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The Truth About Final Year & Graduating  College

I’m currently a second year UCD student and will be graduating from college next year. Do you have any advice for someone going into final year?

With the end of final year (thankfully) in sight, I’ve been thinking recently about how it all began. There are some moments I know I’ll never forget. No matter how hard I’ve tried.

I remember taking up boxing in first year. I was excited to try something different… that and my brothers, who both boxed for UCD, had warned that I would disgrace the family name if didn’t follow in their footsteps as D1 and D2 and accept my fate as D3. Let’s just say, that becoming the next Katie Taylor wasn’t quite on the cards for me. I didn’t even last a minute into my first sparring match before I lost my footing and absolutely floored myself.

And I haven’t stepped into another boxing ring since.

A lot of things can change in four years. But college knocking me out isn’t one of them.

Let’s be honest: being a final year student isn’t easy for anyone and there’ll be times when you feel like throwing in the towel. While I may not have the answers to all the questions, here’s what I’ve got so far:

#1 Why am I like this?

Assignments, presentations, group projects and exams all around the corner and yet there I am, sitting in the library, taking a quiz to find out which character I’m most like from Derry Girls...

And anyone who knows me, knows I’m most definitely a Clare.

But we all have our moments of feeling in a bit of funk, struggling to muster up the motivation to finish the semester or looking at your list-to-do like…

So, when final year exams are looming, stress levels are rising exponentially and you’re not sure where or how to start, I’ve got one word for you: Pomodoro.

Pomodoro is something I only came across recently, but it has become my go-to study tip for combatting chronic bouts of procrastination. Pomodoro in a nutshell?

1. Set aside 25 minutes to work on a task (that you probably should have started over the two weeks break but we are where we are), put away all distractions and just do it.

2. Once the 25 minutes are up, get up and take a 5-10 minutes break.

3. Rinse and repeat.

By taking regular breaks, you’re coming back each time refreshed and ready to power through, your productivity looking something like this…

And that’s it: 25 minutes study, 5-10 minutes break. Until your break turns into an hour and half queue for free ice-cream...

It’s all about balance, really. Which brings me to my next point…

#2 hAve yOu nOt bEeN dOinG tHe rEaDinGs?

Sometimes, it’ll seem like no matter what you do, you’re always behind. And when you finally feel somewhat on top of things, you open up the group Google doc…and die a little inside.

I’m going to be honest, you’ll reach a point (s) in the semester when the stress of final year and the reality of graduating will hit you and you’re just like…

But listen, you’ll get through it. You’ll get around to the readings, you’ll write the essay, you’ll sit the exam. Even when you rock up to the RDS with fours sleep, get your seat number wrong and almost go into cardiac arrest when you’re handed an engineering paper (if you read my last blog, you’ll know that shapes are not my thing). In short: you’ll survive.

If you’re feeling stressed out and need someone to talk to, don’t be afraid to check out the UCD Student Health Service and UCD Student Counselling Service or reach out to your Student Adviser or the SU’s Welfare Officer.

#3 So, what are your plans for next year?

If you’ve read my last blog (you can read it here), you’ll also know that I haven’t had much luck on the graduate jobs front so far. I still haven’t figured it all out yet. And maybe you’re in the same boat, not sure what job or masters to pursue or quite frankly, what exactly you want to do with your life after college. Sometimes there’s a pressure to have all the answers and when you can’t see yourself following a certain path, you can be left standing there, thinking… well, where do I go now? But with time, you’ll see there’s not only four (big) directions you can go in. So, if you’re feeling lost, don’t worry – you’ll find your way. 

Truth is, nothing’s going to hit you as hard as life. But if I’m to give you any bit of advice for final year or college that I’ve learned from my time in UCD, it’s this: when life knocks you down, you get right back into the ring and keep fighting.

Going into final year and want to know what to expect? Have any advice of your own for final years and future college graduates? Any standout moments from your final year recap? Send in your thoughts, questions and experiences - I’d love to hear from you!

