The first two weeks I’ve spent here at Maynooth have been great craic! (Check out the local slang I’ve picked up). The day I arrived was really hectic; I arrived about an hour earlier to the school and nothing was opened, I had to walk for 15 minutes in the dark trying to find the university with a broken suitcase, and there was zero wifi. But then everything was fine. When I finally got into my apartment I was surprised by how big it was and all the useful stuff that previous residents left behind such as hangers, cooking utensils, and even an extra fridge! My roommates began to arrive one by one and they are all wonderful and super fun to hang out with.
It’s such a different dynamic here compared to Rollins. You get two weeks to attend any class (or modules as they call them here) and then during registration you choose the ones you want to continue going to. The classes are scheduled very differently, for instance, I’m taking a class that meets on Tuesdays at 9AM and then again at 3PM. Then there’s dealing with the weather; I’m used to rain, Florida definitely prepared me for that with its daily bursts of rain during the fall, what I’m not used to is a slight mist that seems to be almost constant. It wouldn’t even be much of a problem if it weren’t for the heavy winds, which are the biggest difference from the weather I’m used to. But it’s a small price to pay for being in such a great country.
The nightlife has been really fun around Maynooth. The main street is full of pubs and clubs that have college specials and students always in them. Its kind of weird that Monday’s are the big night that people go out on, but I guess its because all the Irish students go home for the weekend. I’m greatly enjoying being here and I hope to be able to make much more memories in the time I’m here.