Tips for us noobs who have just gotten accepted ?

ReacherCreature

DUDE! wrote: »

Got accepted to do arts in ucc:) and at the moment I'm trying to decide on what subjects I want to do. I know I definitely want to do Spanish and psychology and then I was thinking sociology and Italian but what I want to know is, do you think taking two languages is too much? Like I'm going to do non beginners Spanish and beginners Italian. Help!

Congratulations on getting Arts.

I think it's fairly managable if you put the effort in.

You already have a bit of a head start in non beginners Spanish and you're doing beginners Italian, so that's better than picking up two subjects from scratch.

Stay on top of the work, you'll have to focus on them and make sure you enjoy doing them!

KnifeWRENCH

This is all gonna sound very obvious but it's true:

*Go to your lectures. As well as it being important for, y'know, education and stuff it's also a good way to get to know the people in your class. Talking to people before and after lectures is a good way to make friends.

*Do get involved in clubs and societies. I didn't really get involved in 1st and 2nd year (too shy and too lazy) but regret it now. Again, it's a great way to make friends.

*Enjoy it. College should be the best years of your life. If you're not enjoying it, then consider dropping out. It's not worth spending 3 or 4 years doing a degree that you're not happy doing, or studying somewhere that you can't stand.

That's just general advice for any college. As for UCC specifically:

*Hot chicken rolls/sandwiches from Cliffords Daybreak are great. The Coffee Dock is alright but nothing special. The Main rest is a bit dodgy: food really isn't that great but then again, student food is meant to be cheap so I guess you get what you pay for.

*Remember that there's a 2nd hand bookshop run by the SU. It's next to the Common Room. It's surprising how many people are unaware of it's existance.

*If you're new to Cork, check out the Cork City forum. There are threads there about the best restaurants and cafes in the city. My personal favourite place is Tribes on (Tuckey Street) It opens late at night, which is handy, but is closed Monday for some reason.

deisedude

KnifeWRENCH wrote: »

*Hot chicken rolls/sandwiches from Cliffords Daybreak are great.

This is possibly the single best advice on this thread thus far. Its as if they are crafted from the hand of God
NOTE: Chicken Rolls at Gilabbey Daybreak are but a pale imitation of Cliffords.

captainspeckle

deisedude wrote: »

This is possibly the single best advice on this thread thus far. Its as if they are crafted from the hand of God
NOTE: Chicken Rolls at Gilabbey Daybreak are but a pale imitation of Cliffords.

gillabbey will never match cliffords! FACT!

Siobhan_d13

Jeebus, it appears you have become caught up in a completely irrelevant argument between two idiots. Firstly I'm going to ask why you chose Cork, where you're from and what course you're doing?

#1 Castlewhite apartments are perfect for first years. You'll be living in a block with other students...perfect for meeting people and interacting so you won't end up depressed and lonely.

#2 Cork is amazing. I'll be graduating from my BA in September and I'm going back to do a masters because I just love the city, the people, the course and the college that much!

#3 Acknowledge the people in your class. Everyone is in the same boat, except the assholes who have chosen the same course as their friends and they remain in their own little clique all the time. You don't really want to be friends with those people anyway! Meet people from everywhereI have friends in all areas of the country...Just remember the free accomodation next summer when you're sick of going out at home!...And You'll soon realise that the friends you had in school are probably idiots. There's a major lesson to be learned in Uni and that's that you can choose your friends!

#4 Go to lectures...it makes it a hell of a lot easier to do the assignments/exams and its the only way you'll keep in contact with your new buddies.

#5 Use the facilities available to freshers VIA the Student Union i.e. Free doctor, free counselling, free internet, free printing, free activities. You'll get e-mails from the SU telling you about events...go to them. Most will be on in the New or Old Bar and Castlewhite is seriously close to both of these!

#6 Get drunk and go to Fast Eddie's...the worst nightclub in the city. It's amazing! And also, brave Freakscene/Gayscene...Never had a homosexual feel you up? It's an experience you'll never forget! :-P

#7 Enjoy it...I know this is all cliche etc, I'm only 21 but seriously, you won't know where the time has gone! I remember being in first year and never going to lectures, never leaving the apartment except to go drinking and it feels like yesterday! Now I'm starting a masters and all the fcuk acting is gone out the window and reality is nigh! They will be the best days of your life...UCC is an amazing college.

But....if you decide you don't like it then fcuk it! It's not the end of the world! You have until the end of October I think to drop out and not pay fees the following year. It's a mad transition to have to make so don't get caught up thinking you'll be letting people down...It's your life and your education!

