By Sadhbh Hendrick
So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another Semester over
And a new one soon to come
And so this is Final Year
I hope you have fun (unlikely)
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young
Dear Diary,
So here we are, last issue of the semester (Eeeek). (The OG readers will understand the little song reference.) Well, at least we have all made it this far. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, hopefully?? Shout out to Kelly Clarkson for providing a solid number of ‘choons’ appropriate for a multitude of despairing times in our lives.
It’s been a tough semester with a very heavy workload and the added banter of trying to kick start the whole career path, but an enjoyable one nonetheless. Whilst it sometimes feels ever so like I’m drowning, at least it feels as though everyone is drowning together!! There is a distinct sense of comradery that has been exclusive to this year. We are all in it together. Might be a small pep talk at the water filter or the library gates but it’s a pep talk all the same. All the coffee catchups and the Bialann visits, the treks to Tesco or the SU Shop for the caffeine fix; those are the little portions of the day that make final year, not only bearable, but also enjoyable. I know everyone is like, “omg the semester flew, omg it’s week 1235342, omg it’s exam season blah blah blah…”. The time does fly for sure but maybe that’s just because, despite the assignments and reading room stints, we are all still having fun.
I’m writing this in November, so Christmas should feel like a long way off, but it really isn’t. Brown Thomas seem to have their windows fantastically decorated for a couple of weeks now, and just last Sunday the Christmas lights went up on Shop Street, so we all know what that’s leading to: THE CHRISTMAS MARKET. One of the most incredible facilities to spring up in Eyre Square annually, it is impossible not to smile walking through the markets. Even if you’re dashing for a bus or running back to college, the atmosphere in the market is like nothing else. Catering for every age group, it’s very movie spec. We all know that with the Christmas Market comes the Beer Tent and again, this is craic like no other. It’s like all the best elements of the best pubs and clubs and festive music concentrated into one tent. If you’re a first year and this is your first visit to the Beer Tent, brace yourselves. I think it may indeed be impossible to have a bad night there. Since I seem to have gone all Fáílte Ireland on Galway Christmas attractions, let us not forget the ice–skating rink. You’ll either end up feeling like you should be on Dancing on Ice or with some curiously coloured bruises, but nonetheless, an excellent evening none the same.
So, I wish you all a fantastic Christmas full of festive cheer. May the exam timetables be ever in your favour. May your stockings be full and your Christmas Market/Beer tent visits be frequent. And now, before Mark goes all Brit Award on Adele’s thank you speech and cuts my diary short, thank you all for your kind comments throughout the semester. The size of the readership never fails to surprise me and the lovely words from you all have meant a lot. I’ll be back next semester if my Final Year Project hasn’t somehow suffocated me, so ciao for now!!!
GRMA,
Sadhbh x