The Trials And Tribulations of A Northsider in UCD

Northsiders in Belfield are a rare breed. In my time at UCD, I'd say I could count the amount of them that I've met on two hands. And as a Northsider myself, I hope to raise awareness of some of the problems and downright discrimination that we go through in our everyday college life. (Ok, I may be exaggerating slightly about the discrimination thing, but you get the idea).

You Have To Get Up At The Crack Of Dawn To Be In For 9am.

No one likes a 9 o'clock lectures, but no one feels the pain more than a northsider, who is already in town changing bus by the time the sun comes up, and by the time you actually make it into college your ready for lunch because it's been so long since your breakfast. And then some people tell you about how they struggled to get up when their alarm went off at 8:45am. I hate these people.

It Takes Forever To Get Home

And it is a similar story in terms of getting home. The trip takes over an hour regardless of what time of the day you leave UCD at, and usually involves changing buses at some stage, which is an ordeal in itself. Unless of course,  you live on the 39a bus route. This however, is not an advantage.  Sam and Frodo got to Mount Doom quicker than it takes that bus to get to Ongar.

People Always Try To Do Impressions of Your Accent

When I first came to UCD, I didn't think my accent was that strong. Apparently I was wrong, and I in fact sound exactly like Damo from Republic of Telly, or Fran from Love/Hate, and people seem to have no problem telling me this or trying to impersonate me. And no, I do not have a knife hidden on my person, please stop asking.

You Have No Idea Where Anything Is Around Belfield

Trees Road? Clonskeagh? Goatstown? Even the Culchies who've only been living on campus a month have a better idea of where they're going than I would. I don't know if our brains are just hardwired to not understand the Southside or something, because if you leave me alone in Stillorgan one day, I will get lost, and you will never see me again.

Rugby Was Not That Big A Deal In Your School

Culchies will relate to this one, as countless mop-haired, muscle-bound lads walk around in Canterbury tracksuit bottoms recounting the glory days of school rugby, and that one trial they had with the Leinster Academy when they were 15. This gets especially bad around the middle of March, as the final of the Senior Cup approaches. Whatever that is.

None Of Your College Friends Will Ever Visit You At Home

And with good reason. I understand totally that they don't want to trek all the way across the city just to say hello to my mammy. Lovely and all a woman as my mammy is, nothing is worth the pain of the aforementioned 39a. Your family then never really have any proof that you're making any friends at all.

Your Old School Friends Don't Understand Your Pain

When filling out the CAO form, they actually took geography into account, and decided to put places like Maynooth, DCU, and even the dreaded Trinity high on their list. Places that are very accessible on public transport. And when you recount the story of how it took you four and a half hours to get home on a miserable Thursday evening in November, they have no sympathy. No one does.

Going On A Night Out Has To Be Planned With Military Precision

Planning for a night out usually begins about a week in advance for northsiders. You have to bring in your going-out gear, so you don't have to trek all the way home and back again to make it to pre-drinks, help is required to find an off license (see above), and finding a couch to sleep on is essential, because there is no way you're paying  €30 for a taxi home on your own.

As Does Food For The Day Ahead

This only really applies when you have a long day, for example, if you are in at 9 and then have a lab keeping you in Belfield til after 6. On days like this, packing your lunch is absolutely crucial, and about 90% of the space in your bag is taken up by food. Otherwise, everyone is going to be looking at you come 4 o'clock when your stomach grumbling interrupts the lecturer because it's so loud.