Trinity College Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I and is widely considered the most prestigious university in Ireland and one of the most elite academic institutions in Europe. Famed Trinity students include Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Samuel Beckett, and many more. I was truly honored to be even accepted into such a university, and felt this to be one of life’s true accomplishments.
I have just completed the first week, and I feel lost. Trinity’s educational approach is quite different from the norm I’ve experienced in the US, where reading is assigned, then a lecture (highlighting key points of the reading), followed by homework that is based on the lecture. I’ve realized that at Trinity, reading is assigned (700 pages there-of for week # 1), and it’s up to the student to discern what reading is most appropriate, organize his or her own teachings of the reading, write about it in a short-essay format, then discuss it openly with fellow students during an online session.
Moreover, my fellow students mostly work in medicine, aviation, chemical, and similar industries that require strict attention to safety and risk management. It’s quite different than HR in a 100% telecommute environment, where the risks only appear to be technological (e.g. information security, infrastructure reliability, etc.) or residential (the various risks of one’s own home).
Although I didn’t know what to expect, and I knew Trinity’s academics would be advanced and research-based, I think I can give it a true start in week # 2. I’m a little curious about how much time I will have to commit to Trinity, though. However, with the end results being new career avenues and opening of global doors, I’m all for it!
