TWO IRISH UNIVERSTIES, Maynooth and DCU, have made it onto a new list of the top 100 young universities in the world.
Fair play to them.
There is no doubt that the Irish college experience is a special one. There’s the learning, of course, but some would argue that the lifestyle is what truly makes Ireland stand out when it comes to years spent at university.
Here are 21 ways to tell that you were once an Irish college student.
You lived on Koka noodles and chicken fillet rolls
Flickr/naxoc
You went on a J1 and/or interrailing
LEON FARRELL/PHOTOCALL IRELAND
You argued to get into the student residences for an after hours party
…despite knowing that your name wasn’t on the registered list and you weren’t getting in.
Flickr/Ahmad Gharbeia أحمد غربية
You thoroughly embraced Fresher’s ball and Fresher’s week even though you never considered yourself a ‘Fresher’
Or indeed used the word at all outside of that context.
A significant portion of your time at college was spent drinking pints and smoking fags
How else would you feel like a student?
Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland
You joined 27 societies during Freshers Week because they were giving out free stuff
You know what Hilpers, the Buttery, the Stables and various other unique to college food and drink establishments are
You loved getting all dressed up for a formal ball
…and coming home with your look and your dignity in tatters.
Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland
You were jealous of anyone who got a grant
It was free money, for pete’s sake!
You went to a county colours night
You watched seemingly intelligent people take part in a revolting Iron Stomach competition as part of rag week festivities
Facebook/Black Dogg Spiced Rum
You signed up for a bank account based on which bank gave you the best free gift
In the hazy days of the Celtic Tiger it could even have been a mobile phone.
Flickr/Remko van Dokkum
You went to student protests…
…for the laugh.
Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland
You were delighted if the person you were having a romantic liaison with lived away from home
...and were willing to overlook the fact that they shared a room.
Flickr/jessycat_techie
You weren't necessarily interested in what you were studying
...because you'd made the choice in a Leaving Cert pressure-haze.
You never really understood exactly what the point of the Students' Union was or why people got het up about the elections
Apart from Ents, obviously.
Facebook/UCD SU
You went to college debates because you fancied one of the people speaking
...and feigned interest in the subject being debated.
Facebook/The Hist
You went to a traffic light ball
...and immediately regretted it.
You got excited about a well past their sell-by date pop act appearing in the college bar
Like the Venga Boys, for example.
Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland
You never went out at the weekend
...because you were out every other night of the week.
You were heavily involved in a society, which seemed like the most important thing in the world...
...but now the intensity seems slightly embarrassing.
Facebook/Board of Irish College Societies
