Emma Keaveney, arts editor of the Smedia award winning University Times newspaper is here to fill you in on Trinners...

What's the local area like?

Trinity is slap-bang in the middle of Dublin city. Because of this, the area around the college is busy and bustling. We're surrounded on all sides by shops, places to eat, taxis, pubs, cinemas - everything you would expect in the capitol city. Despite this, however, a lot of students and visitors alike have commented on the calm and quiet atmosphere within Trinity's walls. We have beautiful buildings, lovely walks and green spaces that can be a very welcome break from the city centre.

What's the story with accommodation? How expensive is it?

Accomodation for students in Trinity can be expensive. However, since we're located in the city centre, students benefit from the wide choice of accomodation available. All bus routes go the the city centre after all, so Trinity students live all over Dublin city. Rathmines, Kilmainham, Drumcondra, Temple Bar, Smithfield, Ringsend and the Pearse Street area are particularly popular. On-campus accomodation is usually reserved for final year Trinity students and Scholars.

First years, on the other hand, are invited to stay at Trinity Halls - Trinity's 'extra' campus out in Rathmines which has specialist student accomodation reserved for over 1,000 first years. Every Summer, Trinity Students Union runs an Accomodation Advisory Service on-campus to advise first year students who find themselves moving to Dublin for the first time.

What's the cost of living like?

Again, since Trinity is located in the city centre, the cost of living can be expensive. However, a lot of shops and restaurants cater specifically for student budgets so it's not difficult to live on the cheap. For example, I know of one branch of a restaurant chain that gives free drinks and 30% off for students at weekends. Lunch-spots, Clothes shops, pharmacies and Bookshops usually run student discounts or loyalty schemes.

Is part-time work easy to come by?

Yes, since we're accessible to so many areas in Dublin and are surrounded by so many different business establishments, part-time work is rarely a problem for students.

What are campus facilities like?

Computers

There are computer rooms and internet stations dotted all over campus so you never find yourself far from a PC. There is also the recently opened 24 hr computer room which is a godsend for stressed students. We also have Wi-fi connection in the busiest campus buildings so you can sit on your laptop in the Arts Block café while checking your emails (or catching up on Facebook). 

Banking

Bank of Ireland has a branch on campus just beside the Buttery. There are also three ATMs (Two BOI and one AIB). As well of this, of course, every bank operating in Ireland has a branch just a couple of minutes walk from Trinity and there are ATMs dotted all over the city centre.

Library

Trinity has three libraries for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences - the Berkeley, the Lecky and the Ussher. These libraries are connected by an underground concourse to create the BLU complex. The Hamilton Building also contains a Scientific library, including the John Stearne Medical Library. We're very proud of our library in Trinity because ours is a copyright library.

This means that we are legally entitled to a copy of every book published in Britain and Ireland. The library receives over 100,000 new titles every year and contains around 5 million books. We can't store all of these on campus of course so the vast majority are stored in our book depository in Santry. The most famous book in Trinity Library is the Book of Kells, which is stored in the Long Room Library. A floor on the Ussher library has recently been made accessible 24/7 which was long-overdue for the best college in Ireland. 

What's the grub like? Good food? Variety?

Infamous Trinity eaterie, The Buttery, was re-furbished three years ago and the quality of food has improved too. They provide typical student fare - sandwiches, smoothies, chicken and chips, pizza, pasta, lasange, curries and vegetarian options. The food isn't all that great (which makes you wonder what it was like before the revamp). However, prices are subsidised by the college so at least it's cheap. The Buttery also houses a smoothie bar and a Java City for coffee enthusiasts. Their freshly-made sandwiches are also quite good with a wide range of breads and fillings to choose from.

Other on-campus options include The Arts Block Café (only really good for the odd doughnut, cup of coffee or a can of coke) and the Hamilton Café, which provides the same food as the Buttery but in slightly less comfortable surroundings.

You could say that Trinity has such a poor range of places to eat simply because most students leave campus for food. With our city-centre location we're spoiled for choice when it comes to food (personally, I love to go for sushi at lunchtime). Student favourites include Lemon crepes, Café Sol soup and sandwiches, €2 rolls from Centra, Subway sandwiches and subs - all within a two minute walk of most lecture theatres.

What kind of sports facilities are there?

With the opening of our new sports centre in the Eastern corner of campus, Trinity's sports facilities are state-of the art. The sports centre houses a climbing wall, 25m swimming pool, sauna and steam room, fitness theatre, as well as numerous sports halls and training rooms. Students have automatic access to these facilities as the cost of membership is included in the registration fee. Trinity campus also has 4 squash courts, 3 all-weather tennis courts and a rifle range. College Park (on campus) has facilities for rugby and cricket as well as a running track. The croquet lawn sees croquet matches every day during Summer months. Our off-campus facilities include playing fields in Santry for rugby, soccer, hockey, hurling, gaelic football and camogie.

