WAAAAAAAA! It’s finally here, you’ve gotten your results and it looks like….you’re going to DIT!! Starting third level can be overwhelming, you’ve worked so hard to do well in your leaving cert that you’ve given little thought to what college will actually be like. It’s hard to be the newbie, but fear not, you are literally not alone. Let us guide you through the first few weeks at DIT.
Go to Inductions
It doesn’t sound like great craic, but it is really worth going to your Induction Day (sometimes called Orientation Day). You’ll get a tour of your campus, meet some of your lecturers, learn a bit about the services that DIT have on offer (medical centre, campus life), you’ll meet Clubs & Socs. Best of all you’ll meet the DITSU team and learn about what your Union does for you and how you can become involved in the work that we do on DIT students behalf. You’ll also find out where you are meant to be at 9am Monday morning!
Get a Leapcard
Whether you will be traveling home to every weekend or simply traveling across the city, a student leapcard offers you great savings on travel – whether it’s bus, train, luas or (selected) private operators – you won’t get discounts like it anywhere else. You also get discounts on hundreds of other places too – retail, grub, cinema, etc. It’s only €10. You organise your card by post or through an agent. A list of which you can find here.
Go to Gigs
DIT Freshers week is one of the highlights of the social calendar. There are always a range of events from raves to pub crawls to paint parties to silent disco….all culminating in the extravaganza that is The DIT Freshers Ball. For most of you this will be the start of your DIT social life, so get out there. These are some of the most popular events and they sell out fast. Keep informed by joining the DIT Freshers Page 2017/18. As well as the DITSU Page and the DITSU Ents Page.
Get Involved
The best things about college are the things that happen outside the classroom. We don’t want to down play the importance of going to lectures,taking notes, being on time and, of course, showing up very day. All very important. Very. The most importantest. But when we ask students looking back at their time in DIT we hear one thing over and over again I wish I’d gotten involved in DITSU/Socs/Clubs sooner. In the first few weeks we will be out and about recruiting class reps/school reps/ents crew/welfare crew/student media crew. If you don’t see us, take a chance and come find us, you won’t regret it.
Ask the Question
Student Advisors are the Tyrion Lannister of DIT, they are smart, extremely knowledgeable and basically your very own hand of the king. There is no question too small (where is the bus stop to Portlaoise…) or too big (I hate my course…). SUSI grants, accommodation, academic issues, health issues…they’ve heard it all, so don’t be afraid to ask.
Write this email down – helpdesk@ditsu.ie. Better yet have it tattooed on your body somewhere. You are starting a completely new phase of your life and you are not expected to know everything or almost everything or anything really for that matter. DIT Students’ Union has a second-to-none Student Advice Service. There are Student Advisors on most sites and every student has access to them – by phone, email or by popping into the office.
And Finally….
Remember to keep breathing…
