Exams

So I had my first final exam yesterday and it was an experience. UCD has their exams at the RDS Simmoncourt, which we figured was just a large place with a bunch of rooms. Instead it was practically a huge warehouse that had about 4000 seats so kids from about 40 classes were. It was very different, but I didn't really mind.

Kids in Dublin aren't the smartest I have encountered, so I'm not too worried about my exams. Here is an email that one student sent out to the class, which includes our professor.
hey i think i have written about a story i was not aloud to in my moral philosophy essay and was wondering in what way will i be penilised?! please write back soon,
thanks,

rob
I thought that I had poor spelling!

WORK

Well we have finished our classes for the term, but will now have to finally start doing work as exams are coming up in a week. In order to prepare for exams I usually like to listen to music, and listen to a couple cd's over and over during that time. However this year I found a file that had the Top 200 songs of the 90's so that will be music resource of choice over the next couple weeks. Hopefully it doesn't let me down!

UCD Ball 2008

To cap off the end of the school year was the UCD Ball yesterday. Similar to Modstock at BC but a lot better. Me and Bob thought that we could just sneak in since we didn't have tickets and they sold out, but our irish friends thought that we wouldn't have a chance. Boy were they wrong. We were in the student government offices where Paddy had to pick up his pass, and he tried to get us one but couldn't. At this point Bob noticed a box with a sound mixer in it. So we decided to pick it up and carry it outside pretending that we were working back stage, and our plan worked to perfection. We were greeted outside by Paddy and Flopsy who couldn't believe we pulled it off. Here is a video of one of the bands that played, but they were horrible but its the only video I could find. The set up the stage in the parking lot behind the students union and had a huge beer truck, an ice cream stand, and various other food stands. It was awesome!

Sailing!!!

After months of following various regattas online that have been going on in the states that have gotten me anxious to get back on the water, I was finally able to get back out there this weekend. Ronan O'Connell, who worked at Sea Cliff Yacht Club two years ago, gave me a call last week to see if I was interested in doing a J24 regatta this weekend, which was an offer I quickly accepted. After winning our lacrosse game on Friday we had a few drinks at the campus bar, but then I headed home since we were heading up north at 615 the next morning.

We sailed out of Carrickfergus Sailing Club which is located on Belfast Bay just to the Northeast of Belfast. When we got up there we were greeted by John White, who has instructed on the South Shore for the past two summers, and 15-20+ knots. It was really cold too. This was my first time on a J24, and it was surprisingly faster than I would have imagined. I figured it would be a heavy, slow boat since they seem to last forever, but they turned out to be pretty quick and enjoyable. My biggest problem with the boat was the low boom that made it a tad difficult to cross the boat during tacks, and had to watched carefully jibes. Unfortunately we had one jibe where I was not low enough, and got hit by the boom which resulted in a cut above my eye and a smashed lens on my sunglasses, but at least I stayed on the boat and was able to continue racing.

After racing we got the boat cleaned up, and headed back to our hotel to get a little sleep in since most of us were working on only a couple of hours. We then headed back down to the club for a "rum reception" which was enjoyed by all, and was followed by a nice dinner for all the competitors.

After waking up a little sore due to hiking with a toe rail under my thighs, we enjoyed a traditional Ulster fry which is often referred to as a "heart attack on a plate" which consists of bacon, eggs, sausages (either pork or beef), the farl form of soda bread (the farl split in half crossways to expose the inner bread and then fried with the exposed side down), potato bread and tomatoes. It was delicious.

Similar to this but without the mushrooms

Although the forecast was for slightly less breeze, we were welcomed to about 20-25 with gusts up to 35. During the first race these conditions continued, and we witnessed one capsize on the way downwind, but they recovered pretty quickly. J24 capsize rather easily in heavy breeze, and have been known to sink as well.

I haven't sailing in a competitive keel boat one design regatta more competitive than this one. All the boats were bunched throughout the racecourse, and spread between the first and last boat was usually about a minute. It was a blast to get back out on the water, and the crew was great. Brian, Skully, John, Ronan, and I didn't yell at all the entire time, and we all just enjoyed being out there and had a blast.

Lacrosse AGM

The other day we had the Annual General Meeting for the lacrosse team where we handed out some season prizes, appointed new captains and handed out some gag gifts too. The MVP went to our goalie Moffet who only started playing in November and has progressed really well so far. After the real prizes were given out Flopsy started giving out the special awards that were hilarious. Me and Bob got a gigantic candy cane, which really didn't have any meaning behind it, but it was nice to get something that was edible. One of my favorite awards was the tightest shorts award, and that went to a guy who always wears his rugby shorts to practice all the time. Coach Chris got a cane because he's the oldest guy, and it's funny to make fun of old people. He also got a clown costume since that's his favorite word to call us. We then went to the Forum Bar on campus and enjoyed a nice drink outside as everyone helped out eating our massive candy cane.

National Champs!!!

Well after their third consecutive year in the championship game, the BC hockey team finally won the national championship. Although I wish I could've been there a bunch of us went to the BC house and watched it there yesterday. It looks like 2008 is a pretty good year for my teams so far: the Giants won the Super Bowl, and now this, I guess the Mets need to win the series to complete it.


(Globe Staff Photo / John Bohn)

Back to reality..kinda

Well I headed back to class after taking last week off but I don't think I missed much. Lectures aren't mandatory here and they aren't the most exciting ones either. Most teachers will just put up a powerpoint and read straight from it, so there is no need to take notes since they are put online. We do have tutorials which are small discussion groups but those are only once every other week, and are finished for the semester. The only lecture that is really worth going to for me is my Kant class, and my professor is American so it's similar to a class back at BC.

This week also contained one of my favorite things of the year- class registration. I enjoy searching through all the classes and seeing how I can squeeze in all the classes I want into my remaining two semesters. So next semester I will be taking Macro Theory, Capital Markets, Philosophy of Imagination, and Photography. It's a good schedule, and I have Monday and Wednesday off so I will look into getting a job so I can make a few extra bucks on the side.

Yesterday me, Bob, and Flopseye headed to the Epicurean Food Hall which is just on the other side of the River Liffey to get some burritos, and they were very tasty. Bob was not full enough so he bought some nachos which we assisted him on as well, and we all decided that we wanted ice cream so we headed to Burger King and got some there. My stomach didn't feel too well for the next few hours, but it was well worth it.