Fresh challenges for freshers

UCC’s Fáilte Fest helps first-year students cope with the transition to university, says Esther N McCarthy

TODAY, 50,000 students will receive an offer to study at third level as the CAO sends out its first-round offers. Included in these will be the 3,500 students expected to study at University College Cork.

The transition from highly structured secondary school to free-flow university can be a challenge, so UCC has introduced The Fáilte Fest — events to welcome students, promote interaction and introduce them to the university. “First-year students encounter a variety of challenges in their transition to university life,” says Nóirín Deady, UCC’s first-year experience coordinator.