(Did I rant slightly?!)

Siobhan_d13

Can I suggest maybe European studies with your languages? It'll stand to you more than psychology and sociology (which if you take to degree level are impossible...from what I hear!)

x43r0

Good post but remember, printing ain't free no more

deisedude

Siobhan_d13 wrote: »

#6 Get drunk and go to Fast Eddie's...the worst nightclub in the city. It's amazing!

I think Feddies is gone. Last time i was in Cork the letters were down from over the door. Alas the noobs will never know the joy of paying €8 entrance fee only to realise nobody is in there.

captainspeckle

ReacherCreature wrote: »

Yep. Aras Na Laoi. Big yellow building a few minutes away from campus.

ah yes... i know that place, really small corridors.... always roasting hot. never realised it was law. always thought it was maths for some reason!!:D

x43r0

captainspeckle wrote: »

ah yes... i know that place, really small corridors.... always roasting hot. never realised it was law. always thought it was maths for some reason!!:D

You're half right, its both. Or was until maths moved to the new building

Parsley

deisedude wrote: »

I think Feddies is gone. Last time i was in Cork the letters were down from over the door. Alas the noobs will never know the joy of paying €8 entrance fee only to realise nobody is in there.

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!


Wait, is that where davinci's is opening?

Deucemc

apparently.......cant be as good as fat eds. your just drawn to the bar with its bright lights, nights get very messy very quickly in there.


as for noobs. explore the o rahilly building, ranked 23rd in the worlds most amazing mazes, in the worlds most amazing mazes magazine.

ReacherCreature

captainspeckle wrote: »

ah yes... i know that place, really small corridors.... always roasting hot. never realised it was law. always thought it was maths for some reason!!

Got it in one.

life_is_music

Parsley wrote: »

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!


Wait, is that where davinci's is opening?

Eddies was the best club in the city!! FACT! I spent everynight of RAG week in there

It's been renovated and changed to Da Vinci's now though.

captainspeckle

life_is_music wrote: »

Eddies was the best club in the city!! FACT! I spent everynight of RAG week in there

It's been renovated and changed to Da Vinci's now though.

i remember skipping my history class party last year to go with a few friends to their class party (biochem) and getting incredible drunk there.

good times.

Stephen Esquire

Anybody know when we'll be getting our orientation details and handbook in the post?I know it said you'll get it by the 28th, but I want it now!

Parsley

Deucemc wrote: »

apparently.......cant be as good as fat eds. your just drawn to the bar with its bright lights, nights get very messy very quickly in there.

Also one of the best places for pullin buuurrrrrds in my experience :pac:

itsallaboutheL

Parsley wrote: »

Also one of the best places for pullin buuurrrrrds in my experience :pac:

****in Rockstars:pac:

UCCmed09

Stephen Esquire wrote: »

Anybody know when we'll be getting our orientation details and handbook in the post?I know it said you'll get it by the 28th, but I want it now!

where did you hear we would get it by the 28th?i cant remember when it was last yr...seemed to come pretty quick after you accepted i thought but...im still waiting too!

ReacherCreature

Stephen Esquire wrote: »

Anybody know when we'll be getting our orientation details and handbook in the post?I know it said you'll get it by the 28th, but I want it now!

They said the 28th right?

Well then wait!

alalaaa

I know I really want to get all the info too!
then it'll properly feel like i'm off to college! i'm moving into Vic Lodge from Limerick and going to be studying law... I'm a bit worried about the previous references to the smell in Aras na Laoi!??? should be interesting!

Fuascailt

alalaaa wrote: »

I know I really want to get all the info too!
then it'll properly feel like i'm off to college! i'm moving into Vic Lodge from Limerick and going to be studying law... I'm a bit worried about the previous references to the smell in Aras na Laoi!??? should be interesting!

Don't worry, you won't have anything in Aras na Laoi... just the rush up the stairs to hand in your essays at the last minute!! Kane G19 will be your new home :P

Homicidal_jesus

FluffyCat wrote: »

Well its not called 'The peoples republic of Cork' for nothing!!
Nobody else wants you guys!! Haha:P

actually we dont want you!thats how rude us corconians are:D:p

deisedude wrote: »

This is possibly the single best advice on this thread thus far. Its as if they are crafted from the hand of God
NOTE: Chicken Rolls at Gilabbey Daybreak are but a pale imitation of Cliffords.

now thats what you call useful info thank you very much ha!!!

i want my info pack thingy too!!!!god damn it

lilmissprincess

Dates of orientation and all that can be found on the website...

notnormal

I know when my orientation and stuff are on, but I still want the registration pack.

