Dublin Christmas Markets
Author: Dalton Roberts | Majors: Agriculture Business, Political Science | Semester: Fall 2022, Spring 2023
This comes as the final blog for my fall semester at Trinity College Dublin. The last month has been filled with finals and holiday cheer. Throughout the course of the semester, I have truly come to enjoy and love Dublin. While my experience in Ireland during this semester was not perfect and I faced many challenges I recognize the incredible self-growth I have experienced. The last couple of weeks leading up to finals became very stressful, as a visiting student I was not sure what to expect. Thankfully I submitted my last final this week and fly home for Christmas on the 16th of December. Results from the finals will not be published till mid-January when the spring semester starts.
This last month I took a trip to south Ireland to the town of Cork and Cobh. The weather during the trip consisted of blowing wind and rain in true Irish fashion. From Cork, I took a bus to the picturesque town of Cobh where we had lunch at a small local café along the water. We concluded the trip with a stop at Blarney Castle where we climbed to the top and kissed the Blarney Stone. Those who kiss the stone are said to grow eloquent, this has been a tradition for roughly 200 years.
Dublin during the holiday glistens with lights and Christmas décor spread throughout the city. My favorite local coffee shop started serving hot chocolate during the holidays with personalized chocolate art on top of the drink. The perfect way to wake yourself up while on the way to Trinity. The Dublin Castle also hosts a Christmas market in the city center where you can gather around with friends and enjoy holiday treats and shopping while taking in the smell of freshly cut Christmas trees lining the edges of the market. Touring Dublin Castle and the cathedral during Christmas is a must while in Ireland, Christmas trees tower above you as you enter each room all fully decorated with a different theme.
With my flight home and the farewell dinner quickly approaching this has left me to selfreflect on this past semester. The biggest regret I have during this semester is not pushing myself out of my comfort zone enough. While I put myself out there to make friends and travel alone, I did not truly always push the boundaries. One goal I am setting for next semester is to agree to more and take chances I normally would never go for. The best advice I could give other study-abroad students would be to take care of themselves both physically and mentally. While studying abroad you are asking a lot from your body so make sure to keep yourself in good shape. The second piece of advice is to learn to rally, there will definitely be times when you are sick or not feeling up for a trip. Often, it’s better to show up and participate than miss the experience altogether. Always use discretion when studying abroad and traveling and always trust your instincts.