College Tribune - Volume 35 - Exams Special Edition

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Issue_06.35

Independent Student Media

Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

tions with all races bar President now contested.

aper ballots saw a return to campus this year in the By-Elections following a majority RON victory in the Executive Elections for 4 out of 6 SU Sabbatical Officer positions.

Martha Ní Riada was elected as Education Officer in the only contested race of the elections.

The Election results were announced to a small crowd in the Red Room at approximately 4:15 pm on Friday, the 22nd of April.

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All candidates who ran in the SU Executive Elections were back on the ballot for By-Elec-

Students’ Union Sabbatical Executive Officers: The Students’ Union’s Sabbatical Executive Officers are elected full-time officers. There are 6 elected officers, Campaigns

and Engagement, Education, Entertainment, Welfare, Graduate and the President.

Molly Greenough won the uncontested Presidential race on first count by receiving 1300 of the total valid poll of 1542.

Greenough acted as last year’s Welfare Officer. The President is the face of the Students’ Union and the CEO of UCDSU Commercial Services Limited.

Read the full story on page 3...

27.01.2022

Clubhouse’s COVID Crunch Revealed at AGM he UCD Clubhouse held its Annual General Meeting on the 13th of April, giving the community an inside look at how the student bar operated during the bulk of the pandemic.

the review, the Clubhouse incurred a total loss of €117,375, 34% of which was caused by depreciation of assets. The rest of this loss was caused by significant costs incurred over the course of the pandemic, despite the bar not being able to open for extended periods of time....

During the period covered by

Read the full story on Page 3...

Jack McGee Head of Investigations

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Editorial

Editorial

In our first issue, we welcomed you back to Belfield and we laughed that this would be the sequel (baby!).

We said this because we speculated our lives were inevitably going to be different post-pandemic. They certainly are. Before Christmas, we weren’t even able to walk around campus without a mask but as the government eased on restrictions, so did the University Management Team. Both having done so equally poorly; you might have read our article investigating why Belfield’s return to campus was shambolic and if you haven’t, we recommend you do so.

We promised to bring you the best of student journalism. We certainly have. The highlights of our paper this year include the timeline spread of the notorious anti-vaccination, COVID-denier and ex-UCD lecturer, Dolores Cahill; UCD’s links to the arms industry; student experiences of the godforsaken campus residences; the resignation of the infamous Andrew Deeks as President and as of late, an exclusive interview with the anonymous instagram confessions page on the starting of a RON campaign in the Students’ Union Executive Elections.

Our journalism does not always bring friendship with it. But that’s not the College Tribune’s job. We were established to hold the institutions of UCD to account and to represent stories that matter to students. We’ve certainly carried the tradition forward with the year ending on some drama.

In years to come, a student will pick up the 35th volume of this paper, out of sheer boredom probably. But

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they’ll get a glimpse into our little lives on campus this year. Our journalism will hopefully paint a picture of what some kids in their early twenties cared about, what changes we so desperately wanted to see in Ireland and what we wanted to see improved in our beloved concrete jungle of a university. Your (and our) year is forever imprinted in this volume.

Mahnoor Choudhry - Co-Editor Conor Paterson - Co-Editor Hugh Dooley - News Editor

Emma Hanrahan - Deputy News Editor Rhoen Eate - Features Editor

It’s been a good year for independent student journalism too. Our paper has been nominated for Newspaper of the Year and Design and Layout of the Year in the National Student Media awards. This is of course, a testament to the team of creative journalists of the Tribune who can proudly call themselves “journo rats”. We’re utterly grateful to all of their hard work and dedication.

Ruth Delaney - Arts & Lifestyle Correspondent

But the biggest thanks is saved for you all. Thank you for reading, for engaging and for supporting.

We’ll miss our Newman office, scribbling away whilst watching life happen on campus from its window.

Manny and Conor

Co-Editors ‘21/‘22 (Over and Out)

Connect With Us

PO Box 74, Student Centre, UCD, Belfield Dublin 4

Angelina Pierce - Ents & Lifetyle Editor

@collegetribune www.collegetribune.ie Download our app on the Google play store for androis users or the iTunes for iOS users!

27-04-2022

News

UCDSU By-Elections | Greenough Elected President

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By Mahnoor Choudhry

Clubhouse’s COVID Crunch Revealed at AGM

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By Jack Mc Gee

Callum Buchan - Sports Editor Jack McGee - Head of Investigations Rosie Roberts-Kuntz - Assistant News Editor Mark O’Rourke - Business Correspondent Louise Kennedy - Law Correspondent Danielle DerGarabedian - Political Correspondent

Jack Donlon - Music Correspondent Sophie Melia - Film&TV Correspondent

UCD Ordered to Pay €15k Compensation for Unfair Dismissal

Turbine

Second-Year Politics Student Solves Racism in Twitter Thread 6

By Dugh Hooley & Manet

Features

All of You - For Supporting Independent Student Journalism

Sleep and its Applications for Exams

Special thanks to Hugh Dooley for designing our front page and the Turbine logo.

News Tips Sometimes the best news story is right under your nose.

Alternatively, you’re welcome to stop by our Newman Building Office.

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By Mahnoor Choudhry

Smedias - For Our Nomination for Newspaper of the Year and Design & Layout of the Year

For any news tips, on and off campus, please contact the editor via social media, telephone, email, or traditional mail.

Letters to the Editors

Letters to the Editor should be sent via email and no longer than 300 words.

The Team

It’s been a good year, we can say.

Nearing the end of it, it’s fair to say that it certainly has been the sequel.

Life doesn’t resemble what it was like pre-pandemic. But of course, it doesn’t. We don’t even represent who we all were pre-pandemic. But we deserve a pat on the back for having gone through it and having adapted to the new normality of our lives. The student societies of UCD should be commended for providing us with the fun of being a student in UCD. They have truly been the backbone of the college experience of many students this year.

Editor@collegetribune.ie +353 1 716 8501

Criticisms and comments on any articles published in our publication are always welcome.

Volume 35 - Issue 06

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By Wilson Tai

UCD – The Epitome of Concrete Jungle

By Rhoen Eate

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Lifestyle

A Quick Guide to Summer Streaming

By Sophie Melia

Daddy Yankee: Farewell Album, Tour & More

By Angelina Pierce

Oops... I Did It Again: Meditations on Another Wasted Year of College

By Tal Adler

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Sport Catch 22: Solving UCD AFC's Attendences

By Callum Buchan

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27-04-2022

News Volume 35 - Issue 06

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

News

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UCDSU By-Elections | Greenough Elected President Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

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aper ballots saw a return to campus this year in the By-Elections following a majority RON victory in the Executive Elections for 4 out of 6 SU Sabbatical Officer positions. Martha Ní Riada was elected as Education Officer in the only contested race of the elections.

All candidates who ran in the SU Executive Elections were back on the ballot for By-Elections with all races bar President now contested.

The Election results were announced to a small crowd in the Red Room at approximately 4:15 pm on Friday, the 22nd of April.

Students’ Union Sabbatical Executive Officers: The Students’ Union’s Sabbatical Executive Officers are elected full-time officers. There are 6 elected officers, Campaigns and Engagement, Education, Entertainment, Welfare, Graduate and the President.

Molly Greenough won the uncontested Presidential race on first count by receiving 1300 of the total valid poll of 1542.

Greenough acted as last year’s Welfare Officer. The President is the face of the Students’ Union and the CEO of UCDSU Commercial Services Limited.

Greenough commented in her victory speech, “Thank you so much to everyone who voted either way, I appreciate everyone for engaging with the democratic structures […] I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to working with the Union, I know there’s a lot of work to be done but I know I’m the best person for the job”.

