Diary of a GIB

Of all the “gibs” who entered through the doors of NUI, Galway in September of 1998, I don’t reckon there were many as green as I. How naïve was I in those days. The romanticized image I had dreamt up of college life had lured me into a false sense of security. I had envisaged all us budding revolutionaries sitting around, drinking black coffee, discussing world politics and planning the next protest against the government for no particular reason other than to get our faces in the papers. But alas, the “Pinky and the Brain” syndrome was nowhere to be found. Instead, I found that the students actually took notes in the lectures and read the course work that was designated. How wrong was I to assume that studying and competing for places was a thing of the past and resigned only to Leaving Cert classrooms.

Having missed out on “Freshers Week”, I felt the need to involve myself fully in every aspect of college life. In my enthusiasm, I joined 16 different societies, a few clubs, and partied like there was no tomorrow. I thought it was the “norm” until a thing they like to call “continuous assessment” was introduced. As I scraped honours by expanding on the interesting parts of lectures that I had managed to scribble down. a sudden realisation hit home where it hurt. “Everybody” was not partaking in societies or clubs, they didn’t all spend their time drinking and the word “library” and its function was fully comprehensible to the vast majority.

The one thing I hoped to get out from my time spent at college was a broad education. As an arts student, there is great scope for me to broaden my horizons. However any prior ideas I had of attending medical or science lectures this year have all gone to pot. I simply do not have time, a fact that I regret greatly.

After Christmas I cut down on my socialising — slightly! I am now an active member of 6 societies and the novelty of playing with my mobile has finally worn off. I feel I have matured greatly. My mother on the other hand believes my mental status has regressed twofold and fears for my worsening state. The many friends I have made have been of great assistance to me in my many hours of need. I adore my subjects and love college life; it really is everything it’s cracked up to be, and more. My aim is to “live life to the max” and to play as active a role as I can throughout my college years.

One of my favourite societies is the long established “Literary & Debating Society”. For me it epitomises exactly what we, the students of this country should be doing in our valuable spare time as the future “movers and shakers” of tomorrow. It provides an open forum for all regardless of sex, age or position It is in societies like these that we are moulded into the balanced, assertive and confident people we always hoped to become. Nelson Mandela put it best when he said:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Amy Kilcline

1^st Arts