Commuting from South Wexford

TheSockMonster

Hi all,

I will hopefully be starting in UCD in September doing social science. I live near New Ross in Wexford and I'll be travelling up and down each day to avoid the massive rent costs in Dublin. I'll have a half hour drive and a one and a half hour bus trip twice a day and I'm worried about how tiring this will be. I was just wondering if anyone on here commutes a similar distance each day and how you find it? I have been doing a part time course this year so have been going up two days a week and I'm finding it ok but I'm worried that it'll be too much to do full time. Any tips would be appreciated!

Also, is anyone on here doing a course with a similar workload? How many hours go in each week for a double major? For classes plus independent work?

Thanks,
The Sock Monster

beardedmaster

Jesus. From Ross? You poor fecker.

TheSockMonster

beardedmaster wrote: »

Jesus. From Ross? You poor fecker.

Yea, given the cost of rent in Dublin it seems to be the only option for me

Vorophobe

A guy who I started with in UCD first year did a daily commute from Dundalk -> Dublin.
Starting 2nd year, he's now living in Dublin Any savings he made financially were totally offset by the impact such a long commute has - although the commute mightn't feel so bad the first few times you do it, I'm sure a full term of it would take a big toll on your well-being and commitment to the course.

Ofc, you made be made of sterner stuff, but I wouldn't write off moving up - Dublin has a rep of having high rent prices but if you keep your eye on daft and the college noticeboards, you should be able to find something reasonable (some of the college noticeboards are public)
http://www.tcd.ie/Secretary/Communications/Noticeboard/ac_notices.html
https://intranet.ucd.ie/bulletin/index.html (you need need a login, if you have your details already)
http://www.ucdaccommodationpad.ie/Accommodation

(Btw, I hope that you saying the rent is too high isn't just a smokescreen for not wanting to move away from home - if it's the latter then that's a diff. topic altogether! )

Rubberchikken

have you worked out possible cost of comute over college year?
don't envy you the journey and while i appreciate that rents are high, wouldn't a house share or renting a room in a family home may be an option.

whatever about the cost, the impact on a person who's had a full day in college and has study/work to do too can be tough.

hope you figure things out . good luck

GoldFour4

The commute will kill you. You'll waste a fair bit of money on food in UCD. Also you won't get any sort of college experience really as most society events would be the evening and nighttimes.

ironclaw

I think at the very least you should consider staying in Dublin during the week. That commute is not possible, even for someone working full time who could drive it would be killer. Rent is not that bad in Dublin for students, all the high rent stuff is aimed at young professionals / early families in my opinion. The student rung of the ladder is largely unaffected in my limited experience. Even if you lived in the outskirts like Shankill / Bray, it would still be far better than coming from New Ross.

Another poster mentioned Dublin -> Dundalk / Drogheda, that's a far better road network and no where near comparable to getting up from New Ross.

Dores

Hi,
I am doing social Science and I commute from county Wexford.
In First year you don't have much choice with modules so you must be there almost every day.

In Second year I managed to choose my modules to not have to come every day, but my days in UCD are so packed that I barely have time for lunch.

I hope that with the new motorway next year commuting will be much easier, because now it is a nightmare.

If I had a choice I would live in Dublin, even with the higher cost.

Especially if you are a young person that would like to socialise or participate in college life - rent in Dublin.

thelad95

TheSockMonster wrote: »

Hi all,

I will hopefully be starting in UCD in September doing social science. I live near New Ross in Wexford and I'll be travelling up and down each day to avoid the massive rent costs in Dublin. I'll have a half hour drive and a one and a half hour bus trip twice a day and I'm worried about how tiring this will be. I was just wondering if anyone on here commutes a similar distance each day and how you find it? I have been doing a part time course this year so have been going up two days a week and I'm finding it ok but I'm worried that it'll be too much to do full time. Any tips would be appreciated!

Also, is anyone on here doing a course with a similar workload? How many hours go in each week for a double major? For classes plus independent work?

Thanks,
The Sock Monster

I know people who have a one hour commute to college who are wrecked all the time. You will make yourself sick if you do this. Being honest, compared to weekly rent in Dublin, your transport costs won't be that much less than rent.

Carpenter

You can get a room up here for about 130e pw

thelad95

Just remember, you'll probably have to pay for Dublin bus and LUAS in Dublin as well, so that could be another 20 on top of your existing travel expenses.

TheSockMonster

Hi all, thanks for your responses! I'm a little disappointed, I thought someone would come on here and say that it would be grand and I would be able to stop worrying!!