Robyn O’Keeffe won the Campaigns and Engagement Officer race, contested by

Eoin Fagan who conceded defeat before the final result was announced via Twitter. O’Keeffe received a total of 1226 votes from a total valid poll of 1580. Fagan received 279 votes. Re-Open Nominations received 75 votes.

O’Keeffe stated in her speech “I want to congratulate Eoin on running a great campaign […] Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me”.

Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich succeeded Daragh Kane-O’Toole in the Welfare Officer race amassing 1012 of a total valid poll of 1554 votes. Kane-O’Toole received 441 votes.

Nic Fionnlaoich stated in her victory speech that “the hard work begins now” and that “I’m really grateful that UCD students trusted me”.

The contested Entertainment Officer race between Josh Kerr Hanratty and Ciara Moroney saw Moroney elected on first count with a total of 1083 votes out of a total valid poll of 1570. Kerr Hanratty received 387 votes.

Contrary to the Executive Elections where no Graduate Officer candidates were on the ballot, three candidates now contested the race with Marc Matouc being elected on the second count.

Amit Wasnik was eliminated on the first count. Tranferring all transferrable ballots passed the quota and the final number of votes received by Matouc was 259 votes and Amenda conceded with 132 votes.

bated ‘engagement crisis’ facing the Students’ Union.

Law Officer – Robin Jowett

The Sabbatical Team is as follows:

Agriculture, Food and Vet Science Officer – Hannah Tilly

President – Molly Greenough

Health Science Officer – Sarah McGrath

Entertainments Officer – Ciara Moroney

Engineering and Architecture Officer – No candidates ran for this position.

Campaigns & Engagement Officer – Robyn O’Keeffe Welfare Officer – Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich Education Officer – Martha Ní Riada Graduate Officer – Marc Matouc Irish Language Officer Shane Mac Amhlaoibh was elected to the position of Irish Language Officer.

College Officer Elections College Officers are part-time volunteer officers; their role is designed to act as the primary means of communication between students and the SU Executive.

The only races ran in this year’s Executive Elections were for the College of Science and the College of Law. The By-Elections saw the Arts, Humanities and Social sciences saw the race contested by three candidates, the Health and Sciences race contested by two candidates and the Agricultural, Food Sciences and Veterinary race was uncontested by Hannah Tilly.

Matouc stated, “thank you so much and I’ll make things right here”.

The full list of elected College Officers is as follows:

The total poll number approximated at a total of 1,681 votes in the By-Elections.

This is a slight decrease from the Executive Elections where the highest total poll number approximated at 1,744.

This represents less than 15% of the total student population of University College Dublin, highlighting the much-de-

Arts, Humanities and Social Science Officer – Caillum Hedderman (first count) and Róisín Alff (second count) Science Officer – Ryan Corley Irish Language Officer – Shane Mac Amhlaoibh

Business Officer – No candidates ran for this position.

Constitutional Amendment Referendum The Constitutional Amendment Referendum did not pass as the total poll did not reach the 12.5% (3,814) vote quorum for a constitutional amendment.

The referendum proposed was as follows: The current wording of Section 19.3 of the UCDSU Constitution states: “A candidate in elections held under this Article must be a member of the Union and shall be nominated by not less than 150 members of the Union. Candidates for the position of College Officer may only be nominated by members of the Union from their respective constituency.”

It is proposed that Section 19.3 to be amended to the following text: “A candidate in elections held under this Article must be a member of the Union. Candidates for Sabbatical Officer or Oifigeach na Gaeilge must be nominated by a minimum of 150 members of the Union. Candidates for the position of College Officer must be nominated by minimum of 75 members of their respective constituency only.”

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News

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Issue 06

27-04-2022

27-04-2022

Volume 35 - Issue 06

Bank of Ireland to Discontinue Ireland's Only Loan For GEM Students Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

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ank of Ireland’s loan aimed at Graduate Entry Medicine students is to be discontinued from July of this year, resulting in a significant decrease in those who will be able to afford to access it. The fees for the course, after steady increases, stand at €16,290 for Irish students and €55,140 for international students.

University College Dublin’s Students’ Union President, Ruairí Power commented to the Irish Times that the discontinuation of the loan “removes the last viable option for students to progress”.

He went on to state that the “GEM course was “brought in to make sure there’s a diverse range of people put forward to the medical centre … We need to make sure nobody is left in the lurch by Bank of Ireland’s decision”.

The loan, which was already capped at €15,000 per year, did not reflect the rising fees of the course. Despite this, a survey conducted by the Times showed that 92% of students

across four colleges require financial assistance to participate in the course. Of those surveyed, 72% were reliant on the BOI loan.

Many have voiced concerns to Dublin Live with some stating that the move could cause a “shortage of medical doctors nationally down the line”. The move has been criticised as creating a barrier to education for those from more disadvantaged financial backgrounds.

UCDSU President, Power stated that “the State needs to respond by ensuring the gap is addressed either through a reduction in fees or appropriate funding”.

Last year, the College Tribune reported that graduate entry medicine students at UCD will have their fees frozen for the following two years. The fee freeze was not guaranteed to stay in place for the academic year of 2022/2023. GEM students have been fighting for fee freezes since 2020 when they began to withhold fees in protest of the rising cost of the course.

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

News

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€14,000 Umbrellas? Clubhouse’s COVID Crunch Revealed at AGM, Including Major Expenses Jack McGee Head of Investigations

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he UCD Clubhouse held its Annual General Meeting on the 13th of April, giving the community an inside look at how the student bar operated during the bulk of the pandemic.

During the period covered by the review, the Clubhouse incurred a total loss of €117,375, 34% of which was caused by depreciation of assets. The rest of this loss was caused by significant costs incurred over the course of the pandemic, despite the bar not being able to open for extended periods of time.

These costs included €13,930 spent on parasols for the Clubhouse’s outdoor seating area, €10,182 on “health and safety items” and €2,767 on “maintenance/repairs”. Income was only reported to be €1,638, and no license or sponsorship were reported. It is believed that replacement sponsorships have since been secured.

Despite the significant costs incurred, the financial statements have not been audited.

Patrons, however, should apparently not be too concerned about the future viability of UCD’s only student bar. According to the Secretary’s Report, management had reworked the bar back into being a “going concern”, and that “optimism was in the air”. Credit for this was given to the Clubhouse’s assets. The Clubhouse currently has €227,190 in cash and bank accounts, and the bar’s physical assets hold a net book value of €69,987.

The Clubhouse had already seen some minor but notable difficulties in operation before the beginning of the pandemic. Minutes from the previous AGM held in January of 2020

noted issues in “meeting budgetary targets” due to a €6,000 drop in bar sales over the course of the previous year. The bar also reported challenges in securing events due to competition from the University Club (which opened in 2019).

UCD has a long history of student bars with financial troubles. The Clubhouse itself is a successor to the UCD Student Club, run by SU and college staff and closed in 2012. Once one of Ireland’s most profitable bars, it shuttered after the University was forced to bail it out for upwards of €750k.

UCD Ordered to Pay €15k Compensation for Unfair Dismissal

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Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

niversity College Dublin has been found to be in breach of the FixedTerm Work Act 2003 in a recent case brought by SIPTU on behalf of Dorota Bruce to the Workplace Relations Commission. Bruce had been employed

by UCD’s Applied Languages Centre as an External Relations Manager and was entitled to a contract of indefinite duration (CID) which she was denied.

Bruce had been employed by UCD since 2016 and had acquired four years of undisrupted service at UCD. Before the conclusion of these four years,

Bruce had contacted UCD’s HR department asking for more information on her eligibility for such a contract when she was informed her employment would terminate at the end of the three-year contract.

(October 2020) This contract followed from an initial eleven-month contract and a threemonth contract.