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Rejected From Every Graduate Job I Applied For

I’m a final year student at UCD and I’ve been applying for graduate jobs and programmes but I haven’t got one offer so far. What should I do?

Being turned down for a job is never easy. And I would know. Over the last few months, I’ve been rejected for every graduate job I have applied for. Every. Single. One. In the words of Lady Gaga, there can be 100 people in a room and 99 of them don’t believe in you but just one person does – and it can change everything. For Lady Gaga, that was Bradley Cooper. Unfortunately for me, Bradley was nowhere to be seen for any interview or assessment centre. Must have not got the memo. Rude. 

I was walking into the RDS exam hall for my last exam, when my phone buzzed. After months of throwing in applications, hours spent on online tests debating whether the next shape in the pattern is the circle within the square or the square within the circle, several video interviews with about as much waffle as possible squeezed into 90 seconds and weeks rehearsing competency questions to convince myself as much as the interviewer that the place wouldn't fall completely asunder if I were there – after all that, it all came down to one new email in my inbox. 

Dear Cría, thank you for your interest in …

I didn’t need to read the rest to know what came next. It wasn’t the first rejection, and it certainly wasn’t the last. Two hours later, I walked out of the RDS exam hall – a free woman, the world my oyster. I checked my Gmail. One new email. 

Dear Cría, thank you for your interest in … We regret to inform you that we will not be able to progress your application to the next stage as you have not met the minimum benchmark in our online test.

It was the square within the circle, wasn’t it?

“Well, at least you got the two rejections over with instead of it just being dragged out”. Thanks Dad. Exactly what I needed to hear.

​But now, I am going to tell you what you need to hear – you are not alone. You may feel like everybody else in UCD has got it together and you’re just like… 

But trust me, no one really has it all figured out. We’re all still realising things. And over the last few months, here are some of the things I’ve realised:

#1 Ask for feedback. And then ask again.

While the wound may still be fresh, any feedback – whether it be on your CV or your performance in a final round interview, is highly valuable. Use this opportunity to gather information on what went well and maybe not so well and reflect on how you can improve for next time. 

#2 Build yourself up, buttercup

I’ll let you in on a little secret: The duct tape on my water bottle? It’s covering the logo of one of many companies I got rejected from. I’m not proud of it.

But I wasn’t exactly keen on inviting questions about said company that shall not be named either (Although, I’ve probably received more questions about why on earth there’s duct tape on my water bottle, so I might have not thought that one through) – mainly because, well, being honest, I was embarrassed. 

When everyone around you seems to be landing their dream jobs, it can be easy to start doubting yourself and feeling as though you’re not smart enough or experienced enough or good enough – that you’re just simply not enough. Let’s get one thing straight:

Stop comparing your journey to someone else's.

Because it's not about where you start - it's about where you finish. 

#3 Keep on movin’

I would be lying if I said I hadn’t felt disheartened back then nor questioned the point of it all. The whole process felt like a waste time. But you know what? It is only time wasted if you don’t see it for what it is – a learning curve.

Because I had to learn that it’s okay to fail, to make mistakes – it’s okay to get rejected. It is often those very setbacks that help shape you into the person you’re meant to be. And maybe you don’t know who that person is yet – and that’s okay too.

But, it’s also about giving yourself options. Six months ago, doing a master’s was the furthest thing from my mind. However, after securing a summer internship in a field I’m really interested in, I began considering postgraduate degrees (which I will be writing about in more detail for another post so stay tuned!). My point is: don’t limit yourself. Keep researching and applying and eventually, it will all fall into place. If you’re in need of career guidance, drop by UCD’s Career Development Centre. I have also found the CV / interview tips and opinion pieces on gradireland very useful.

If I’ve learnt anything over the last few months and the numerous TedTalks my Dad has forwarded on to me – it’s this: Don’t give up. Figuring out your career after college can be tough. Dealing with rejection can be even tougher. But there’ll come a day, in a room full of 100 people, there’ll be one person, Bradley Cooper or not, that will believe in you. But you have to start believing in yourself first. 

