Study Ireland – Stories & Guides from International Students

In this personal advice blog, Kyleigh Golightly, a student who did her Study Abroad here in UL offers her advice on what to do/expect when you get here:

Dear Study Abroad/Erasmus Student, 

Congratulations on making it this far!  You have made the first step of embracing the unknown but now that you are here, you might have the question that I had myself when I first arrived here, Now What? I had gotten into my accommodation and found that I knew nobody, had never been in the country before, and I found myself sitting on my bed trying to figure out what to do now. It is time to dive headfirst into the chaos that awaits you. I have prepared this blog to help you with some steps that I wish I had known when I first arrived. 

1. Don’t Be Scared 

First things first, it’s okay to be scared. You might feel a little lost in the beginning, it is perfectly normal. I was scared when I first got here, and I have lived abroad for many years before. The truth is there are hundreds of students at University of Limerick that are feeling the exact same way you are. Whether you are scared of new things or what people might think about you, I encourage you to take the first step and open your mind to new possibilities. If there is an opportunity for you, take it. Don’t be scared of getting out of your comfort zone. That is what this semester/year is for! Embrace it. 

2. Join a Club!  

It might seem a bit daunting to step into a room full of strangers, but I bet you, a lot of them met each other through the club and/or society that you are joining. The whole point of studying abroad/Erasmus is to get yourself out there and try new things. It is also very easy to get involved here at UL! You go to this website: https://ulwolves.ie/ , log in, and then peruse what UL has to offer. When you find something, you are interested in, you can pay the 5-10 Euro fee and then you can do any of the activities the club has to offer. I was scared of clubs because I saw them as a huge commitment, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for that. Turns out I was wrong; the clubs are very friendly and encourage you to come when you can, but you don’t have to go every week. Everyone is very understanding and are here to help you!  

3. Volunteer!

Volunteering is also another great way to get involved while also helping the community. The University provides presentations about all of the volunteering opportunities and there is something out there for everyone. The best part is you can put these hours towards the Plassey Award which is an award for volunteering that will look great on a CV or a Resume. It’s a chance to make a difference and contribute to your new community. Check out www.studentvolunteer.ie to find opportunities! The UL Global Student Ambassador programme is a great example! 

4. Accept the Trial and Error of Things 

Trial and Error are a natural part of figuring out what works for you. You expect to meet the right people and join the right clubs and classes and sometimes, that isn’t the case. Not everything will be a perfect fit at the start, and that is perfectly fine. I encourage you to try as many things as possible and find what fits. Not everything is going to be the best fit for you and that’s okay. If you find the class you chose is not a great fit, that’s okay! You have a couple of weeks to try out new classes before you finalize everything. When I first came here, I was overwhelmed by all the people I was meeting and everything happening at once and when things died down, I found that I wasn’t talking to everyone I had met before. It took some time for me to realize that this is also okay, the right people will find you so don’t worry if you feel like you haven’t found your tribe yet. Everything is trial and error, but you will find what works for you and have a wonderful experience! 

5. Be Okay with Being Alone 

Here’s a little secret: it’s okay to be alone. It can even be good. There were so many things that I missed because my friends weren’t available or there was nobody to go with me, and so I chose to just not do it. This is one of the mistakes I made, and I encourage you to not make the same mistake I did. You will make a lot of friends here, but this is also a wonderful time for you to learn more about yourself and grow as a person. It is a time for self-discovery and seeing the wonderful person you are when nobody’s around. If you want to travel, do it even if there is nobody to go with you. Go to that movie, go to that festival, and do what you want to do. Do not let anyone or anything stop you from pursuing what you want to do even if it is scary. Cherish the time that you have here.  

6. Go to Town and Interact with the Locals!  

Going to town is one of my favorite experiences here in Limerick. While there are so many students at UL, there are also so many wonderful people to meet in town and things to do and explore. A couple of my favorite things to do are walk along the river, go to a rugby game, watch the street musicians playing (there are a lot of them), and of course, go to the pubs. I have met some wonderful people in town, and I didn’t even have to try, everyone is so friendly and will chat with you even if you don’t know them. There are also a lot of stores to see if you love shopping like I do. O’Mahoney’s holds a very special place in my heart as my favorite store here. Overall, the town is an amazing place to visit and there is something for everyone there.  

As you navigate this new chapter of your life, remember this: everything that you do is part of your adventure. The best part of an adventure, it’s unpredictable. You can do anything your heart desires. I encourage you to embrace this adventure that is studying abroad/Erasmus and embrace not only the great memories but also the lessons you learn here. I wish you the best of luck on your adventure and I can’t wait to see what you do with it.  

With Warmest Regards,  

Kyleigh Golightly