Shonagh Byrne, SIPTU organiser, appeared on behalf of Bruce and argued that Bruce’s areas of employment had since “increased in volume”. In August, an interim manager told Bruce that two areas under the supervision of Bruce were facing difficulty and therefore a CID “did not look promising”.

Fixed-term contracts under the 2003 Act must fulfil a legitimate objective, which UCD outlined via a letter, to be “providing effective and efficient administrative and support service”.

UCD then stated that the requirements of Bruce’s role would cease by October 2020.

UCD maintained in the letter that this position fulfiled the “objective grounds” element for validating a fixed-term contact, in law.

SIPTU argued that bruce had fulfilled a permanent need of UCD wherein her duties existed post-termination of her contract. It was argued that the dismissal of Bruce was merely

a “cost-saving method”. Gavin Stanley, Employee Relations Manager at UCD, appeared on behalf of the university stated Bruce’s contract was aligned with the unit’s three-year business plan. This unit is now undergoing a “wind-down”.

The allegation that Bruce’s inquiries and subjection to delayed waiting times in seeking to have the matter addressed.

WRC adjudicating officer, Brian Dolan published the ruling today saying the objective grounds related to a “fixed and permanent” need of UCD as a review and remodelling of the Applied Language Centre is to take place.

As UCD’s evidence that the unit no longer has staff or students was accepted and reinstatement of Bruce to the employment is not possible, Bruce was awarded the €15,000 compensation.

UCDSU President, Ruairí Power, tweeted “Universities have (unjustifiably) been hiding behind the skirts of the employment control framework to avoid issuing CID [...] Hope there’s more challenges coming your way @ucddublin!”

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Volume 35 - Issue 03

COLLEGE COLLEGETRIBUNE TRIBUNE

6 27-04-2022

Volume 35 - Issue 06

It's satire, please don't sue us

Second-Year Politics Student Solves 'College Tribune start office Racism in Twitter Thread hours to allow students designat-

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hock and disbelief emanated around social media and the wider world as Jason O'Connor wrote the definitive solution to all racism and discrimination in a 68-part Twitter thread.

Dugh Hooley Missing News Editor

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“

re you a society auditor or SU candidate with a vendetta against a news reporter? Are you angry that your society isn't filled entirely with angels? Or are you a member of UCD management who is angry at the Turbine for laughing at your total incompetence?

Well, the College Tribune is delighted to announce that we have been inspired by crappy lecturers to start office hours to allow our readers to book a designated time for you to have a go at our unpaid volunteer journalists!

We all bleed the same, y’know, I guess I’m just colourblind, I just see people.

Despite having grown up in a middle-class white family in Ranelagh and having never faced any meaningful discrimination in his life, second-year politics student Jason O'Connor was the man to solve one of the most convoluted and challenging social issues ever to face West- ... they're all white! So that ern society. got me thinking that racism is really bad" Discussing the revolutionary 68-part thread, O'Connor ex- The life-changing revelatoplained that the inspiration ry diatribe detailed how, into write the treatise came to spired by UCD’s recent tonehim while listening to one deaf anti-racism campaign, of his friends' vaguely rac- O’Connor called “on all of ist rants about internation- humanity to embrace race… al students, 'be nice… man' maaan.” said the 20-year-old genius, "they're people too bro".

‘Obviously, it’s not my fault racism exists, I’ve got black “We all bleed the same, friends, well not exactly y’know, I guess I’m just col- friends more like acquaintourblind, I just see people.” ances… like, we said ‘hi’ on a “Just because they, like, smell bus once bro?' bad and shit, like, doesn’t mean they’re not people too He ended the thread with a maaaaaan.” This revelation link to Imagine by John Leninstantly cured the deeply non. entrenched beliefs held by all in attendance.

The detailed thread began

ed times to abuse journalists'!

UCD students can wait weeks to be seen by a staff member from the Student Counselling Service, the College Tribune can now do better than that! Text ABUSETRIB to 01-716-8501 to receive an appointment with an unpaid and frantically busy student journalist less than 24hrs from your text!

Read a testimony from one of our now-happy customers!!

"I heckled a student journalist as he walked to a lecture, it was so satisfying but it wasn't until I booked in with the Tribune's new appointment system that I truly got my frustrations over 5-yearold drama off my chest.

The student that I yelled at for twenty minutes as she tried to get an essay written looked exactly like you or me, if I didn't know they wrote for the Tribune I might even have believed they had emotions and feelings like the rest of us!"

“

UCD students can wait weeks to be seen by a staff member from the Student Counselling Service, the College Tribune can now do better than that! Text ABUSETRIB to 01-716-8501 to receive an appointment with an unpaid and frantically busy student journalist less than 24hrs from your text

“

Manet - Token Brown Girl

by the now world-renowned genius, Jason O’Connor…

"The other day, I was walking on the concourse on the way to UCD’s very own version ARKbar and I saw the big Students' Union banner hanging down and had a real shocker of a realisation

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Dugh Hooley - 7 weeks from his Tom Brady Retirement

27-04-2022

Volume 35 - Issue 06

earest Reader, despite the swans’ best efforts, we made it. It may not seem an impressive feat, but I once heard that the signets are fed a vial of student blood to ensure they are as hungry for our lives as possible. As the semester draws to a close some of us regret not having enough drama, some of us wish we’d had a little less, most of us are suffering on levels both academic and emotional and none of us have a clue about what we’re doing. So, enters me, the best thing to ever happen to UCD, and most certainly the Tribune, to ponder on some final bouts of woe and monologue to such an extent that you would have oxygen deprivation if you were to read said monologue aloud.

ly can be just friends with someone you don’t want to be just friends with. I know the whole ‘they’re my best friend, I can’t be without them’ thing, but honestly, if you’re not prepared to be honest/shoot your shot, a wedge is just gonna be driven between you and you won’t even know it’s happening until too late.

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Agony Aunt

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Aunt in Agony D

Everything was going great until I caught feelings for my best friend.

Ahahahaha. Classic! Either tell them, ignore them, OR get with your best friend’s other best friend. (The third one is a joke but every good list needs three points and it is currently 1am – all good ideas are out the window.)

I wouldn’t worry, many friendships have a keystone moment of one or both parties catching feelings.

If you can, tell your friend/ shoot your shot. If you think you couldn’t possibly do that, you’re wrong. It will be so much worse if you don’t do something. The only exception to this, is if your friend is with someone or has clearly communicated that they are not in the space for anything… beyond yearning across the room as *that* song plays, and you’re both thinking of each other and the brief brush of hands when your bodies were too close and yet too far away.

In which case, respect their partner and/or boundaries, and figure out if you real-

“

There is more time to meet people, everyone is always up for drinks, and sometimes the place to meet college people, is outside of college/ society events etc…

”

My sneaky link has gotten way too attached. I’m kinda into it, but I don’t want a relationship, or any type of commitment, and they know that.

End things. I’m not here for a summer of people being all conflicted about their sneaky links and leading or being lead on. Just end things now before they get messier than they are, find a new sneaky link, and if you end up missing the old one, then that is a fun bridge for you to cross!

Feel like I failed at being social and meeting people at college this year If it’s any comfort, I have felt this way throughout my entire degree, and yet I’m still leaving UCD with some amazing friends and some exquisite emotional and

mental damage. I know you probably want an answer which gives you a ten-step plan to being more social but see previous answer about it being 1am. There is more time to meet people, everyone is always up for drinks, and sometimes the place to meet college people, is outside of college/society events etc…

Google what events are going on that you like the sound of, text your course/people you vaguely know about pints, and if nothing else, befriend the swans.

Idk if I’ve been going to the same UCD as everyone else because I don’t have a single sneaky link, library crush, awkward encounter with my one-night stand/professor.