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What Are The Differences Between The Irish School System VS The US School System?

I’m from the US and will be an exchange student at UCD next semester. What are the differences between the Irish school system and the US?

My main concern going into my study abroad experience was if I was going to be able to succeed in school. I think a primary reason that attending school in another country is so daunting is solely because you do not have the “system down”. Throughout the past three years at my home university, I learned how to work smarter, not harder so I could dedicate most of my studies to the 1 or 2 classes that had a higher expectation/workload. I knew what types of classes to avoid, which electives would be an easy A, what assignments could be put off until the night before the due date, and most importantly, having friends that had taken the class prior was an incredibly helpful resource. Coming to another country to study abroad is like going back to freshman year all over again…but as a junior, where everyone else already gets the "system". You do not know the standards that teachers expect, if it is crucial to do all the readings before every class, if cramming for a final exam is a norm, etc. This makes it difficult to gauge if you are over or underdoing it in each class. However, this post will serve as a guide to help you avoid confusion on the UCD school system as it compares to the US!

WORKLOAD

A primary difference between the US higher education system vs Ireland’s is the autonomy Irish lecturers give on assignments. In the US, the syllabi is set-in stone the first week of class with comprehensive guidelines of exactly what is expected for each homework assignment, paper, and project. Conversely, I have found that Ireland is much more laid back in this sense, and assignments are based more so on what you get out of the topics addressed in class rather than following a detailed criteria. While initially this freedom seems to be ideal compared to US norms, at times it can be challenging to know if you are on the right track and meeting the expectations of the assignment. Fortunately, in my experience, lecturers are more than willing to offer advice after class on what key points they are looking for.

In terms of homework and assignments, the Irish system is wildly different from the US. At my home university, I could expect an assignment, problem set, reading, or pop quiz on a weekly basis from each of my classes. At UCD, there is still a focus on weekly readings, however there is no application of those readings on a regular basis. Most classes in Ireland have one large report and presentation around the end of the term, with some occasional small writing assignments mixed in. Additionally, one class I am taking does not have any assignments and the final grade relies solely on the end exam.

TIME MANAGEMENT

With significantly fewer assignments, it can be easy to put other priorities before school. Regardless of the due date, begin working on assignments any time you have free time throughout the week. For as tempting as it is to relax and watch Netflix in between classes, getting schoolwork out of the way early is a crucial aspect of having an enjoyable study abroad experience. I quickly learned that to balance traveling Europe while being successful in school, staying organized and having a plan was crucial. I have classes from Monday through Thursday and I treat these days as my “work week”. I try to stick to the 6:30am-5pm schedule shown below and be very productive throughout these four days. Of course, there are days that prevent me from getting an early start, like after a Monday night out, or when one episode of Suits (perk of European Netflix) before bed turns into five, and suddenly it’s three am.

By completing assignments early during my downtime, I do not get stressed when papers overlap or last minute papers get assigned, since I have already had a head start on one or more assignments.

CLASS SCHEDULE & SETTING

UCD students typically enroll in 6 courses per semester rather than the 4 or 5 class course load that Americans take. Furthermore, each class in Ireland is worth half the credits than that of America. This large gap is because classes at UCD generally meet either once a week for a little under three hours or twice a week for fifty minutes each. Whereas in the US, classes meet either three times a week for fifty minutes or twice a week for 90 minutes. Another inequity worth noting is the lecturer and student interaction within a classroom setting. In my experience at my home university, classes are very participatory and there is almost always a percentage of the final grade based on if you interacted regularly during class. Conversely, the majority of my classes in Ireland are heavily lecture based, with little to no student participation. Despite the different teaching styles, both US and Irish lecturers post all in class PowerPoints and resources online.