I totally agree, I won't believe I'm going 'til I get it!

KnifeWRENCH

Ah the registration pack. That was fierce exciting getting that! It's like they just get random crap from supermarkets and fire them in there. With condoms.

If you see someone around campus giving out goody bags, sign whatever they shove in front of your face. Sure, you may end up forsaking your life's savings but in return you'll get a shiny tote bag, a pen, packets of soup and a Kit Kat Chunky!*

*content of goody bags may vary

notnormal

I'm already embracing student life... I signed up for a new bank account today, though I already have one, for the sake of a free Travelcard and €50 haha

blankblank

AHH the bank accounts,, i remeber signing up to all three last yr just to get all the benefits

One of the banks give free lab coats to students signing up, but theres a limited number and not sure weather its bank of ireland, aib or ulster?

notnormal

its AIB that're giving out money and TravelCards this year, so must be one of the other 2

blankblank

Your up to date on your freebies already,,,,,, impressive stuff :cool:

notnormal

My boyfriends in college, I've been given extensive "embrace the free stuff" talks

blankblank

Haha your dead right too, the free pens you collect in freshers week can last up until christmas if ones careful!!!
Also at some of the first clubs and socities meetings of the year they give out left over registration packs with condoms noodles pens and whatnot, very handy.
I arrived at the first philosoph society meeting last year to be greated with a bank of ireland reg pack.

notnormal

I'm gonna love college! Free pens! Went mad at the open days last year, did my leaving cert with the pens I collected!

itsallaboutheL

Davie89 wrote: »

Haha your dead right too, the free pens you collect in freshers week can last up until christmas if ones careful!!!
.

What the hell would you be doing with a pen before Christmas in First Year??!!:p

blankblank

Why you use it to write your name on the back door of the cubicles in the kane and food science building of course,
Very mature i know but somebody has to do it,

KnifeWRENCH

AIB are still doing the travelcard then? I signed up for that account two years ago to get it. Haven't gone near the a/c since but the travelcard was fierce handy when I was commuting in 1st year.

I also remember getting the left over bags at the Philosoph meeting, and grabbing the ones where there were empty seats. I remember feasting on Jammy Dodger bars while listening to talks about prostitution. Good times. :pac:

titan18

Lots of people I know last year ended up having to pay money to close their Ulster bank account for some reason.They were charged for something anyway and ended up having to pay 10-20 to get rid of it so be careful about that crap.

blankblank

happened to me two days ago with the bank of ireland account i signed up for at the start of the college year.

i was away travalling so obviously didnt get any mail (written-tat old style on paper, yes ppl still use it ), i had also put all my money into an aib account cos it was a laser card and so didnt want to bring my bank of ireland card as i would have been travalling with two accounts in use,
the day after i returned i entered bank of ireland wanting to cash 150 euros worth of travallers cheques into my bank account and the woman behind the counter kindly chopped up my card in front of me with a sisscors, told me my account has been cancelled and that i now owe bank of ireland 8.21!!

Ridiculous,,

grenache

FluffyCat wrote: »

Well my main reason for leaving was because the Cork people were the rudest people I ever met!
Think you have just proved my point:cool:

interesting that you put all Cork people into the one bracket. I cant see how you could have gleamed this opinion from studying in UCC. In general the people there are as nice as it gets. You've obviously not met many rude people if you think Cork people are the rudest. I think you should grow an extra layer of skin and not be so sensitive, for your own sake.

captainspeckle

I remember joining some E & S soc or somthing like that just to get a pink foam pig.

god i love that pig....

UCCmed09

go out every night freshers week to get to know your class!

dont bother going to lectures if you're not listening or falling asleep anyway!but do at the start...again to get to know your class;)

use the mardyke since its free!

Deucemc

Buy a stapler! and date any lec notes you go to........makes it a hell of a lot easier during the month off knowin what lectures your missing!!!!

flo8s967qjh0nd

Ok, first of all welcome to all the newbies. Above all, enjoy your time in college. You've got four whole years before you have to find a job. By then, the celtic tiger will have got his arse back in gear.

Formalities over here are a few nuggets of advice that will make it much easier for you and the current inhabitants of the campus:

1. I cant stress this enough people: there is a RIGHT and a WRONG way to enter and leave the Boole Basement. Facing the doors beside the library, you go DOWN the stairs on your RIGHT and UP the stairs on the LEFT. Get this right and stick to it. There's nothing worse than a slack-jawed first year wandering up or down the wrong stairs...its dangerous. You don't want four hundred students coming at you and your oblivious.