Feels like I’m missing out.

Okay, so I wouldn’t count the professor one as you missing out, just to be clear but yeah, it does seem like everyone in the UCD sphere has someone on the scene or something going on.

Honestly, you’re not missing out. Sneaky links, awkward morning afters, all of it, is kinda meh in my opinion*.

It’s fun for a bit, and is great stories for the girlies, but at some point, it gets old. In all honesty, there’s no right or wrong way to go about any of it, you just have to go about it the way that feels right for you. If you really want the sneaky link, be open about it, find one and enjoy it. If you’re just feeling like you’re missing out due to social pressure, find a different crowd. College is meant to be enjoyed, and you’re only gonna manage that if you do things that you enjoy.

Sometimes that will mean doing things you wouldn’t usually do, and sometimes it means knowing what things you don’t enjoy and respecting that. I promise, once you’re doing what makes you happy, you’re not missing out on anything. (*Except the library crushes – those are the best and I will miss mine).

Agony Aunt I think you’re the most amazing person ever and you should get way more page space in the Trib. It’s so sad no one ever asks you about your woes even though you keep saying you’d rather bottle your emotions until death.

Aww thank you random and anonymous reader, this is so sweet, unexpected, and again, from a complete

“

Sneaky links, awkward morning afters, all of it, is kinda meh

”

stranger and not me. I don’t know how I could ever possibly accept such kind words or admit to some of my woes – however yes, the fact that undergrad is now over for me, the loml still doesn’t love me back, the cute guy in work hasn’t immediately whisked me away for a summer romance, is a lot.

Furthermore, the fact that I won’t ever get to dance with a forbidden love to instrumental Wrecking Ball, while onlookers look on – unaware of our history but becoming aware of our future – horrified at the scandal of me

dancing with one of my siblings intended, only for the Queen to okay it, does weigh me down. But I would never wish to distract from the woes of my readers with my own.

Why can’t I find someone who knows me the way the TikTok algorithm knows me?

Idk, it sucks for sure but like, it’s an algorithm, it’s supposed to know you better than anyone else could.

Final year of college completed… what am I supposed to do next?

Marry rich? Start a pyramid scheme? Look if I knew what to do next, I’d be doing it.

Right now, life is a haze of getting work and applying for masters, so if there’s no rich spouse or pyramid scheme potential in your near future, you should probably start doing something similar.

Mes Chers, It is the end. How bitter to be parted, and yet how sweet to know that your woes are not unanswered, nor do they set you at odds with your peers, as you conquer the realm of sneaky links, UCD, and whatever else it is I have discussed. I will miss the antics only undergrad studying can bring, and I hope UCD creates a shrine in honour of me and the profound echo my absence will have across campus. Stay safe out there, and remember, no matter how badly you screw up, aunty agony will always be here for you*. <3 (*unless your murder someone, commit tax fraud, study business, etc…)

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Features

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Issue 06

27-04-2022

Features

Sleep and its Applications for Exams Wilson Tai Features Writer

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ummer exams are around the corner: the period when people study with all their might to achieve the best results they can. But often, students sacrifice sleep to gain an extra couple of hours to study. This is not quite ideal, and plausibly, less effective.

This article explores the power of sleep, and thus integrates it with exam season.

Sleep is quite underestimated.

In fact, were it not for sleep, we human beings may not be here today. What separated us, humans, from monkeys back in the day was sleep. When we humans were apes, we humans slept on the ground around the fire, and this allowed us to have a luxurious and therefore, an uninterrupted sleep (the smoke from the fire helped deter predators and insects); whilst the monkeys slept on the treetop, always cautious that their body will not relax too much while asleep and consequently, fall off.

This derived extreme differential: sleeping around fire allowed our frontal cortex (the region of creativity in our brain) to relax properly. By allowing it to diffuse, our brain was able to connect to dots to produce many creative outputs, which I will discuss later. This only happened because as explained, we humans attained a luxurious and uninterrupted sleep, whilst the monkeys did not.

The reason for this is because the monkey’s brain knew that there lay a possibility of falling off the tree: when they fall asleep, their whole body gets paralysed during deep sleep and due to the laws of gravity, it lies a possibility they could ac-

cidentally end their life there.

As a result, it is not a surprise that the monkey did not have a good night’s sleep and was constantly interrupted.

Contrarily, because of humans’ luxurious sleep, we have developed faster and more innovative strategies for the needs of survival. For example, before humans had a good night’s sleep, they used to eat their feasts raw, which was extremely time consuming and lacked protein. But due to the power of sleep, they creatively heated their food, which led to the complete inverse of what we just stated: now it’s time-efficient and high in nutrition. An evolution was present.

So, we now know a brief histo-

ry of the power of sleep: we can apply it to the case of exams now. Suppose we are neuroscience researchers and want to see progress in algebraic literacy. We, therefore, have two groups of people: one group takes a nap after working on some algebra, whilst the other does not (this is called treatment and control). The group that does not take a nap will therefore do something else during this period. We will find that regarding memory retention, the group that took a nap will outperform the group that did not take a nap when asked to work on some algebra again.

The reason for this is quite simple. Like the brief history of humans and monkeys, by taking a nap, we have allowed our brain

to diffuse. To be more precise in this situation, rather than focusing on the frontal cortex (although it does also have a role to play), napping has managed to stimulate a region of the brain called the hippocampus.

The hippocampus is a region of the brain that transfers the items from your short-term memory box to your long-term memory box. As a result, by being able to store more in your long-term memory box from sleeping, you have opened plenty of space for your short-term memory box. And now, applying this to the case of exams, it is quite easy to see the importance of a nap in-between your study sessions: you can remember much more!

Now, you have learned a small bit about the power of sleep and what it can do to help you during exam season. I also hope that you do not twist this logic up by using sleep as an excuse to evade studying. That, unfortunately, is not the point I am making: sleep is only one supporting variable to help you retain what you have studied.

In spite of this, I hope this has developed your knowledge of the importance of sleep, and I wish you all the best in your exams!

27-04-2022

Volume 35 - Issue 06

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Features

9

UCD Debating Suffers Post-Pandemic Mahnoor Choudhry Co-Editor

also notes that first years were less inclined to get involved because there weren’t as many second years (who had spent their first year of college in complete lockdown, not really being able to get involved) encouraging them to.

C

ompetitive debating has formed a part of student life for many years at universities around the country. At UCD, the Law Society and the Literary and Historical Society can be entirely credited for the curation of the culture of debating on campus. Other well-known student debating societies include the Hist and the Phil from Trinity College Dublin and the Lit and Deb from NUIG. These societies host weekly debates on a diverse range of topics. In UCD, they are held in our infamous Fitzgerald Chamber.

Students on Committee can be seen moving through crowds of students queuing pre-debate in bright red or dark navy hoodies sponsored by corporate firms. Some students come for the topic that’s being debated, some come for the free pizza but mostly, students come to these debates for a place of belonging and an opportunity to make friends as pints afterwards are almost always guaranteed.

As a result of the pandemic and the lack of clarity provided by the Societies Council at the beginning of this academic year, the engagement with debating has somewhat fallen. Fitzgerald Chamber, once hosting crowds of 350+ people has yet to see such gatherings return.

The students at the backbone of these debating societies should be commended, however, for still providing the weekly debates to a smaller yet still significant crowd of 100+.

House debates are not where debating begins and ends. The two societies ogranise internal UCD competitions with rounds being held every week. These competitions are aimed at first year students and have seen significant participants.

