Peer Mentoring

Before you start classes at UCD you’ll attend an orientation week on campus. Fresh-faced from your post Leaving Cert junket to Ayia Napa (well that’s where my little sister’s going), you’ll arrive tanned, confident, and ready for anything.

LOL JOKE.

When most first years arrive at UCD they’re terrified. Yes college is exciting, yes it’s brilliant to be done with school, but starting all over again is always going to be difficult. This is magnified times a thousand if you don’t come from Dublin, or don’t know anyone who’ll be attending your course or even your university.

This is where peer mentors come in. On your first day your year will be split into small groups and assigned to one. Generally a second year (that’s only one year ahead of you), they were in your position a year ago, and know exactly what you’re going through. They’ll bring you on a tour of campus, answer all your questions, and give you their numbers in case you ever get lost and need a saviour.

And even more importantly, because you’re in small groups it’s much easier to get to know each other. Some of the people I met on my first day at UCD are still my closest friends. Others aren’t, but we swapped numbers and I called them if I was confused about an exam question, missed a class or needed help finding library books.

When I got a chance to be the mentor in second year I was delighted, and found it very strange the way the first years seemed to think I had all the answers, when a year before I had been in their little fresher shoes.


I googled "fresher shoes" and for some reason these came up. I figured I'd just go with it!