sprkle

Masters classes are small enough that you'll be forced to meet people anyway, so campus isn't really essential for that. theres 4 people in one of my classes and one is the lecturer depends on course etc obviously but they're much smaller than undergrad.

it is handy to save time on looking for somewhere,esp looking from cork. Glenomena is really nice, the photos actually look exactly like the real thing. plus the 6 people making it messy thing depends on who the 6 people are and the cleaning system (ha or lack of it in our case).

El Siglo

princess-sprkle wrote: »

Masters classes are small enough that you'll be forced to meet people anyway, so campus isn't really essential for that. theres 4 people in one of my classes and one is the lecturer depends on course etc obviously but they're much smaller than undergrad.

it is handy to save time on looking for somewhere,esp looking from cork. Glenomena is really nice, the photos actually look exactly like the real thing. plus the 6 people making it messy thing depends on who the 6 people are and the cleaning system (ha or lack of it in our case).

Glenomena as said is a pretty nice spot and of course like anywhere it depends on who you share a place with. Personally, I wouldn't live on campus because it is too expensive in spite of it's close proximity to the college. Really shop around for accommodation because you could end up house sharing (I lived in a house with 6 women, and 1 lad this year). Also there's tremendous bargains and accommodation availability to be had with the recession, and this is particularly pronounced in South Dublin.
Personally, the best way to meet people in ucd is meeting the people on your course and literally just chatting to people you sit near, given also you're doing a postgrad op there should be more of a communal element present, I know in the MA in Geography they organise a weekend away for the students and staff to see if they can all get along. I wouldn't worry about meeting people in ucd most of them are sound out, the hard thing is remembering names.

Cool Mo D

Be careful of the one pain-the-ass part about Glenomena - there are no ovens.

El Siglo

Cool Mo D wrote: »

Be careful of the one pain-the-ass part about Glenomena - there are no ovens.

Serious, no ovens? Isn't that a fecker now.

beautifulmeath

I haven't lived on Glenomena but I've got friends ther and they love it. It's in a perfect location on campus, quiet but still only a few minutes away from the library, etc. Definitely the way to go.

KeyLimePie

go to belgrove ! we can live together !!

parker kent

Hey I live in Glenomena now. Its not too bad, it all really depends on your housemates. Since you are a postgrad I would say to stay in the accomodation specifically for postgrads. You don't have to actually stay for the 52 weeks so don't worry about extra money or whatever. Those appartments are way nicer plus you don't have to pay for top-up electricity cards. They have become the bane of my life and were the reason I shiverred my way through the winter!

Anyway I would say Gleno is a good place to live. As people say it looks fairly like the photos. It's not a total dump as student accomodation could be. Once you keep it clean and tidy it looks well. Plus the showers are nice and warm! I did have my grievances throughout the year (no oven, 2 messy housemates, paper thin walls meaning I can hear shagging!!) but the advantages over-ruled them. A lot of people from my class lived here too so that was very handy. Easy way to make friends I guess. Plus no hassle with buses in Dublin which are a nightmare.

Blush_01

Buy one of those little countertop ovens in Lidl, they do them at least once a year at about €35 yo-yos. I had mine for the year, then passed it on to a friend who was moving into Glenomena. Well worth the investment.

You honestly don't use an oven as often as you'd imagine.

Emma169

Hi,

I am in the same situation except I have done my undergrad in UCD and I am now going to Cork to do my postgrad....

would you recommend a house or campus?

I need to be close as I cant walk far... I think I would prefer a house?

Any pointer's, general comments...

Im very nervous too!!!

Atlantix

Hi all,

Yep I'm in the same situation here, starting a masters in September, in Sustainable Energy and Green Technology. Will be making the move from Mayo (although I'm currently in Australia working until June). I completed my honours degree in IT Sligo so the change from there to Dublin will be pretty large I reckon, although not anything to be afraid of whatsoever.

Weighing up all the pro's and con's, I think I'd rather find a house than live in campus accommodation. Price is a big thing, so is location. Houses are generally cheaper, even with bills. More freedom in a house, its more of your own home as opposed to the campus accommodation. Lived in lots of houseshares in the last few years and all worked out great even with numerous bills to look after.

I think UCD have an online database of houses and apartments for rent over the college year? Worth a look. I'm going to start looking when I get back from Oz for suitable, decent and close rooms for rent or houseshares so if anybody wants to share a house with a seriously easy going lad then tell them I sent you!

ladysarah

hi emma start your search early. stay away from college road as houses are not great. try the lough a 5 mins walk or if that us too far try magazine road. there are some nice student blocks line brookfield which are very close by.

errlloyd

Pretty much all four UCD residences have been brought up to a pretty decent standard in the last few years.

Merville has been entirely refurbished, when I started in 09 it was pretty bleak, Belgrove has had some refurbishment, but most importantly they stopped charging separately for electricity, while this does means you end up paying slightly more in utilities, it stops people entering a prisoners dilemma, where if they're the only apartment in the building with heating on they're paying for everyone else to be a bit warmer.