Truth be told it's not 100% about the rent costs although it is a big part of it. I like where I live and I have pets that I couldn't bring with me to a rented place.

I may be able to stay one or two nights a week in Dublin so that would make it easier. Like I said, I have been going to ucd two days a week since September and I've been getting the bus which I don't mind at all. It gives me a nice chance to study on the way up and sleep coming home and it's pretty reasonably priced for a weekly ticket. It's the driving that stresses me out but I might be able to get lifts to and from the bus when I'm going full time so that would help aswell.

I know it would be really tough but there are certain parts like missing society events etc that wouldn't bother me. I'm not a going out person and wouldn't go to evening events even if I lived in Dublin! (Seriously, I'm 23 going on 70!)

Anyway, you've all given me a lot to think about. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Maybe I'll try it out and see how it goes for a month or two or I might just look for somewhere to rent. Thank you all for taking the time to reply

errlloyd

Hey listen OP if you're 23 and feel like you're going on 70 than the chances are you won't fee like you're missing out on too much, most of your class will be 5 or 6 years younger than you, so I can't really imagine you standing in the queue with them to get into alchemy on a night out. That is probably the thing young people commuting find the hardest - but you seem well able to cope.

Now I know some people who have commuted mental distances (Portlaoise probably the furthest and even that isn't quite as far as New Ross), they find it hard. I've also read a few studies that say commute time is one of the biggest negative impacters on mental health - but so is home-sickness. So if you like your home and like your pets then maybe commuting would be possible for you. So on the one hand I want to advise you to give it a lash, on the other hand it seems pretty outrageous.

It ultimately comes down to this, if you live on campus it'd save you 6 hours a day. 5 days in a week, 13 weeks in a semester, 2 semesters a year, that's 700 hours, in a year.

What you're asking probably isn't possible for most people. What you have said about yourself makes me inclined to think you would be able to do it. But I still don't think you should.

NoCrackHaving

To be honest OP, north Wexford is doable for commuting, not pleasant but doable. Any further south than Gorey-maybe even Enniscorthy at a crazy push is just too far I reckon.

Financially have you calcuated the costs of commuting for a year vs renting?

IrishWelshCelt

I commuted from Laois for a year and it really killed me. Was up every morning for the 6:40 bus to be in for 9 and on the 5pm bus home. When you're travelling that much you're just knackered all the time, you dont ever feel like you've the energy for assignments/study. Also I know you said you're not up to going out but ever the few quiet pints once a week, or going to some event is going to be hard to do.

I know two lads one from Antrim and the other from Cavan that commute for their masters but its only two days a week so they're grand but if you're in 4/5 days I'd seriously consider moving to Dublin. I mean if you've class at 9 and its a 2 hour drive you'll be up for what 6/6:30? If theres a football match on the tv the night before you'll be shattered the next day (I would literally fall asleep at 10:30 every night).

TheSockMonster

NoCrackHaving, commuting would cost about €100 a week. Looking at the housing ads on the link above I'm guessing that rent would be €120-170 a week, plus food, travel costs to and from college and €20 to and from Wexford at the weekends. My income will be about €160 a week.

The more I think about it the more I'm convinced that renting is a better option (money aside). My main worries are falling asleep when I'm driving and not actually being able to enjoy my course because I'm so tired. I always wanted to go to ucd but left school in 5th year because I was sick. I've been waiting for six years to be able to apply as a mature student and I chose subjects that I'm really interested in so I don't want it to turn into a crappy experience because I'm so tired all the time.

Does anyone know about renting contract lengths? I'm just wondering if it is easy to rent somewhere over the academic year or does it have to be for a whole year? Does it differ between sharing a house/apartment with other students and renting a room from a family?

thelad95

TheSockMonster wrote: »

The more I think about it the more I'm convinced that renting is a good idea. My main worries are falling asleep when I'm driving and not actually being able to enjoy my course because I'm so tired. I always wanted to go to ucd but left school in 5th year because I was sick. I've been waiting for six years to be able to apply as a mature student and I chose subjects that I'm really interested in so I don't want it to turn into a crappy experience because I'm so tired all the time.

Does anyone know about renting contract lengths? I'm just wondering if it is easy to rent somewhere over the academic year or does it have to be for a whole year? Does it differ between sharing a house/apartment with other students and renting a room from a family?

Generally, the nearer a house is to the college, the more understanding the landlord will be in terms of the length of the lease. Digs are plentiful in Dublin as most student only see them as a last resort but judging by what you've said here so far, they sound like they might suit you perfectly.

errlloyd

My parents offer digs only for term time. I don't know how most digs work, but students eat with them and stuff, which they enjoy, but wouldn't do year round.

