Life at Trinity

In the past year I have lived on three different continents and attended three very different colleges. My life at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is not only a completely new experience from my time at the Universidad del Salvador (USAL) in Buenos Aires, but from my time at College of the Holy Cross (HC) as well. I thought it might be interesting to note some of the similarities and differences between the three living and learning arrangements I have had over the past year:

Location:

-HC: Worcester, Massachusetts, North America

-USAL: Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America

-TCD: Dublin, Ireland, Europe

Type of Academic Institution:

-HC: College

-USAL: University

-TCD: University

Living Arrangement:

-HC: Dorm room with one roommate, shared hall bathroom, dining hall meal plan

-USAL: Host family apartment

-TCD: dorm-style apartment, 4 suitemates, single bedroom, two bathrooms, shared kitchen and living room, no meal plan

Class Structure:

-HC: 4 classes per semester, classes are usually three times a week for 50 minutes or twice a week for 75 minutes; buy books from bookstore or print assigned readings daily

-USAL: 4 classes per semester, class time and frequency vary widely (one class can be held for an hour once a week, three hours once a week, two hours twice a week, or anything in between), there is no syllabus with readings, photocopies of suggested readings can be purchased at a nearby kiosk

-TCD: 30 credits per term (classes are either 5 or 10 credits), there are usually 1-2 lectures (big classes) a week and then a tutorial (smaller focus group) once every other week, assignments vary by class (some classes have weekly assignments and some only have an end of the term exam)

It has been a fascinating case study to live and study in three such distinct places. In less than a year I’ve seen exotic new cities, lived on beautiful campuses and studied at historic institutions…and it’s not over yet! Yes, I will be excited to return to Holy Cross in the fall, but for now I am focused on my upcoming travel plans, applying for summer internships, and preparing for my parents’ visit to Dublin.

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