Having debated in these competitions and been on committee

On competition between LawSoc and the L&H, Emer says it is just friendly competition and the two societies tend to work well together. She says there is a mentality of “UCD debating and not just LawSoc debating or L&H debating” and there is concern over UCD debating suffering and the only way to rectify that is by working well together. Trinity debating societies, in her opinion, “transferred really well to online debating” but UCD was slower to adapt.

myself, I remember the sef-entitled importance attached to having responsibilities outside of your academic degree. Even more so, I remember the pride of wearing one of these jumpers around campus in second-year.

Feeling like a part of a community that everyone knows is a bunch of high achievers being able to articulate their many opinions. But also, being a part of one of UCD’s most popular societies brought with it some sense of social security.

Debating in university has never just been about competitions. It’s been about community and no matter what one can criticise the people in such a community for, the benefits of even having a sense of community in college cannot be outweighed.

The College Tribune sat down Emer Nolan one Wednesday afternoon this April. Emer is the current secretary of LawSoc and one of few people who have continued to be a part of the debating community from the start to the end of their college career. She is a final year

law student who began debating as a result of a friend of from school encouraging her to in first year. She also attended nights out organised for first years by both LawSoc and L&H and this introduced her to the social aspect of debating, which seems to be what draws most people to it.

She reminisces that the atmosphere and people were both so welcoming and that “the stars almost just aligned with how quickly so many of us became friends because we were all new and so many were living on campus [...] we had all just been roped in together through the first couple of nights out”.

For Emer, debating has been integral to her college experience. “It changed everything”, she says. She notes that most of her social activities revolved, “it’s also such an insular group, UCD societies are anyway, but particularly the two debating societies [...] being on committee was a big deal as LawSoc demands so much from you”.

This dedication shown by these

students in running an approximate of four events per week, whilst also maintaining their own studies and part-time jobs is truly commendable. To create experiences, to create community and to help people find belonging on campus is something students on committee strive for. Emer jokes that she has had a running joke the whole year that she “couldn’t date anybody that [I] don’t know in real life because they won’t understand what LawSoc is [...] anyone not involved in this insanity just wouldn’t understand!”.

I asked her how important she thinks debating and LawSoc is for the average student’s college experience. “It changes so many people’s lives. Of course, not everybody’s but the people who’s lives it does change, it does so massively.”

Regarding the decrease in engagement with debating in recent times, Emer credits this to the lack of clarity and organisation provided by the Societies Council regarding public health guidelines in UCD. She

This article very much so could be seen as Emer Nolan’s ‘Exit Interview’ as she concludes her time in UCD as one of its most prominent debating figureheads.

However, what is more important to note is that UCD’s societies and their committees remain the backbone of the student experience on campus.

These students themselves are fast approaching burn-out post-pandemic and it is clear that there is little done at university level to preserve one of UCD’s most notorious activities. Debating has been the cultural hub where many ideas, friendships and memories have been birthed. Many of the Chief Justices and Attorney Generals of this country have indeed engaged in such discourse and their student experiences have been very much so formulated by the culture of debating.

Whatever the future holds for debating on campus, what we can appreciate now are the students who put their own personal lives behind the need to create fulfilling experiences for new students.

10

Features

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Issue 06

27-04-2022

UCD – THE EPITOME OF CONCRETE JUNGLE Rhoen Eate Features Editor

U

CD. We love it. We hate it. It is the central hub to our sort-of-adult-butstill-pretty-clueless lives, and yet, it feels as though it is trying to push us away with sky-high expenses and an ever-expanding ‘campus agenda’.

We are all quite well aware of the construction being undertaken, causing unrelenting fogs of smoke and even more stubborn traffic congestion. We have all gotten the email updates – and glossed over them. Yet many of us are starting to beg the question: what is this all actually for? Is our beloved campus not big enough as is? And if they were going to start modernising the college, they’d surely start with the Newman Building. But perhaps the furthest the idea of ‘Modern’ stretches for Newman is the fact that it has proper heating.

The ’Future Campus’ project which began in the ripe year of 2016 and is projected to span until 2026 - aims to “provide 22,500 m2 of new teaching, learning and research facilities”, all at the utterly measly and not at all unreasonable price of €180 million and circa 117 trees. Arguably, this money could be put to a multitude of better uses or necessary causes, but at least we’ll have a swanky

new building with obscure towers protruding from its head that meagrely represent the Giant’s Causeway in a far-fetched ode to our beloved James Joyce and his Finnegan’s Wake. (“Giamond’s Coarseway”, get it? I didn’t either). But at the very least that explains where our rent money is going.

Included in this whopper of a budget are, of course, the new and hopefully improved landscape, a dazzling Centre for Creativity and an innovative Centre for Future Learning. All addi-

tions to the university’s architecture are very clearly needed, if not begged for by the student body.

Despite protests from local residents on the “form of modern folly”, An Bord Pleanála paired with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to grant planning permission for the expansion of our campus, all under UCD’s guise of having the ambition to create “a more welcoming and engaging entrance at the primary entry point to the campus while facilitating the

growth and improvement of educational facilities”. The true purity of this statement is yet to be verified as the residents neighbouring the campus condemn what is doomed to be an “eye-sore” and students debate the possibility of a prettier entrance helping them get to their morning class with an added pep to their steps. And yet I suppose we can hope to get to our classes earlier with the new and improved entrance, although we can thank the clearing of obstruction – apologies – construction for that.

What’s more, our ever esteemed university is quoted to believe that the result of such bashing and building enhances and even ameliorates “an underwhelming and substandard section of the campus” in addition to encouraging a necessary connection between the local community and campus. Once again, this statement is yet to be tested as tension still lingers between local residents and university management.

But how do students truly feel about the matter? That is, the students who haven’t just resolved to press on and power through instead of seething with rage every time their bus

almost flings them through the window while driving through the treacherous bus lanes of the upheaval.

Some indeed are quite angry (to put it politely) at the inconvenience of it all, and its seeming frivolity. And others are actually quite saddened by the ordeal.

It portrays a side to UCD that is hypocritical to its acclaimed ‘global university status, and indeed, everything it seems to stand for. For a campus that is “striving” towards being environmentally friendly and doing its bit, the heavy smog of construction seemed to be embraced a tad too quickly. For a university that aims to be inclusive and fair, the superficial and quite frankly flippant expenditure is espoused too readily, when funds could be allocated to bettering more necessary faculties and causes. In fact, all this ‘innovation’ seems to be advertising is the booming capitalism that is so weaved into the hierarchies of the university’s management. Management with the ideals of bettering the façade of the university, its ego; rather than establishing and nurturing a solid foundation that evokes the ideals it claims to embody.

27-04-2022

Volume 35 - Issue 06

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Features

11

Netflix and Chill...the End of an Era???

Mark O'Rourke Business Correspondent

O

ver the course of the last decade, the name Netflix has become synonymous with film and TV. The platform has completely transformed the way we consume visual media, releasing some of the most-watched movies and TV-series and providing users with a treasure trove of content available ad-free and on-demand.

However, last week Netflix released its quarterly report for the first three months of 2022, painting a bleak picture for the future of the platform. The first quarter of 2022 saw Netflix lose 200,000 subscribers, the first time it has reported a decrease in subscriber figures in 10 years.

The company also announced that it expects to lose a further two million subscribers in the second quarter of this year. This sent the company’s share price

tumbling, falling by 35 percent and wiping $54 billion off its market value.

A portion of the subscriber losses can be explained by factors outside Netflix’s control such as the war in Ukraine, which prompted Netflix to shut down its platform in Russia. This resulted in the loss of 700,000 subscribers, reversing the small growth the platform did experience in European subscriber figures.

Netflix has appeared to have reached its subscriber ceiling and is now facing significant competition from a variety of competing platforms. The emergence of Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and others has had a significant impact on Netflix’s performance.