TEXTBOOKS & LIBRARY USAGE

A less pressing difference that really shocked me was the lack of textbooks needed in Irish classes. A lot of my lecturers advised students to not purchase/rent the required textbook. Even the classes that did demand the use of a textbook encouraged students to try to find a free online pdf version or borrow it from the campus library, if available. Not only is the concept of teachers discouraging the need for a textbook foreign to me, but also having relevant textbooks at the school library is unheard back at my home university. UCD students and faculty utilize the library to frequently check out books to reference in papers. In the US our campus library is used solely as a location to study, print papers, or a common meeting ground for group projects. In my three years on campus, I have never seen a student check out a book. Despite the academic differences that have been presented thus far during my study abroad journey, most of the challenges have been quick adjustments. If you are considering studying abroad, but the fear of adjusting to a new educational system is holding you back, take the plunge and apply! You will figure out a schedule that works for you to balance it all once you arrive at your host school. By the end of your semester long adventure, you will have learned extraordinarily more than just how to be a versatile student.

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What Are Some Of The Facilities UCD Has To Offer?

I am in first year Commerce in UCD. Having come from a small secondary school, I am finding the transition very difficult. Have you any advice on making the most of what’s on offer in UCD?

UCD has a broad range of facilities on offer to its students. From one of its five main libraries, to its indoor climbing wall, there is something for everyone in University College Dublin.

LIBRARY

In UCD there are five main libraries that all students are encouraged to make the most of, these include; James Joyce Library; Richview Library; Blackrock Library; Health Sciences Library; and Veterinary Library. All these libraries offer a wide range of books, as well as a quiet place for students to study for their exams or read their books. For students who need to buy books for their modules, UCD offers an on campus bookshop. This bookshop offers a wide variety of prescribed textbooks at some of the cheapest prices available. This bookstore only sells new books however. If you would rather buy second-hand books, the students union runs a second hand bookshop. This bookshop is located on the ground floor of the student union. Here, students can buy and sell all kinds of books.

Restaurants

I have heard students worry about the location of UCD due to the fact that it is not located in the center of Dublin City. It is true that if you attend UCD you may not have the the wide range of eateries that are available to students in ‘Trinity College Dublin’ or ‘Technological University of Dublin’. However, don’t let this put you off, there are still plenty of options on campus for the students of UCD to eat. The main restaurant in the Gerard Manley Hopkins Centre is open 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday. Here, students will have a wide range of food offered to them. For the health conscious student, there is a ‘Chopped’ salad bar also located in the Gerard Manley Hopkins Centre. If convenience is what you are looking for, there is also a ‘Subway’ in the Gerard Manley Hopkins Centre. Elsewhere around campus, ‘Pi’ Restaurant is located in the Science building, ‘Pulse Café’ is in the Health Science Building, and ‘Readers Deli’ is located underneath the James Joyce Library. As you can see, there are many places to eat for the UCD student, hence not being located in town should not be a cause for concern.

STUDENT CENTRE

Students who attend UCD are lucky enough to have state of the art amenities available to them in the student centre. If they have a couple hours to spare, they can enjoy a movie in UCDs 3D cinema. The more artistic student could also attend one of the many great events of shows that are on offer in the brand new Drama Theatre. Here, numerous societies also put on an array of interesting and inspiring talks and seminars for their members. Societies are cheap and easy to join, and are a great way to meet new friends or learn a new hobby. Most importantly, the ‘Clubhouse Bar’ is also located in the student centre, a place that students can wind down over a couple of drinks or meet up with friends for a chat and to relax after a long week of college. The student bar is also another great place to get food on campus as they offer affordable meals to students seven days a week.

SPORT & FITNESS

The Sport and Fitness Centre is really where UCD comes into a league of its own. This newly completed facility houses a number of top class facilities to interest every student. The brand new gym has an impressive array of equipment for the fitness fanatic. There is also personal training offered for the more nervous gym goer, and a wide range of classes throughout the day to accommodate for the busiest of students.  These classes range for high intensity ‘Body Pump’, to a far more relaxing Yoga class.