Finally, the Boat House, situated on the River Liffey two miles upstream of the city centre facilitates the Ladies and Mens boat clubs.

What kind of clubs and societies can students join?

Societies: Trinity prides itself on offering students a whole college experience that isn't just about academics - clubs and societies play a key part of this. There are around one hundred societies so almost every student interest is catered for.

The larger societies include: the debating societies the College Historical Society, more commonly known as "The Hist", and the University Philosophical Society (Trinity College Dublin), more commonly known as "The Phil", both of which are situated in the Graduates' Memorial Building(GMB). Vincent de Paul Society (VDP), which organises a large number of charitable activities in the local community. Players, one of the most prolific drama societies in Ireland, hosts up to 50 shows and events a year in the Samuel Beckett Centre. The Biological Association, or "Biosoc" is the medical student society, known for running charity event "Med Day" every November, raising money for university associated hospitals including acute stroke care in St James's Hospital.

The Radio Society, known as Trinity FM, broadcasts a variety of student made productions on a special events licence on FM frequency 97.3FM for six weeks a year. The Trinity LGBT society, which is the oldest LGBT society in Ireland, celebrated its 25th anniversary in the 2007/2008 year. The Dublin University Comedy Society, known as DU Comedy, hosts comedy events for its members and has hosted gigs on campus from comedians such as Andrew Maxwell, David O'Doherty, Neil Delamere and Colin Murphy.

Trinity also has a very strong sporting tradition and there are 49 sports clubs affiliated with the college. These include GAA, Rugby, Cricket, Hockey, Fencing, Surfing, Snow Sports, American Football and a whole host of others.

What's the deal with the college bar? Good atmosphere? Cheap drinks?

The College Bar is the Pavillion - or as it is known by students, 'the Pav.' Situated beside the Cricket pitch and boasting a panoramic view of the college from it's raised platforms, the Pav is seen by many Dubliners (whether they're students or not) as the best place in the city to drink outside (legally) in the Summer months. The Pav is the home of the Trinity phenomonon known as 'Pav Friday' - every Summer from around the end of April onwards swarms of students, sometimes thousands, will lounge on the grass in front of the Pav, lazing in the sun and availing of the seemingly never-ending flow of cheap beer (usually Bavaria, €2.40 for a can, €8 for 4).

If it's a particularly enthusiastic Pav Friday, entertainment has often included streakers on the cricket pitch or other such rowdy drunken student behavior. The Pav doesn't have a great selection of food and drink. However what it lacks in choice, it more than makes up for in atmosphere, location and price.

The Pav is Trinity's only student bar and unfortunately it can be a bit dead in Winter months. Luckily there's a host of bars and pubs to suit every taste located a couple of minutes walk from Trinity. Student favourites include Doyles, The Long Stone, O' Neills, MacTurcaills, The Porter House, Kennedys and The Lincoln Inn. In short - there's something for everyone.

What advice would you offer new students?

It has become a cliché at this point but it's difficult to emphasise how true it is - get involved. Go to society events, go on nights out, become a class rep, write for a publication: whatever you do, do something. College is about so much more than academics and studying and it's only when you've been in college for a couple of years that you really appreciate that. Not only are extra-curricular activites fun and the perfect way to get to know people from all walks of life but they are also great learning experiences, often giving students real tangible employable skills that have ended up pointing them towards their future careers.

What's the "worst thing" a new student can do?

Sleep too much, spend too much time on Facebook, never come into college, spend all their time lying on the couch, watching day-time chat shows and eating baked beans straight from the can. What a waste.

What's "the best"?

I would have to say the best thing to do would be - become a class rep. You get to know your own class better and you get to know other class reps from all over college in different years to you and in different faculties. It's also a good idea to get involved in a society but they can seem very insular from the outside so this can be daunting to first years. However if you persevere, go to the events, talk to people, volunteer to help out, you'll soon reap the benefits.

If you're artistically inclined, you could write for a publication (there are two newspapers and numerous magazines to choose from), join the Photography or Visual Arts societies, act in a Players production. If you want to give something back, get involved with Trinity Vincent de Paul. Other experiences I would recommend are: Pav Fridays, that new milkshake bar on Dame street and heading upstairs in Doyles on a Thursday or Friday night (be prepared to sweat though)

Of course, don't forget about the Trinity Ball - Europe's largest private party and an experience to remember. Ironically though, every year most of it is forgotten. But that's a different story...

Emma Keaveney

Click here to read former Trinity student Gearoid O'Rourke's Guide

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