In the wake of the poor quarterly performance, Netflix has announced that it intends to clamp down on password sharing. Netflix believes that up to

one million households are password sharing and it is expected that the platform will attempt to introduce an additional fee for those accounts being used by multiple people outside of the one address. Netflix’s cochief executive Reed Hastings even suggested Netflix could move towards an advertisement-based model, something the company has always been strongly against.

duce its own content, going on to make hit shows such as House of Cards, Stranger Things, Orange is the New Black, and Squid Games, to name but a few. While more recently it has begun to have success in producing feature-length films, with films such as the Martin Scorsese directed Irishman, Don’t Look Up, and Power of the Dog all receiving Best Picture nominations.

A Golden Age of Streaming However, the streaming landNetflix forever changed the way we consume film and television. When the streaming platform emerged on the scene, it consolidated the vast catalogue of visual media content that was already in circulation, onto an easy to use, ad-free platform.

It afforded subscribers quick, easy, and on-demand access to huge amounts of content through their phone, computer, or television.

In 2012, Netflix began to pro-

scaping is changing. The emergence of the likes of Disney+ represents attempts by the traditional content makers to get a slice of the pie that Netflix, as the biggest streaming platform on the market, has had almost exclusive enjoyment of for the best part of a decade.

This represents a backwards step, at least from a consumer’s perspective. As content producers like Disney establish their own streaming platforms, they take with them their extensive

catalogue of content, locking it away from consumers behind another monthly subscription charge, leaving consumers in the predicament of having some of their favourite films and shows spread across several different platforms.

The increasing fragmentation of the content will likely serve to push more people to obtain their content through piracy. As streaming platforms become less convenient, more expensive, and afford less choice, the incentive and ability for subscribers to pay for them disappears.

However, some will undoubtedly welcome the news of Netflix’s difficulties with little sympathy.

Netflix has posed a huge threat to traditional cinema, ever since it took over the film and TV landscape over a decade ago. In 2018, Cannes Film Festival announced that films had to have had a French theatrical release in order to be eligible for the festival, resulting in Netflix pulling their films from the festival.

With calls for a similar prohibition at the Oscars, it's easy to see the animosity between old and new, as Netflix and its peers threaten the already precarious cinema industry.

It remains to be seen what the future will hold for Netflix.

While the quarterly results were alarming, it’s much too early to assign Netflix to the past.

The streaming service will undoubtedly have to reinvent itself in some form, although it will be interesting to see whether moves to clamp down on password sharing or the introduction of ads will have the desired effect.

What we can say, is that Netflix’s news indicates that the golden age of streaming is likely behind us. The way we consume film and television is changing, and unfortunately for consumers, it likely won’t be for the better.

12

Gaeilge & Opinion

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Issue 06

27-04-2022

Ní Neart: Cúlra agus Cultúr Chearta Teanga i dTuaisceart Éireann Doireann O'Sullivan Eagarthóir Gaeilge

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asfar Halla Chathair Bhéalfeirste faoi sholas dearg ar an 21 Bealtaine, agus, cosúil le aon uair eile a mbeadh dath difriúil ar shoilse foirgnimh dá leithéid, beidh teachtaireacht le sonrú sa ghníomh. Is é an dath dearg an dath atá piocthaithe ag An Dream Dearg, grúpa feachtasaíochta a bhfuil tiomanta cearta teanga lucht labhartha na Gaeilge a neartú trí bhíthin Reachtaíocht caoi atá fós le cur i bhfeidhm ag Thionól Tuaisceart Éireann. Is é is aidhm leis an alt seo ná cúlra agus modhsmaointeoireachta an fheachtais a sholáthair, agus míniú a thabhairt ar an baint atá ag gníomhaíochtaí rialtais maidir leis an ábhar.

Déantar smaoineamh freisin ar na torthaí praciticiúla ar féidir teacht i ndiadh reachtaíocht caoi a bheith curtha i bhfeidhm sa sféar poiblí.

fhorbairt a dhéanamh ar dul chun cinn nó soláthair seirbhísí poiblí go forleathan.

Usáid na Teanga

Forbairtí Déanaí

Polatiúla

le

Tá cearta teanga agus ábhair atá bainteach leo i mbéal an phobail le fada an lá sna sé contaetha. Foilsíodh sa bhliain 2017 go raibh Gaeilge 10% den phobail i dTuaisceart Éireann agus go raibh líon na ndaoine ina raibh an teanga á n-úsáid acu ina saol laethúil ag méadú in aghaidh na blianna. In aineoinn sin, níl an ceart ag lucht labhartha an teanga a rogha teanga a úsáid i réimse leathan seirbhísí poiblí, le bac iomlán ar úsáid na teanga sna cúirteanna. Toisc nach bhfuil an teanga ainmnithe mar teanga oifigúil sa tír, níl dualgas dlíthiúil aon

I ndiadh na sáinn phoilitiúil a tharla sa bhliain 2017, tháinig feabhas ar rath na feachtaisí a bhí curtha ar aghaidh ag sa Tionol Tuaisceart Éireann.

Siníodh an aontú ‘New Decade Approach Agreement’ sa bhlian 2020, agus an bunsprioc a bhí cúis leisl leis na go mbeadh dulagas níos mó ag na húdaráis inniúla cosaint níos fearr a sholáthair don Ghaeilge agus don Ultais amach anseo.

Toisc gur céim dearfach é sin, níl beart déanta air san am atá thart. Gealladh go mbeadh Acht na Gaeilge slánithe níos lú ná céad lá ina dhiadh, ach níor

tharla sé sin. Beartaíodh go raibh comhghéilleadh ag teastáil chun cuid de na beartaisí a chur i gcrích. Cuid de na beartaisí sin ná ceantair Gaeltachta nua a shainniú, Commisinéir Teanga na Gaeilge rialtais a chruthú, dualgaisí dlíthiúla i leith soláthair oideachais lán Gaeilge sna scoileanna agus cearta níos fearr agus seirbhisí aistriúcháin a sholáthair do cainteoirí Gaeilge i bhfoirgneamh an tionól féin. Fograíodh sa mean le déanaí nach mbeadh aon athruithe reachtaíochta maidir le stádas na Gaeilge roimh an todhchán don Tionól nua a bheidh ar súil ar an 5 Meitheamh.

Tá mífhoighneacht agus fearg méadaithe i measc an phobal Gaeilge maidir leis na bacannaí institiúdeacha atá fos ag cur isteach ar a gcuid cearta te-

anga sa tír faoi láthair. Ceaptar go forleathan go bhfuil drogall agus dímheas léirithe ag ceannairí polataíochta i leith na faidhbe agus nach bhfuil dothain aire agus smaoineamh á dtaispeáint acu san am atá thart.

Cé nach bhfuil caibidil nua an scéil ag teacht go tapa, is féidir tacaíocht a thabhairt do ghrúpaí feachtasaíochta ar nós an Dream Dearg chun do ghuth a ardú in aghaidh an easpa ghnímh. Tá mórshúil eagarthaithe ag an ghrúpa taobh idir Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich agus Halla na Cathrach i mBéal Feirste ar an 29 Bealtaine. Is féidir freisin a suíomhanna sóisialta @andreamdearg ar instagram agus @dream dearg ar twitter a leanúint chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil.

Opinion: Is the UCD SU coined ‘Dry’ Rhoen Eate Features Editor “When I think UCDSU Events, the only word that comes to mind is lame."

These harsh words were broadcasted from UCD Confession’s page last week as our Students’ Union comes under fire. Much like many people and indeed organisations in power, it is always that they are observed to be doing either too little or too much. It seems the Students’ Union is no exception.

