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The Whole Hog: University Challenge

There are numerous reasons why people do or don’t go to college – but for those who choose the third level route , it’s important to enjoy the experience to the full.

The Hot Press Newsdesk, 10 Sep 2012

It’s fun, heady, exhilarating, liberating – all reasons to want to go to college. But it can also be fraught and frightening. Quite a few people lose themselves for a bit. Recent research by Headstrong (headstrong.ie) showed that a lot of students drink badly, that is, they really overdo it when they’re on the tear. It’s not a good idea at all and, like illegal drugs, can lead to all manner of messy outcomes in behaviours, relationships and sexual health.

That isn’t to say that students shouldn’t experiment. If you don’t do it now when are you going to? But don’t take silly risks.

Whether or not alcohol and drugs are involved, mental health is a key issue for students. One person amongst 24,000 can feel pretty small, especially if away from home. Loneliness, isolation and depression are common. Learning to handle these is a big part of the agenda.

 Also, it sometimes happens that conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder first manifest themselves in college. All colleges have supports in place but there are also excellent websites and associated networks like pleasetalk.ie/ and reachout.com/.

Still, being a student can be the time of your life. The Hog recently sat in a Dublin pub (Grogan’s) and overheard a retiring university lecturer describe an encounter with Luke Kelly and Liam O’Flaherty in the Bailey during his student days. They talked politics and poetry and drank pints of porter. Kelly sang, O’Flaherty declaimed. It started at lunchtime and lasted till the wee hours. 

Every student’s college career should include random, exhilarating experiences like this. And lots of them. If that’s what being in college yields, well who wouldn’t want it? Go forth and make it happen!!



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