The sport facilities do not stop there. There is an indoor rock climbing wall for the adventurous type, two multi purpose sport halls and four squash courts. Outside, the amenities are even more impressive. There are six 5-aside soccer pitches, synthetic Rugby, Soccer and GAA pitches, five sand based tennis courts, 17 grass pitches, including the UCD bowl, and of course the National Hockey Stadium. As you can see, as a student in UCD, there is no shortage of facilities. Your time in UCD will fly by, so I would strongly advise to utilise the facilities while you can!

TIMETABLE FOR CLASSES

Also check out UCD’s guide on facilities for international students!

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Advice on Internships

”I am a second year Commerce student and I am applying to different Internship Programmes. Do you have any advice on internships so I can make the most of this experience?”

I consider myself extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to gain internship experience within my time at University. Completing an internship was something that never appealed to me as the idea of working for free and giving up my chance to go travelling in the Summer didn’t entice me. I am often surrounded by people who strive after internships in order to get a foot into the industry they plan on going into post university, therefore my opinion on gaining internship experience has drastically changed since before I started university. 

The Internship Programme within Commerce was something I often contemplated. I was horrendous with numbers and after failing Financial Accounting 1 in first year and forfeiting the chance to study abroad, I knew my chance of an internship was highly unlikely. Applications came around and I thought maybe I should just apply and see what happens. I had secured three D grades in semester one of second year along with my pass for my Financial Accounting 1 repeat. My GPA was far from impressive, but I was bloody chuffed. I avoided all internship applications that required me to submit my grades. Most of the internships on offer were for one of the big 4 accounting firms which I immediately avoided as I knew I would not have survived and could potentially have put any company I audited into liquidation… it happens. I think it’s fair to say I am the furthest thing from a model student. After many hefty application processes, I was offered an internship on the sales team with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd. I did not know a thing about sales or renewable energy, all I knew is that I did not want to be out in the big bad world after three years at college so this option suited me perfectly. I was genuinely terrified of the work that would be expected of me and the amount of excel sheets that would be thrown my way. (I got a G grade on my first excel exam in first year of Commerce, so we’ll just let that sit right there) I am extremely grateful to have gained so much experience in the corporate world before I have even left college. I often love to share my advice on getting the most from your internship as I am someone who is not extremely academic which is something a lot of people worry about. There are plenty of different Internship Progammes to choose from and so many benefits of the  internship experience people are not aware of. Below I have outlined 5 pieces of advice to help you  make the most of your internship experience 

ANALYSE THE COMPANY CULTURE

Spend the first few weeks getting to know everyone on the team and getting a feel of the group dynamics and how your team work. It is then essential to adapt your behaviour and how you approach your day to day tasks to how your team works.

ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP IF NEEDED

This is something a lot of people are very scared to do. When you begin  your internship you are not expected to be able to know how to do any part of the job, therefore you will have to learn. Asking for help demonstrates confidence and modesty. Your managers and colleagues will be grateful that you want to learn and it also saves a lot of hassle in the long run when your managers do not have to spend time correcting a mistake of yours. 

BE ENTHUSIASTIC!!

Being an intern can be quite boring. You will be given the tasks no one in the office ever wants to have to do. However, always offer your assistance with a smile on your face and people will begin to appreciate you. Having a positive attitude to your work once again demonstrates that you are willing to learn and just how diligent you are.

USE YOUR VOICE

If you have an opinion on something and think it will really help positively then don’t’ be afraid to say it. Even though you’re an intern, you’re still as much a part of the team as anyone else and your advice could be extremely useful. This will also boost your confidence and if you can suggest a useful idea to the team then you have nothing to lose. 

TAKE INITIATIVE

When given a task to do, trust is being put in you and you are most likely seen as capable enough to carry out the task. If there is a deadline looming and no one seems to be working towards this deadline, offer your assistance. Once again this will demonstrate your enthusiasm. 

JUST REMEMBER

Nothing is too ambitious. You will find yourself in the most wonderful situations purely by putting yourself out there. With a bit of determination and self-belief you will get to exactly where you want to be.

Below are links to some websites where you can find student internship opportunities:

UCD Career Development Centre

Indeed

Student Jobs