Trinity student Marielle shares her favourite things to do in her new home Dublin:

“Marielle’s Top Five Things to do in Dublin”

5000 miles, one ocean, two plane rides, and one hour in the car are what stand between my house and me. With all that between us it only seems normal that it might be difficult to adjust to a new life, right? Actually wrong, at least from my experience. Yeah, I’m far from home; but honestly, that thought never crosses my mind. There is so much to do in Ireland, particularly Dublin that I don’t really have time to think about the fact that I’m so far from the familiar. From the first day I arrived, I embraced what was in front of me and found I was settled in before I knew it. My best advice to people trying to settle into life in Ireland is to just get out there and explore. You won’t make any new friends by sitting in your room thinking about what you’re missing at home. Making friends and getting involved are the best ways to make the adjustment as smooth and easy as possible. To give a little sample of what there is to do in Dublin, I’ve created my own personal top five things to do. If you’re having trouble settling in, I suggest you tick off a few things on this list and you’ll be thinking you were Dublin born and bred in no time!

Marielle’s Top Five

1. Trinity College Dublin: Ok, so I’m a little biased. It’s hard not to be when you go to a school that looks like something straight out of a Harry Potter movie. Even if you’re studying somewhere else, a day spent touring Trinity and seeing the Book of Kells is sure to leave you impressed.

2. Murphy’s Ice Cream: I love food so it’s a given that I was had to include something edible on this list. Only in Ireland would you find brown bread flavored ice cream. I’m not joking, that really exists, and I was surprised to find out that it actually tastes good. What’s not to love about ice cream with an Irish twist?

3. Stephen’s Green: On any sunny day in Dublin, Stephen’s Green is the place to be for a picnic lunch. If you arrive in August, you may as well join the rest of Dublin trying to get their bit of vitamin D before winter and grab a sandwich to eat in the park and have a little stroll.

4. Dublin Castle: I was here for a year before I realized how amazing Dublin Castle is. I never would have guessed that royalty used to stay right next to one of the liveliest streets in Dublin. Walking onto the castle gates takes you back to the past. Seeing all of the old ballrooms and over the top interior design gives a sense of the history of the city and its connections to England.

5. O’Connell Street: Dublin’s main street and the widest in Europe! It was the scene of the Irish revolt and the place where their independence was proclaimed. It’s also home to the spire, perhaps one of the most pointless structures around but still something that has to be seen, if not only for the photo op. Once you’re there you may as well saunter down Henry Street, one of my favorite shopping streets of all time.