Student Bloggers

Before leaving to study abroad in Ireland (on my first solo trip), I was very anxious about my time away from the U.S. While I tried to search up Youtube videos of past students studying abroad, helpful advice felt limited. After spending 2 months at the University of Limerick (UL), I have created a list of the most helpful advice I discovered while traveling and wish I knew before stepping foot in Ireland. The 10 tips I will discuss below are mostly centered around Limierck, and the UL.

1. Arrive at the airport 2-3 hours before your flight leaves!
   When traveling alone, it’s very important that you give yourself ample time to check in bags, go through customs, and find your gate. Leaving 2-3 hours before your flight will also help account for long lines. On my way back to the U.S., I was stuck in a very long line to check my bags in. But, leaving early enough quneched my anxiety and made me confident that I would have enough time to navigate any issue while traveling alone.
2. Ireland has Pre-Clearance for U.S. Citizens
   When returning home, leaving from Dublin or Shannon airports, U.S. citizens will go through pre-clearance. This means you will be screened as a part of going through the airport before being able to enter the gates. This is helpful because when you land in the U.S., you will not have to go through immigration or a customs line, preventing the chances for you to miss a connecting flight. It’s also extremely nice if you have a direct flight and are able to leave after landing without waiting for security.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
   The Irish are very friendly, so do not hesitate to ask for directions or help. After my second day of arriving at the UL, I lost my key card. I remembered feeling a little embarrassed and disappointed, as I knew I would have to pay the 10 euro fee. When I went to the front desk, the receptionist gave me a bright smile and handed me another card before turning around. Confused, I reminded her I had to pay for the new card. In a cheery voice she stated, “Oh don’t worry about it!” Along with this, I also found that many Irish people would randomly ask if I was okay. These little moments made me feel more confident to converse with locals.
4. Go To the Milk Market
   The milk market was my favorite place to go on the weekends in Limerick. On Saturdays, there would be many vendors selling various foods, art pieces, clothes, and furniture. My favorite stand to buy from was the Sunflower Bakery. It always sold the most buttery croissants and pastries. Be prepared- while many of the vendors accept credit cards and Apple Pay, this stand only accepts cash. Another stand I would highly recommend is this juice stand that squeezes freshly made fruits where you can mix pomegranates, limes, lemons, oranges, and grapefruit to create your own tangy concoction.  
5. Go on Walks
   With the beautiful terrain of Ireland, this tip may seem self explanatory. I thought this was important to add, as going on walks was one of my favorite daily activities. The UL has many walking trails that weave throughout the green campus. Planning walks in my day gave me the chance to reflect and be still with my thoughts. One trail I recommend is walking along the Shannon River into Limerick City. After dinner, two of my roommates and I decided to go on this trail. While it took us around an hour to walk it, the time went by quickly as we talked, exchanged jokes, and enjoyed the nature. Once we reached the city center, we couldn’t believe how far we walked. We then went to Gino’s (a popular gelato chain) and ate our dessert by the river to celebrate.
6. Obtain a Young Adult Leap Card
   Right after landing in Ireland, I suggest you create an account for a Young Adult Leap Card. This bus card will allow you to travel around most of Limerick and other cities for a fairly cheap price. I used my leap card mostly to go into the city and for grocery runs. I highly recommend getting this card early in your stay to maximize its benefits. (Be cautious: the photo you will send in for the card ID will not be clear and look like you took the picture using a potato).
7. Beware of Spiders
   The accommodations I stayed in were an upgrade from U.S. dorms. I lived in Thomond Village where I had my own bedroom, bathroom, and shared a full kitchen and living room with a few other roommates. While these living conditions were great, there were always spiders in my room. They would jumpscare me on my bed, hide in the corner of the ceilings, and build webs under my desk. Despite being relatively harmless, they would love to congregate in my apartment. If you can move them outside without killing them, that would be your best option, but I was too scared. So I devised a routine for how I would get rid of them: I would take a broom and move them to the floor, where I would then grab my old sneakers and repeatedly hit them (This was all done while screaming in a high pitched voice btw). Moral of the story, I would be careful and look out for spiders and other insects :)
8. Go to the Cliffs of Moher
   Visiting the Cliffs of Moher was my favorite off campus activity. This was somewhere I had always wanted to visit in the back of my mind but never really figured out how I would achieve it, until I thought about studying abroad. The first time I went, the sky was extremely clear, allowing me to get the most amazing view. Being on the cliffs was breathtaking and really felt like an “I made it moment”. Looking off into the sea with the wind in my face made me realize that I really traveled all the way to Ireland by myself and completed my goal of visiting this landmark.
   
   I also saw the cliffs from a lower perspective, when I took a boat to the Aran islands. This was a great experience as I had only seen photos from the top of the cliffs and didn’t realize how high up they actually were. On the cliffs, you will find a restaurant and a few quaint gift shops. There are also many cows that live on top of the cliffs that you can visit.
9. Be Spontaneous
   This tip may also seem obvious but I feel it's important to remind ourselves to be open to new experiences. Especially when first arriving in a new country, it can be very easy to stay in the hotel room or be afraid to venture out. There are so many experiences you will miss out on if you let fear control you. When I say spontaneous, it doesn’t always mean doing something crazy like going skydiving. It can be as simple as accepting an invitation from a local to grab dinner, trying out a new coffee shop, or learning to play  Gaelic football. Just try to push yourself out of your comfort zone and do something you probably wouldn’t do back home.
10. Give Yourself Grace
    Not only is this tip important when traveling, but should be followed in all areas of your life. I repeat: It is okay to make mistakes, especially if it is your first time traveling. This experience is supposed to be exciting and fun, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you accidentally miss the bus to the city or forgot to buy something at the store (That reminds me: The best place to get grocery’s is the Dunnes Store, they also have the best store brand coconut yogurt). It will take time to adjust to the people, new surroundings, and time zone and it can be easy to make mistakes. Even if you are not jet lagged, making mistakes is okay. So instead of getting mad, ask yourself how you can prevent a problem like that in the future. If it's something small, never be afraid to laugh at yourself and move on.

With these tips, I hope you can find some relief before setting off to Ireland and know that you can do this. Fully take in the experience, immerse yourself in the culture, meet new faces, and most importantly, try to learn something new about yourself.