Reflections on Studying at University College Cork, Ireland
I chose Cork because I knew that I definitely wanted to study abroad in Ireland, and in a place other than Dublin. Cork is the second largest city in Ireland, and having now seen it in comparison to the capital, I can say that I am definitely glad that I chose to study here.
Program Administration & Classes
Arcadia is wonderful. Their orientation, scheduled weekend trips, and their overall availability is fantastic. I feel that by this age, everyone feels that we don't need anyone to hold our hand through any processes anymore; however, it is really nerve-wracking and confusing to start living in another country, with its own set of culture codes, ways of living, etc., and Arcadia does a great job at helping you get as assimilated and comfortable as possible. Furthermore, they are available for assistance basically 24/7. I had the unfortunate experience of losing my wallet, and the program coordinators at Arcadia were wonderful in helping me recover my bearings (i.e. lost IDs, a cash loan, etc.). They really help you feel as if you are not alone in this experience.
The schooling system here is completely different from American ways of learning. The classes are all lectures, and the majority of your grade in the class is solely based upon the final exam, which consists of a couple of essay questions. You really have to want to learn and to explore the secondary readings, which they suggest on the syllabi, on your own.
Free Time & Travelling
Because of this more laissez-faire way of teaching, I've found myself with a lot more time to explore the city, Ireland, and Europe. As I mentioned, Arcadia offers several day and weekend trips that are all-inclusive for an essentially small fee. For example, we are going to Belfast next weekend, and included in our $40 experience will be meals, travel, accommodation, activities, and anything else that will happen that weekend apart from souvenir buying. Moreover, UCC doesn't offer a ton of classes on Fridays because Irish students go home on the weekends. Because I only have one class on Friday, I was able to book a trip to London this past weekend, and was able to sight-see Friday-Monday without missing many lectures (lectures do not have attendance policies, and many are posted on blackboard as well). Also, it is easy to take a bus anywhere in Ireland, and the Cork bus station is only a 10-15 minute walk from our apartments. I have already taken round-trip buses to both Blarney (which is about 20 minutes away) and Dublin (3.5 hours) that were incredibly easy to plan.
Something that was kind of strange to get used to was all of the Irish students go home on the weekends. Occasionally a few will stay here and there, but they generally all pack up and leave Friday-Sunday. There are pros and cons to this. Pros: you will have a quiet apartment for the weekend to get work done or just relax, and you will still have other American/Arcadian students to hang out with. Cons: this means that many of the students go out during the week, so the week nights can get a bit loud. I use ear plugs, though; they are great!
The City
As far as Cork City itself: I love it. Our apartments are in between school and the city centre, but closer to the city. This means that groceries, shopping, and nightlife are all within a 10 minute walk. Everything in the city is easily accessible, and it really starts to feel like home after a little while. There are awesome little side alleys (I have yet to explore them all) that have great cafes and restaurants to explore, and the English market is an amazing place to get fresh food. I like this smaller city feel as opposed to Dublin, which is bit larger and much more international. Although it is also pretty diverse in Cork, the majority of the population are true Irish natives.
In essence, I am really glad I chose Cork. I briefly considered Rome as an education abroad option, but now that I am here, I realize I am much happier that I am getting a non-CUA experience - that is, that I am going to another school with different students from every country, and not the CUA Rome campus that is only made up of CUA students. I know that I am definitely going to have completely different friends and different stories from all of my CUA friends who are studying abroad in Rome, and I am glad I exceeded my boundaries to go somewhere new and exciting.