Though my posts might get a bit boring during the school week, I will try my best to keep it interesting. I am very much looking forward to Saturday - I will be traveling to County Wicklow with the International Students Society for a day trip. For anyone who has seen it, Wicklow is where the movie P.S. I Love You was filmed. I am thinking of also joining the Hiking Society and the Film Society - which offers free movie viewings at the campus cinema and additionally free popcorn and soda occasionally.  

Today was my second day of classes here at UCD. I have a pretty light schedule, and am hoping the course load will not be so overbearing. The Irish do school a little differently - there is virtually no homework, but rather, most classes have at least one essay per semester. Also, the final exams are worth anywhere from 30 to 70 percent of your final grade. It's a bit intimidating, to say the least. Some classes might also have a sort of mid-semester quiz or short exam.  Three of my four classes will be providing field trips at some point during the semester - which is something to get excited about in college! Another adjustment I'll need to make is getting used to the class schedules. While courses back home are always at the same time on two or three days a week, here I might have a class at noon one day and have a lecture for the same class at three o' clock two days later. On Mondays, I have two of my three Equine Nutrition lectures back to back. It is possible that I will have to carry my schedule with me all semester long just to be sure I'm on the right track for any given day.

Back at Purdue, I am used to attending classes with other Pre-Vet students and maybe some other majors such as biology, biochemistry, or Agribusiness. In my Equine Nutrition course, I am perhaps one of three students who is not seeking an Equine Studies degree. I am excited to be enrolled in this course because Purdue does not offer any equine-related courses. In my Principles of Dairy Production class, I am again the minority in a class full of young men who will be taking over their family farm one day.

Monday, 19 January 2015

My three roommates are now all present and accounted for! Aoibhin (pronounced EVE-een) is a third year, like myself. She is studying French and Irish, and her program lasts only three years, so she will be graduating after this semester. Darielle is a first year studying science. Gary is also a first year studying Arts, Philosophy, and Geography, and we share the same birthday!

Darielle, myself, and Gary

We decided to have a drink at the student bar for our first night together. I can already tell I am going to love getting to know these guys!