Trinity In Twelve Weeks
- Tutors
- The Students' Union
- Clubs
- Societies
- Volunteering
Tutors
Who/What is Your Personal Tutor?
Your Tutor is a member of academic staff who looks after your general welfare and development while you are in College. Your Tutor may be one of your lecturers, but your Tutor looks after you, not your grades. If you need assistance in navigating College administration, or advice or support about academic or personal issues, your Tutor is the person to talk to.
Find Out More About The Tutor System
How Do I Find Out Who My Tutor Is?
When you log in to your MyTCD portal you'll see your Tutor's name and contact email on your student record just under your own name! If there is no name there yet, you can contact the Senior Tutor's Office to find out who your Tutor is.
When Should I Meet My Tutor and What Can They Help Me With?
Once you've found out who your Tutor is, you should reach out to them to introduce yourself, and they may also contact you in your first weeks. Your Tutor will be really important for you during your time in College, so it’s important that you make contact with them early on.
Your Tutor should be your first port of call if you have a question or are worried or concerned about any aspect of College life or your personal life affecting your academic work. You can also contact them if you are unsure of how to access support for a particular project or problem. Everything you say to your Tutor is in strict confidence. Unless you give them permission to do so, your Tutor will not share anything you disclose to anybody else - whether inside College or outside (to your parents/family for example).
Your Tutor can only help you if they know you are facing difficulties, so if you are worried about anything go and see your Tutor before things get out of hand. Whilst your Tutor may not be in a position to solve the underlying problem, they can help you find the best way to limit the impact of your situation on your College work. Do consult your tutor. They can and often do make a difference.
Students' Union
Who They Are
The Students' Union is your place in Trinity, where your voice can be heard, and where you can turn for help when you need it. They are an independent organisation, and run by students and Sabbatical Officers (students who have taken a year out after or during their degree to represent their peers), not the College. There are five full-time Sabbatical Officers (President, Education, Welfare, Communications, and Ents), and every class has at least one Class Rep, so you have easy access to the SU when you need it.
What They Do For You
Pretty much anything! If you're struggling to find somewhere to live the Accommodation Advisory Service will help you out; if you or your class are having trouble academically, the Education Officer can help; if you've accidentally spent the money you need to pay your gas bill, go talk to the Welfare Officer; if you're interested in student activism you can get involved in the campaigns; and let's not forget the biggest nights out of the year with Trinity Ents! The SU also advocate on your behalf to College to make sure that the student voice is heard.
Campaigns
The SU run and are involved in a lot of campaigns, from fees and funding to mental health. Have a look at the President's webpages and get involved! You can canvas, march, make posters, raise awareness and, of course, make some like-minded friends.
Accommodation Advisory Service
TCDSU's Accommodation Advisory Service assists students in finding suitable accommodation around Dublin. Check out their website to access their Digs Portal and resources including their 'How to Find a Gaff Guide' and guides to tenancy rights. The Service also offers advice via email: accommodation@tcdsu.org
TCDSU Accommodation Advisory Service
Refresh IT Repairs
Dropped your phone in the toilet? Spilled coffee all over your laptop? Downloaded a nefarious attachment and now everything's broken?
Refresh can save the day!
You'll find them on the ground floor of House 6, and they repair phones and laptops, and stock technological essentials such as charging cables and USB sticks.
The SU Shops & Cafe
The SU run two shops and a cafe on campus. They have a shop in House 6 and one in the Hamilton which sell snacks, drinks, and sandwiches as well as stationery, tea bags, and Trinity hoodies. The SU shops will generally be a bit gentler on your wallet than Spar or Centra, so it's worth using them. They're typically open Monday - Friday, 08:00 - 17:00
The SU Cafe is in Goldsmith Hall. In the SU Cafe, you'll find sandwiches, toasties, sweet treats, and the cheapest barista coffee around. There's also lots of space to eat your food and catch up with friends. They're typically open Monday - Friday, 09:30 - 16:30. Follow the SU Cafe on Instagram (@trinitysucafe) for updates on weekly specials, opening hours, and more!
Clubs
What They Are
Here at Trinity, we use the word 'club' to refer to a student sport group. If you already play a sport, then go sign up to the club and get out on the field/court/wall/water etc. If you don't, they are very welcoming places, who love having new members. Most clubs have a social team/side, as well as a competetive team.
How To Join
If you missed joining a club in Freshers' Week, not to worry - you can sign up using the link below!
You will usually have to pay a joining fee, so if you're not 100% sure you want to sign up yet, contact the club and enquire about coming along to their next event to get a feel for it.
More Information About Sports Clubs and Sign Up
What's In It For You?
Better health, a chance to represent Trinity, leadership opportunities, and much more! Sports clubs are notoriously social, so they're a great place to go to make new friends while you are here in College.
Getting regular exercise is great for your overall health - both mind and body. Research also shows that students who dedicate 10-15 hours a week to extracurricular activities or part-time work perform better academically. Just bear in mind that that's 10-15 hours total across all of your non-academic activities, not per activity, so don't stretch yourself too thin!
I'm Desperately Unfit But I Still Want to Play!