Ilyana 2.0

OP, I commuted from Tullamore-Dublin in third year and, being honest, I'd never do it again. I was not prepared for the exhaustion from spending up to 4 hours a day on buses and trains. You might have to factor in getting out to UCD from the city centre as well as traffic, delays etc.It was cheaper than renting but not by a whole lot.
I struggled to motivate myself to do assignments, and it was a problem whenever lectures were rescheduled for after 6pm (a common enough occurrence). And I do law, so I only had perhaps 12 hours of class a week. While you might be able to structure your timetable to give yourself a day off, you could wind up with crap modules in the process. You'd have to really push yourself to spend gaps in classes in the library doing work, and you'd have to prepare lunches to bring in everyday if you don't want to spend a fortune on food in UCD.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but commuting is tough going. Try here to see about houseshares with other students, and Daft lets you search according to college so you might find something cheaper near UCD, or at least on a bus route to it.

Good luck

ciaraofcourse

TheSockMonster wrote: »

NoCrackHaving, commuting would cost about €100 a week. Looking at the housing ads on the link above I'm guessing that rent would be €120-170 a week, plus food, travel costs to and from college and €20 to and from Wexford at the weekends. My income will be about €160 a week.

€160 a week is enough to live off in college if you're prepared to just watch the penneys and be fairly sensible.
I live in a very tiny apartment (rent just over €100), cycle to college (transport free - the bike paid for itself a long time ago), buy all my food in Lidl (food ~€30 depending on your tastes), then there's bills but my mobile phone, electricity and wifi probably work out about €18 a week. When you add in the weekly trip home it's tight but do-able and certainly an easier life than that commute.

If you won't need your car at weekends you could sell it and that would obviously make a dent in the rental costs. Or if it belongs to your family even taking your name off the insurance should be a big saving.

If as you say your an old soul and your biggest motivation is just enjoying the coursework then digs could be a good option for you, they're usually reasonably priced and will give you a discount for not being there at weekends or during holidays which a rented apartment won't do. I can't overstate the pain of paying my rent just before Christmas knowing I was going to be away the majority of the following month. Ugh...

Anyway good luck whatever you do! Great that you're finally getting your dream!

TheSockMonster

Thank you all for your replies! I have decided to apply for campus accomodation and if I don't get a place I'll get digs.

j80ezgvc3p92xu

Ilyana 2.0 wrote: »

OP, I commuted from Tullamore-Dublin in third year and, being honest, I'd never do it again. I was not prepared for the exhaustion from spending up to 4 hours a day on buses and trains. You might have to factor in getting out to UCD from the city centre as well as traffic, delays etc.It was cheaper than renting but not by a whole lot.
I struggled to motivate myself to do assignments, and it was a problem whenever lectures were rescheduled for after 6pm (a common enough occurrence). And I do law, so I only had perhaps 12 hours of class a week. While you might be able to structure your timetable to give yourself a day off, you could wind up with crap modules in the process. You'd have to really push yourself to spend gaps in classes in the library doing work, and you'd have to prepare lunches to bring in everyday if you don't want to spend a fortune on food in UCD.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but commuting is tough going. Try here to see about houseshares with other students, and Daft lets you search according to college so you might find something cheaper near UCD, or at least on a bus route to it.

Good luck

I am also a law student and commuted in 4th year from the unfathomable depths of County Carlow. I had previously squandered my wealth on escapades around Europe on my Erasmus year so really did not have much choice.

To be honest though I think the year commuting did me much good. I managed to pack my classes into 3 days and was not overburdened at all (as you said its about 12 hours in total). I always came home to a lovely home-cooked dinner served with love and care (:cool:), clean clothes and a relatively noise free environment. I finished fourth year with my highest GPA to date.

Contrasting this with my First Year, which I spent in Belgrove.. Constant noise made by people off their face in the courtyards, crappy student food and not being able to get up for lectures starting at 9 am even though the lecture theaters were a stone's throw away. Nah, give me commuting any day. The experience was part of the reason why I chose to commute for my Masters.

Btw OP, something which I found useful was taking the train instead of the bus, if you can of course. It does not seem to take as much of a toll on you as the bus and (at least for me) it was faster. Good luck!

bennyineire

Stephen15 wrote: »

Would you not be better off renting somewhere further north. I'm sure like Gorey, Arklow, Wicklow Town or even Bray wouldn't be too pricy.

Eh the op started this thread over 2 years ago, I'm sure they sorted something out by now