Hello again students and teachers of Stratford College, it's been an agonizing 3 months without those familiar walls and faces, but also very eventful to say the least! I've almost completed my first semester in DCU now, and it's hard to comprehend just how fast time has passed upon my arrival here. Believe me Sixth Years when I say you are compensated for all those overwhelmingly slow evenings studying in the weeks up to the Leaving Cert. By Freshman year you will definitely be regretting wishing the year away.
Something a lot of us 'alumni' regret is how we didn't cherish our final year in Stratford. Plenty of us, myself included, let the Leaving Certificate itself become a cloud that constantly followed us around, chastising us if we ever forgot about it's looming presence for a moment. At the time, we felt trapped, perhaps even a little guilty if we had fun instead of intense study sessions. But now, in hindsight, Sixth Year was one of the most enjoyable experiences, if not the best of the six consecutive years. There was a lot of laughter to be had, a lot of new-found freedom to utilize to your full advantage, and a slew of rewards we all knew we would get in the end but terrorized ourselves imagining if we didn't. Sixth Year truly is what you make it. All the complexities and books aside, there is so much about it you'll carry with you into college and likely after.
In those final few weeks, college will seem like the equivalent to a mirage of a monsoon in the Sahara desert, the idyllic light at the end of the tunnel. Although this fantasy does come into fruition to some extent, college isn't all fun and games. Behind the countless nights out, there is definitely a workload if you're a procrastinator. Keep that inner procrastinator dormant till June, as hard as it may be to grapple from. Also, if you choose a course that caters to you, or that you have a genuine interest in, then that workload will perhaps manifest itself into fun and games too.
College itself is, more or less, a friend-making establishment where everyone is on the same socially-shy boat. Within weeks, you will have already conjured a stable circle of people to have fun with, integrate in your life, and truly be yourself around to enhance that convivial atmosphere of your first year. However, keeping in contact with your Stratford pals is overwhelmingly crucial. Progressing into a life of assignment due dates, hours of travelling to and from your course, and the possible balance of part-time work spells unwarranted lapses of time where you haven't seen certain people whom you are used to seeing on a daily basis. If you put in a little bit of effort or organize get-together's that suit everyone, then life won't seem half as different as you think it is. Thanks be to Zeus for the powers of social networking!
Wishing you all the best for the holidays!
Cal McGhee (2011)
[Image: www.sxc.hu]
