Fresh challenges for freshers
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.
“Some are academic — students must learn to adapt to different learning conditions. Other challenges may be personal — living away from home for the first time or returning to education after a period of time.”
Many students juggle part-time work with study or have complicated financial arrangements. Others may be overwhelmed in a sea of unknown faces, or have chosen the wrong degree programme or they did not get their first choice.
“The challenge for UCC is to find ways of optimising the chances of successful transition for today’s increasingly diverse student population — students presenting from different age groups, from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds and with different socio-economic histories,” says Deady.
The first year of university is a critical time for engaging students.
“The Fáilte Fest is designed to engage and stimulate students so that they settle in to university life early. By attending the events, students will get a head start on university life. They will learn key skills to help them both academically and socially,” says Deady.
“If someone finds they are struggling, help is available ... and once a student has identified fears they should talk to some one in the support services.”
“I AM about to begin my third year and hope to study physiology this year and next. I started off as a biological and chemical sciences student.
“I remember my first time on the campus, I was eight years old and my aunt needed to use the Boole library. I was very impressed by the diligent students, they seemed very grown up to me.
“My first day as a UCC student is clear in my memory. I started off with a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. I only knew one person doing the same course as me, and we arranged to meet in the amphitheatre. The familiar face brought with it a certain degree of calm.
“Orientation day was jam-packed, we got our ID cards and it was that piece of plastic with the token dodgy photograph that made me feel like I was a student. I was really looking forward to the year ahead and it seemed a lot less daunting after orientation.
“I lived at home throughout first year and even though I had a good degree of freedom, I still felt that I was missing out on the full student experience. I had a 9am lecture almost every day in first year and I wouldn’t finish until around 5pm. My evenings were filled with society meetings or Students’ Union events. I worked part-time each weekend.
“I moved into a small house with three others for second year. I had no excuse to make the move geographically, but I wanted the experience and independence of living out of home.
“Even though I was capable of cleaning and ironing, my cooking was far from haute cuisine — and barely edible. However, it turned out to be the best year of my life, I really enjoyed being self-sufficient.
“The best thing about the transition from school to college for me was the freedom. You are free to invest the time you have in whatever you like. The diversity of the people you meet is refreshing. You are exposed to people from many walks of life and that is an education in itself.
“Something I found difficult in first year was the change in teaching methods. You are spoon-fed information to a certain extent in secondary school, but in university you are expected to pick up your knife and fork. I found things are not broken down and explained in college the same way that you are used to in school.
“UCC quickly became my favourite place in Cork. I got involved in various societies and tried out a few different clubs. It was reassuring to know that there were supports available from many angles. My academic mentor was a great help.
“The advice I would give to first-years is to get stuck-in — clubs, societies, social life and your studies. If you come across any barriers, there are many supports out there for you, so don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help.
“College is a great place to be, make the most of your time here because it will fly.”
* Susan O’Sullivan, 20, is a UCC student from Cork city
“DAIRE’S transition from Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Bishopstown to UCC was made easier by the fact that we were familiar with the college. I did a social science degree there and had ongoing contact with the social work department. I also studied Italian at night. He and his older brother Shane did a student enrichment course there. We often walked through the wonderful grounds and visited the Glucksman Gallery.
“I remember my registration day in college in the ’70s and how overawed I felt, so I hoped that my sons would at least be comfortable with the physical layout of UCC.
“Daire attended some of the events for Freshers’ Week last year.
“It made the college seem a welcoming place and was a better experience than my older son Shane had when he started electrical and electronic engineering three years earlier.
“Shane volunteered to work in the peer support programme two years ago and found the training and experience very rewarding. Daire volunteered for the scheme too and is looking forward to showing first year architect students around and being available to mentor them.
“Financially it is much easier having both my college-going sons living at home, though I feel it encourages continuing dependence. If they were away in a flat they would have to cook, clean, do their own laundry, pay their bills, etc. I wouldn’t know if they were studying, staying out late and that could be easier for me.
“My advice to parents with children going off to college is to encourage them to be independent. This can be very freeing for you as a parent though you still need to be involved to offer support and guidance.”
* Máire Calnan lives in Glasheen, Cork. She has four sons. Her son Daire is going into his second year of architecture in UCC
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