2. Go to as many lectures as you possibly can. That doesn't mean you can't have the occasional duvet day (just make sure you get the notes asap). If you slip behind, it just makes it a pain in the ass to catch up and it'll be your own fault.

3. Understand that college is NOT the same as school. You will not learn everything from your lecturer (some of them are excellent, some not so much..they all have different styles, so get used to it. Make the most of them, talk to them out of the classroom environment if you're having trouble with the work). Go to the library, do a bit of reading, get the concept straight in your head. Its impossible to take everything in during a 50 minute lecture.

4. Go to all your lab classes, tutorials, etc. Hand in all your assignments - these are easy marks and when you get them, it takes the mad pressure off for the exams in the summer.

5. Remember, 5 or 6 years ago, we all had to write our own notes...by hand.. at EVERY lecture. Don't take Blackboard (the online place you'll get some of your lecture notes) for granted. Don't rely on the blackboard notes and don't think everyone will provide such nice clear notes, they don't have to and attendance goes down if the notes go online!!

Reading over this, the post sounds fairly grumpy. Its not meant to be. You'll soon be into the swing of things. Make a decent effort and you'll be fine.

pinkheels88

Isabel Wide Shortchange wrote: »

1. I cant stress this enough people: there is a RIGHT and a WRONG way to enter and leave the Boole Basement. Facing the doors beside the library, you go DOWN the stairs on your RIGHT and UP the stairs on the LEFT. Get this right and stick to it. There's nothing worse than a slack-jawed first year wandering up or down the wrong stairs...its dangerous. You don't want four hundred students coming at you and your oblivious.

I second this. It's a simple system people stick with it! It's particularly annoying on a rainy day - when one has the worry of slipping and falling on their ass, shouldn't have to worry about being hit head on!

lauraisginger

I'm living in Castlewhite too!I'm here right now, fair empty at the moment though!

I need to join a bank too, who's the best? Yknow with offers and charges and most importantly freebies?:)

notnormal

hey, I'll be in Castlewhite myself tomorrow

I joined AIB, free Travelcard and €50 when you use the account.

HELP: I'll only be 17 for my whole first year of college (18 in May). What's the story with going out? Am I gonna be left alone in my apt while the 18 yr olds go out and party?

lauraisginger

notnormal wrote: »

hey, I'll be in Castlewhite myself tomorrow

I joined AIB, free Travelcard and €50 when you use the account.

HELP: I'll only be 17 for my whole first year of college (18 in May). What's the story with going out? Am I gonna be left alone in my apt while the 18 yr olds go out and party?

Thats a great help I think I'll go for AIB so!

Omg I'm actually in the exact same situation! I'm not 18 til April! I really don't want to have to miss out on all the fun!

ALincoln

Guys, be very cautious opening bank accounts. They give you cheap freebies...then bam!..you owe the bank 45 quid. Be careful, ask how much it will cost if you don't use the bank account etc before you contemplate opening an account.

Nova_era

Study and prepare for your exams, don't use the "I can repeat anyway if I fail" scapegoat. The most stress you'll feel all year is the lead-up to any Autumn repeats.
Treat continuous assessment very seriously, don't say "tch it's only worth 8%" or whatever amount, it really does add up in the end, and can come back to bite you.
While I'm guilty of spending an awful lot of time in both of the bars in UCC (yes, both.. did'nt have that in school eh? :P), I learnt pretty early on not to have a pint when I had another lecture that day. There's nothing more annoying than spending an hour long lecture trying to stay awake, and then coming out to realise that you had learnt nothing, and wasted your time.
Don't go out to clubs multple times a week, you won't be seeing any 9am lectures if you do.

Ok, those are the "don'ts", here are the "do's" -
Ignore any other restaurants, eat all your food in the Campus Kitchen. €2.50 for a sandwich or roll with as many fillings as you want - amazing!
Do utilise all the facilities made available to you; the gym, the library, the computers. Theyr'e great, and you'll feel like you're getting a lot out of the year if you use them.
I can't think of anything else.. have fun!

Homicidal_jesus

notnormal wrote: »

HELP: I'll only be 17 for my whole first year of college (18 in May). What's the story with going out? Am I gonna be left alone in my apt while the 18 yr olds go out and party?

lauraisginger wrote: »

Omg I'm actually in the exact same situation! I'm not 18 til April! I really don't want to have to miss out on all the fun!

same here theres gonna be plenty of 17yr olds up there though...of course im 18 in novmber so i dont have as long a wait:pac::pac: