I'm back! A catch up and my Trinity College Dublin Bucket List - things I want to do before I move in August!

Oh my goodness!

Oh wow!

Is this... Jane... posting... on her BLOG?!

Yes, it has been OVER A YEAR since I last posted something here.

The last time I wrote for this blog I had just completed my first term of university. Now, here I am, 14 months later and I am halfway through my last term at Trinity College Dublin! It's scary, exciting, and bittersweet, all at the same time.

So, if you didn't know already and are new to Queen of Quirk (welcome!), then I will quickly inform you of a thing that will happen this year that is kind of but actually very much a big deal to me and something I am sure as heck my friends are sick of me mentioning: in August, I'll be moving to New York city for college. I'm in the Dual BA Programme between Trinity and Columbia University in Manhattan, which means I spend two years at each university. And now, I'm almost at the cusp of the programme; I've received my transition packet from Columbia, I've applied for housing and, as as of next week I will have two months or so left as a Trinity second year English Lit student. Madness.

So, if you're not new to the blog, you may be wondering what I've been up to to neglect this neat little website for so long. I got out of sync with writing after my first term at Trinity. Things got busier and busier in college: I got into the swing of university essay writing, but also "found my people," as they say, so outside of reading and assignments I was meeting people and making the most of the college social scene. I wouldn't say I had writer's block as I did have ideas. Despite having these ideas and even ideas for ways to update my blog overall, I put it on the back-burner. 

However, I haven't been completely M.I.A. online. I've been making YouTube videos for my channel and have been active on my socials. For some reason, YouTube video editing was more doable within my busy college schedule. Not that editing is an easy feat: I think I leaned towards it more because my degree involves so many w o r d s that I guess I enjoyed the visuals of iMovie as a break. 

However, I have finally come out of that rut. I am ready to get back into blogpost writing, and that doesn't mean I'll have a regular schedule when it comes to posting (sure I'm just as bad with consistency on my YouTube) but it will still definitely be more often. This return is definitely thanks to Trinity News. I wrote for the student newspaper for the first time in October, and have since become a Staff Writer. Seeing my name and my words in their print issue and on their website made me realise how much I missed this blog. So, I'm back baby!

So I've done a lot since December 2018, and a lot of it has been documented online, except here. 

Here's a breakdown:

I did a lot of things with societies in college:

I was on the PR team for the Trinity Fashion Show last February, even helping them film the show with some fancy camera equipment that would beat my vlogging camera any day. I edited a short film with the DU Film society last March. Also, as I already mentioned, I have written for Trinity News and am now a Staff Writer.

The society I have been the most involved with, though, is DU Players, Trinity's drama society. 

Last March, I was in a showcase of plays as part of the Players Introductory Programme (PIPs), and at the end of May volunteered for the Players Summer Festival 'Fantasia,' taking photos of the different events. In September, I was involved in my friend Gelsey's show 'Fitz' as stage manager. We casted first years and students who hadn't acted in Players before, and it was great fun! The show consisted of two F. Scott Fitzgerald short stories, 'The Debutante' and 'Bernice Bobs Her Hair.' I did PIPs again but this time for Producing and Publicity. After that course I signed up for the Publicity sub-committee, and I have since designed posters and taken photos for more events and shows. I auditioned for Gelsey's second Players show, 'The Trojan Women,' a Greek tragedy by Euripides, and I got a part as a Chorus member, and it was staged just about two weeks ago. Being able to act in a Greek tragedy was challenging but very rewarding work, and I loved it. I also helped with props as Propsmaster for that show but also did so for another production, 'Supermoon,' directed by drama students for their final year grade. I hope to get involved in a few more events and shows before the year ends (as you will see in my bucket list) as I think DU Players is a great society.

I finished my first season with Pembroke Wanderers Hockey club last March, and this season, my team are currently second in the league! We're on our way to the top, which is very exciting. Even if we do not win the league, I've had a blast being a member of the hockey club and being on a team with such amazing women, including my sister (she's been a great captain this season). I've had such a laugh at every training session and match, whether in hail, rain or sunshine, and at every social event.

I got accepted into the Vodafone Internship Programme, and interned at their Mountain View offices from June until August. Despite being at home and working for the summer, it was one of my favourite summers ever. I met so many wonderful people I am I glad I now get to call my friends and had so many opportunities to network, build my skills and do what I love. As part of the programme, I volunteered for Childline at Longitude, raised money for the charity, went to the Vodafone Comedy festival, had great nights out and learned so much about the business world. I even did the Dublin City Triathlon with Vodafone (okay, not all of it but I did the 5km run, which is a lot for me)!!

I travelled lots and lots! I went to Italy with my best friend Gelsey and together we explored Pisa, Rome, Naples, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and Capri! With my family, we went skiing in France twice and also visited Bruges and Brussels for my sister Emily 21st. I went to Romania over October reading week with my college friends Brian, Jackson and Gabi. I also had three day trips to Galway city with friends and for my uncle's film at the Galway Film Fleadh. I met up with Alicia and Ella Ringrose to go to Limerick for The Confidence Class, and went on a night out like a UCC student in Cork with my intern friends Julia and Ailish. And, finally, I got to spend a wonderful bank holiday weekend in my second home, Connemara, with my family.

I went to many concerts and shows - not surprising if you know me well. There was the 1975, Twenty One Pilots (one of the best gigs ever), LANY, Picture This, TRINITY BALL (!!), Hugh Jackman, The Academic (with Orla Gartland!) and I finally saw my QUEEN Marina and the Diamonds. In the theatre world, I saw 'Come From Away' at the Abbey, dressed up for 'The Great Gatsby' at the Gate theatre, saw Trinity Musical Theatre society's 'Chicago', 'The Mirror Crack'd' at the Gaiety, 'Beat' at the Samuel Beckett (a show made by a Trinity student), 'The Unmanageable Sisters' at the Abbey, and operas like 'Orfeo e Erudice,' 'The Magic Flute,' 'This Hostel Life' and Rossini's 'La Cenerentola' or 'Cinderella.' Dad and I got to go on a backstage tour of the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre when that production was on. And just recently there I saw 'Hansel and Gretel' with my Dad and granny at the Abbey.

Just like I did during the internship, I've met such fantastic people in college and am delighted to say I have made such great friends from my course and beyond. The first term at university can be tough for most freshers, and it did take me a while to settle down and make friends. By the end of that term, I did find "my people" and, so, my second term of first year was a whirlwind. Nights out,  showing some if my friends my home town, fashion shoots and tutorial or lecture chats make only some of the memories I've had with my college friends.

Also, I have been loving my course. I am so glad I chose to study English. Yes, not every module or text has captivated me but for the most part, I am loving the content. It's been tough sometimes, as I like to work hard to achieve the results I want, but I honestly could not imagine studying anything else. As part of the Dual BA programme, I'm taking other subjects too to satisfy requirements for Columbia. I'm back to studying French this year, and I also did an elective last term on Middle Eastern culture, and now I am doing a very interesting elective called 'Art of the Megacity' - all about art and culture in the most inhabited cities around the world. I'm sure I'll tell you again about my overall experience studying at Trinity, but you can know for now that it has been fabulous.

Of course, I've been loving spending time with my family and long-time friends too: knowing I'll be living far away from home soon has made me cherish the small moment with people I love and have known me for a long time.

Annnnd now... I can take a breath (or a break from typing, rather). I've been so grateful for everything I've been able to do and enjoy since my first term at Trinity. I'm edging closer and closer to what will be the biggest change in my life (i.e. moving across the Atlantic Ocean), so I hope to make the most out of my last few weeks as a student in Dublin. 

Here I present to you my bucket list! Please take the term "bucket list" lightly: I don't want to put pressure on myself to achieve absolutely everything on this list - some things might not be possible at all. This list is quite flexible. A lot of these things I would have to do in term time of course, but in general, these are not things I have to do before I move to New York, but would like to do. Sure it's not like I'm moving away forever - I will be back! Ideally, to satisfy my desire to make memories as an undergrad in Dublin, it'd be great to check a lot of these off by the end of May, or at least by the end of summer.

Enjoy my list!

Attend a "commons dinner" 
(an evening meal at the Dining Hall)

Go to a Hist or Phil debate 

Submit (and hopefully host) a Trinity FM show

Go to a film screening in college, the IFI and/or the Lighthouse cinema

Experience prinks in Graduates Memorial Building
(English Ball in March... :D)

Spend a sunny afternoon at the Pav

Visit the Long Room (again... it's so pretty)

Maybe gain access to the roof of the museum building? Apparently that's a thing but also, like, not a thing?

Visit the latest Trinity Science Gallery exhibition

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with friends 
(whether at the Dublin parade or not is pending with the coronavirus...)

Take part in Players' 24 hour Musical

Go to the archives, or the 'secret tunnels,' and take out an early printed book

Actually make use of the Trinity gym and sports centre! At least once! C'mon Jane!

Maybe attend a ball that involves a sit-down meal?
(This is a maybe since I've been to quite a few already, but not a ball with a dinner... we shall see how money and time goes, but damn, do I want to wear my Debs dress again).

Write more for Trinity News

Write for TN2 magazine or for their website

Submit something to another publication 
(I want to get back in the creative writing groove)

Read and/or picnic in St. Stephen's Green and the Iveagh Gardens

Cook dinner for my friends

Trinity Ball 2020!

Submit something to and/or volunteer at the DU Players Summer Festival

Study at:
the National Library
the National Gallery
Books Upstairs
Bestseller

Alliance Française

Hopefully go to the next BloggersBrunch event!!

Go to a vintage kilo sale

Go pier jumping at the Forty Foot or Seapoint 

Go to a trad music session

Cocktails at:
Zozimus
Captain America's
Chelsea Drugstore
The Blind Pig
Pygmalion (again... it was fab)

Experience a night out at:
Coppers!! (Sure I've never been and I have to)
O'Reillys
A gig in Whelan's
Workman's
The George (again! It's too fun!)

Swim at sunrise

Spend a day in Howth

Get my nails done at Tropical Topical (a birthday treat perhaps?)

Spend an afternoon at Phoenix Park

Try out more places for lunch or dinner in the city
(that's a whole other list...)

Visit:
the Honorable Society of King’s Inns
the Botanical Gardens
Malahide castle
Poolbeg lighthouse
Marsh’s Library
Kilmainham Gaol 
Dublin Castle (and Chester Beatty Library)
Killiney Hill
the Temple Bar markets
the food market at Meeting House Square

Visit some museums, like 
the Museum of Literature
EPIC - the Emigration museum
The Irish Museum of Modern Art

Visit the places Leopold Bloom goes in Ulysses
(English student alert)

Walk the Grand Canal

Go on a trip (or two) to somewhere in Ireland with friends
Perhaps Donegal, Kerry, Belfast, Derry... I have not seen enough of this country!

And lastly...
Buy myself a Trinity jumper... Oh, I'm serious.



Check back here for updates over the next few months, or keep up with my Instagram!

Thank you if you made it through this incredibly long blog post. I guess I was just too damn excited to catch you all up that the post became longer than my average English essay.

My final word will be that I'm definitely going to try my best to bring this blog back to life. As much as I love video-making (that I will keep doing as well, just so we're clear), there's something about the written word that begs this blog to be resurrected. Keep an eye out for more articles on music, film, TV, fashion, beauty and on my student life.

That's all for now!
Talk to you all soon,
Jane