Sometimes accused of focusing too much on political issues, confessions call on the SU to organize events that “all UCD students can enjoy” instead of making all fun events “so life-learning” and “like a babysitting club”.

The Students’ Union is well known – and commended - for making strides when it comes to fighting for equality, rais-

ing awareness and evoking a fair-for-all ethos, and yet, they are still deemed not enough in the eyes of some students attending the college. Is the tide really turning so that the Union is taking on the image of ‘Mother Hen’ instead of ‘Cool Wine-Aunt’? Maybe so. It is argued that most students just want a “better atmosphere on campus”. Simple as that. All the while, the SU is caught trying to pave way for equality, campaigning, and the supposed bigger issues of college life, and indeed society itself. But is this – dare I say – too much? Is the Students’ Union trying to make such a change that is simply too big? Too political? Too drastic?

Although the SU is merited for their amazing and ever unrelenting efforts in campaigning for inclusivity and raising awareness for issues that are so often overlooked, perhaps it couldn’t hurt for them to focus on the lighter side of things. To organise a party or two “just be-

cause”. To advertise “more fun” events. And yet, it can be argued that this would be the job of UCD’s societies. Perhaps the Students Union should be the solid stature that it is, and withhold the reputation of being a tad more serious than other student organisations, and the sessions can be left to the likes of Surf Soc. Although from another angle, Party does seem to speak to the People, especially at our ripe ages. So can it be said that with the Students’ Union taking the slightly more stern stance when it comes to its advocations, it loses a certain punch to its voice? Or is the entire presence of the Students’ Union made to be one of few voices of reason throughout the chaos that is college life?

Much like everything to do with politics such as this, the answer is relative. Some may say that our SU is doing too much of the wrong thing, too little of

the right thing, or should simply stop what they’re doing and completely reform. Then there are those who see the Union as this strange and mystical entity that can print posters out of nowhere and hire elves to post them around campus, unseen.

Nevertheless, our Union ploughs on, doing what they do whether we agree or other-

wise, all the while doing their best to satisfy our little university nation and take our little voices into account within the grander scheme of things. But perhaps they should throw a party or two, evoke a lighter side to themselves, and think about whether they want to be the Mother Hen or Cool WineAunt; because it seems they cannot do both.

27-04-2022

Volume 35 - Issue 06

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Law

13

The College Tribune’s Law Section is Proudly Sponsored by the Maples Group

‘Constitutional Amendments: How Far We’ve Come and How Much Further We Have to Go.’ Louise Kennedy Law Correspondent

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he last decade has seen some seminal changes in the Irish Constitution, shaping the future of life in Ireland and the experience of Irish youth. After looking at how far we’ve come as a society, the question then looms; how much further can we go?

As fresh-faced students and graduates, the world is our oyster, the future is in our hands, whatever cheesy motivator you prefer the bottom line is that future change needs to be considered now. So what amendments could be introduced to better provide for the needs of modern Irish society? Are these amendments possible? And, finally, who should the Constitution provide for, present society or future society?

Recent Constitutional Amendments: The ‘Human Experience’ Trend Recent amendments have tended to focus primarily on the everyday human experience of the Irish citizen. With amendments to allow for the right to seek abortion and the legal right to same-sex marriage to be included in the highest source of law, the country seemed to finally step into the 21st century. A series of other less newsworthy amendments of the same nature took place over the last decade with a focus on securing Ireland’s position in the EU, further integrating the Irish citizen into the international community both in terms of trade opportunities and the furtherance of human rights protections.

These amendments signpost the direction that Irish society is heading. While it would be foolhardy to think that these amendments have cured the shortcomings in Irish law and society overnight, they certainly point to the development of a more inclusive and societally focused country. So how do we build on this momentum?

Suggestions for Further Reform Over the last number of years, a number of political parties have been strongly campaigning for a ‘right to housing’ to be included as a fundamental right under the Constitution.

While the Bill has completed Dáil Éireann second stage, no recent progress has been made, although last month before the Housing Commission, Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien suggested that a referendum on this right could be held next year.

This development would have a huge impact on Irish society, being a fundamental step in tackling the housing crisis by placing a right to housing in the most powerful legal instrument in the jurisdiction.

While this is all positive news, no mechanism has been provided for how this would be implemented. Inserting a right to housing is only the first step, this would necessarily have to be followed by policy and legislation to implement such a change, and as past experience has shown us the wheels of the law turn slowly.

Another recent proposal for amendment concerns non-resident voting in Irish presidential elections, extending this franchise to citizens residing out-

side of the State. This Bill was first introduced in 2019 and is currently before Dáil Éireann second stage. The Bill was initially placed on hold due to more pressing issues relating to Brexit but was restored in July of 2020. However, since 2020 this Bill has received relatively little attention.

The importance of this Bill links back to the issues with housing and the ongoing housing crisis. With many Irish citizens, particularly recent graduates, emigrating, numbers of voters not resident in Ireland during a presidential election have been steadily increasing.

For an accurate and democratic election, all citizens regardless of their residency should have the entitlement and ability to vote, with some commentators suggesting that this should be

extended even further than just the presidential election. This Bill recognises that society is no longer stagnant, that a country may have citizens spread across the globe at any given time but nonetheless these citizens should be entitled to exercise their right to vote, particularly with polling attendance decreasing over recent years.

Who Are Constitutional Reforms Really For? This is a question that has plagued legal academics and students of constitutional law and jurisprudence for countless years. When reforming the Constitution to what extent must we bear future society in mind? Should a Constitution include all contemporary values of the society it represents, or, should it operate as a frame-

work providing for broad and more generally accepted rights, allowing it to transcend a particular society during a particular time?

There is no one answer to this.

While some turn to the intention of the drafters, looking at minutes of meetings and the actual text of the Constitution to determine whether or not it should be transient, others take a more public policy approach, arguing that the Constitution should fit the current needs of the society it serves. Whichever school of thought you find more convincing, there can be no doubt that the current Constitution has seen some fundamental amendments and it will certainly be interesting to see how much further these amendments will go for the benefit of modern Irish society.

14

Music & TV

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Issue 06

27-04-2022

Entertainment & Lifestyle A Quick Guide to Daddy Yankee: Summer Streaming Farewell Album, Tour & More

Sophie Melia Film & TV Correspondent

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ith our academic year finally coming to a close, there will be plenty of time to sit back and relax with some films and TV series, both old and new. Don’t miss out on some new releases and remember to catch up on the latest seasons.

Grace and Frankie The final episodes of the iconic feel good show airs on the 29th April and is set to wrap up the friendship between Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s beloved characters. You can catch up on Netflix.

Our Father This is a docu-movie that explores the abuse of an IVF doctor in America. While this is a harrowing watch it is set to an interesting one. Streaming on the 11th May on Netflix.

The Time Traveller’s Wife This show is about the marriage of Henry and Claire, but explores how they face a major problem of time travel. Streaming 15th May on HBO.

Angelina Pierce Entertainment & Lifestyle Editor

Stranger Things Netflix is back with the fourth season of Stranger Things where all our favourite characters return for more adventures. This series has a more horror thriller tone and aesthetic which elevates the characters and story as they are now older and facing a bigger threat. Released 27th May 2022.

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Starring the legend Emma Thompson who’s character starts an affair with a sex worker played by Irish star Daryl McCormack. A heartfelt comedy not to be missed. Streaming the 17th June on Disney+.

Elvis This summer we get to see Austin Butler portray Elvis in the

highly anticipated biopic directed by Baz Luhrmann. Set to be released on the 24th June.

The Black Phone In 1975, a group of children went missing in Colorado. One of the boys locates a phone that allows him to get help from past victims. Directed by Scott Derrickson and is an adaptation of Joe Hill’s novel. Set for release 24th June.