You can join a club regardless of your fitness levels. It might take a while before you compete for them, but you'll still be part of the team if you are training and participating. It might be worth looking at some of the less... vigorous sports too.
Alternatively, you can check out the social sport options around campus:
Societies
What They Are
Societies are organisations that students set up to pursue shared interests. That sounds a bit vague, but it makes more sense when you look at the list of societies on offer. Each one is run by students who are passionate about it, whatever 'it' may be - debating, acting, activism, music, academics, the list is endless. Well, not endless, the list is just over 120 societies long. But that's plenty to be getting started with, and if you have an interest that isn't represented, you can set up your own through the Central Societies Committee.
How To Join a Society
You probably parted with some society joining fees during Freshers' Week, but, if you didn't, or if you've realised that you forgot to sign up to something you meant to, don't panic! You can join a society at any time during the academic year via the online Societies Hub.
As mentioned, you will usually have to pay a joining fee, so if you're not 100% sure you want to sign up yet, contact the society and enquire about coming along to their next event to get a feel for it.
What's In It For You?
Great friends, lots of social events, leadership opportunities, a chance to improve your skills or develop brand new ones. Research also shows that students who dedicate 10-15 hours a week to extracurricular activities or part-time work perform better academically. Just bear in mind that that's 10-15 hours total across all of your non-academic activities, not per activity, so don't stretch yourself too thin!
Fourth Week
The fourth week of teaching is Fourth Week (hence the name), but, more importantly, it's another chance for you to try out some societies before you sign up. Most societies will put on free events through the week to entice you onto their membership lists, so take full advantage. You'll typically find the events advertised on the societies' Instagram pages, so have a browse and dip your toes into all of the weird and wonderful things you can do while you're here in Trinity.
Volunteering
Why Volunteer?
- It's good for you.
Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards. It:- Reduces stress: Experts report that when you focus on someone other than yourself, it interrupts usual tension-producing patterns.
- Makes you healthier: Moods and emotions, like optimism, joy, and control over one's fate, strengthen the immune system.
- It saves resources.
Volunteering provides valuable community services so more money can be spent on local improvements. - Volunteers gain professional experience.
You can test out a career. - It brings people together.
As a volunteer you assist in:- Uniting people from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal
- Building camaraderie and teamwork
- It promotes personal growth and self esteem.
Understanding community needs helps foster empathy and self-efficacy. - Volunteering strengthens your community.
As a volunteer you help:- Support families (daycare and eldercare)
- Improve schools (tutoring, literacy)
- Support youth (mentoring and after-school programs)
- Beautify the community (local area cleanups)
- You learn a lot.
Volunteers learn about:- Self: Volunteers discover hidden talents that may change your view on your self worth.
- Government: Through working with local non-profit agencies, volunteers learn about the functions and operation of our government.
- Community: Volunteers gain knowledge of local resources available to solve community needs.
- You get a chance to give back.
People like to support community resources that they use themselves or that benefit people they care about. - Volunteering encourages civic responsibility.
Community service and volunteerism are an investment in our community and the people who live in it. - You make a difference.
Every person counts!
Who Should I Volunteer With and How Do I Sign Up?
Who you should volunteer with depends on what you want to get out of the experience. If you are interested in helping young people, then you might look at mentoring and tutoring programmes. Maybe you're looking to help improve life in poverty-stricken areas or areas that have suffered natural disasters and you should look at charities that work overseas. Perhaps you would like to improve your local area, and there may be neighbourhood organisations you can join. Choose something that you are passionate about.
There are a large number of volunteering societies and charity organisations on campus that you can get involved with easily. Have a look at the Advocacy/Development pages on the Societies Hub to get started!
You should also look at StudentVolunteer.ie for details of opportunities oustide of the campus volunteer organisations!
Dean's Awards for Volunteering
What are they?
The Dean of Students celebrates and recognises student volunteering in the community and in Trinity organisations such as the clubs, societies, Students' Union, and publications with the Dean's Awards for Volunteering. There are three possible awards, and each recognises a different level of engagement. The three awards are the Dean's List for Volunteering, the Dean's Leadership Award for Volunteering and the Trinity Legacy Award for Volunteering.
How do you get one?
You can apply online via the 'Dean's Awards for Volunteering' webpages. You will need someone senior in the organisation you volunteer with (whether charity, society, club, etc.) to validate your application. If you are interested in applying for the Trinity Legacy Award, you will not be able to self-nominate, someone in your organisation must nominate you.
The applications will open early in the second semester, and you'll be notified via email.
Gaisce
Gaisce - the President's Award, is Ireland's national challenge award (the equivalent of the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the UK), and is the most prestigious and respected individual award programme in the country. It is a challenge from the President of Ireland to young people between 15 and 25 years of age.
There are three separate and progressive levels of the Award: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Each award works on the basis of a personal challenge set by you. There are 3 different challenge areas: Community Involvement, Personal Skill, and Physical Recreation. To earn an award you choose your own activities within each challenge area in consultation with a President's Award Leader and complete your application online. Once you have applied, you can begin your challenge: a minimum of one hour per week of each activity for a set number of weeks, an Adventure Journey and, if going for Gold, you will also need to undertake a Residential Project.