Only Murders in the Building Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin are back with the second series of the murder mystery comedy. After the trio have bonded over their true crime obsession they go out and investigate more murders around their building. Streaming on the 28th June on Disney+.

A

ward winning rapper and singer Daddy Yankee has been making headlines over the last few weeks. The Puerto Rican artist announced his retirement last month in a video to fans, putting an end to his career that has spanned over three decades. He said to fans, “Today, I’m announcing my retirement from music by giving you my best production and concert tour,” and went on to say “I will say goodbye celebrating these 32 years of experience with this new collector’s item, my album Legendaddy.

I’m going to give you all the styles that have defined me in one single album.”

The news came as a shock to some although the songwriter is believed to have dropped hints about a possible end to his career during his Billboard interview last year. His farewell gift of a final album was also released last month, featuring collaborations with artists such as Bad Bunny, Pitbull and Lil Jon. His farewell tour, called ‘La Última Vuelta’ or One Last Round, will see the artist end his career performing across North and South America for five months. Daddy Yankee has been credited with bringing Reggaetón to a wider audience as well as carving out a path for future Latin artists. In the same Billboard interview he explained how, “Reggaetón was initially only known on the East Coast. When I released Barrio Fino, the West Coast didn’t get it. I’d go to Los Angeles or Mexico and people knew Daddy Yankee, but they didn’t know

what Reggaetón was. I had to take the culture with me everywhere, so it became permanent instead of fizzling out like other genres where artists simply promote themselves.”

Speaking of Reggaetón, the Madrid Puro Reggaeton Festival which was originally meant to take place in the summer of 2020, was moved to June 24th and 25th, 2022. The line-up announcement was highly anticipated by fans of the genre, and many believed that Daddy Yankee would perform. The lineup was released and European fans in particular were crestfallen to not see him on the list.

Nonetheless, over the past week some unexpected news was announced. Firstly, the dates of the festival were abruptly changed to July 15th and 16th, which was met with outrage by many ticket holders online.

However, some fans changed their tune when they realised that this was to accommodate Daddy Yankee to perform at the festival. This will mark Daddy Yankee’s last performance in Europe, which the promoters of the festival are driving home as much as possible, likely hoping that buzz will mute those angry about the change of date.

For those lucky enough to have swiped a ticket, they will undoubtedly have the time of their lives and will get to say their goodbyes to Daddy Yankee.

27-04-2022

Volume 35 - Issue 06

Arts&Lifestyle

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

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Oops... I Did It Again: Meditations on Another Wasted Year of College Tal Adler Arts & Lifestyle Writer

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lready, the twilight of the college year is upon us and you haven’t accomplished what you told yourself you would have by now.

You didn’t join that society, you didn’t make those friends, and most shockingly, not a single UCD confession was made about you - the feeling that you’ve wasted yet another year of your fleeting college existence starts to creep in and fester. If this resonates, even just a little bit, you may be suffering from FOWC (FEAR OF WASTING COLLEGE). This pernicious phenomenon thrives in the college environment. I myself am a chronic sufferer. Every September is the same story.

“This year is going to be different”, I tell myself. The semester begins with a renewed sense of hope, intricate plans of action,

and a resolute determination to finally turn it all around. Yet, here I am, back in the same place all over again; where did it all go wrong?

The Why? Time: College is busy. As students we have so much thrown at us: continuous assessments, unreadable readings, new people, new modules, love triangles, love rectangles, the struggle of affording to live, a global pandemic, the prospect of another world war - it is impossible to process all these things as they happen in real-time.

Before you have the moment to celebrate the real achievement of submitting an assignment on time, or a chance to appreciate a humble pint with a friend, your mind is already elsewhere - it’s on to the next thing to worry about.

Expectations: College is hyped.

Touted as the best time of your life, college has mutated from a place that offers new opportunities and experiences, to a rigged claw machine game. The unicorn that is the “ideal college experience” has wormed its way into our collective consciousness, casting a shadow on the oftentimes wonderful reality of college life. This poison infects everything, making you feel like you’re not doing enough. If you’re not partying every night - you’re behind.

If you’re not passionately involved in a society - you’re behind. If you haven’t submitted assignments in three months - okay, you might be a little behind.

Goals: College is what you want from it. There is no internal structure to the college experience. Apart from the academics, there aren’t many real obligations required of you as a student. You can come and go

as you please. If you have never sat down and thought about exactly what it is you want from college and simply assume that college will provide those goals - it can be a fatal mistake. It's easy to go through the entire year on autopilot. By not being specific about what you want from it, the college experience will ever feel like it's enough.

The Way Out As students, we can be incredibly hard on ourselves. As the year comes to an end, it’s natural to focus on the negatives; the things we wished we’d done.

Before we can beat FOWC, we have to reflect on where it’s coming from. Does your own judgement of yourself stand up to scrutiny? Are you forgetting what you actually did achieve this year? Getting into college is no easy feat, while staying in

college is even harder - it can be easy to forget that.

Time: Practice mindfulness and gratitude throughout the week. Set time aside to find and reflect on those moments you truly did enjoy.

Expectations: Be on your guard against unrealistic expectations of yourself and college. College can be wonderful at times, and difficult at others. Both good and bad days can and do happen; accepting this and taking each day as it comes can provide a lot of peace.

Goals: Ask yourself the question, what do I want from college? Use every experience as a learning opportunity, and apply it to what you want from both college and life going forward.

Remember, it’s never too late to try again.

How to Spend the Summer Ruth Delaney Arts & Lifestyle Correspondent

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s the sun begins to shine, so does the stress of getting those exams and last minute assignments out of the way. However, the good news is that for most of us, summer will offer some respite and a well deserved chance to catch up with friends, family and other activities. As the academic year ends, it can be hard to know how to begin to fill the summer months. Here, we offer some inspiration about how to get the most out of your precious time off!

Staycations It is essential to have something to look forward to, especially after hours in the library, daydreaming about the end of exams. Spending a few nights away on our precious emerald isle will still give the buzz of a holiday without breaking the bank. One way to do it is by getting some friends and family together and choosing a

spot where no one has been, or somewhere where you want to learn more about. For example, have you ever wanted to surf on Donegal’s famous beaches, or do the wild atlantic way? Pack up the car or create the perfect playlist for a long train journey and take a long weekend to immerse yourself in our country's beauty and history.

Take A Dip Speaking of beaches and the wild atlantic way, a great thing to do over the summer is to set yourself a goal or a new challenge. What better way to literally dive right into summer than attempting a few sea swims. Ireland’s water is famous for being bitterly cold, but sea swims have incredible health benefits - and you’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment afterwards.

Online Language Classes The last thing you might want to do after a tough semester is more studying, but the summer

months can offer the perfect opportunity to improve on or learn a new skill. Have you ever regretted not learning a second language, or perhaps neglecting the one you studied for the leaving certificate? Many places such as Alliance Française Dublin, Atlas Language School or Gael Linn offer summer classes and courses, and doing this could offer the excuse for a city break to practise your language skills!

Create a Club With people going abroad or working full time, it can be hard

to keep up with friends and family all year round. However, involving those close to you in a club can provide the perfect excuse to get them together. Why not set up a book or music club, where you set a certain amount of time aside every week or two to read a book or listen to a certain album and discuss?

Come Dine With Me Speaking of gaining new skills, cooking is one that is often overlooked. What better way to make it fun by taking part in a come dine with me style

evenings with friends or even neighbours. Each week you can take turns cooking a starter, main and dessert, and you can make it more exciting by picking a theme. Better yet, if Ireland decides to give us a decent amount of good weather this year, you can take it outside and make it a picnic or barbeque!

However you spend your summer, make sure to take a break as best as you can. You don’t have to be setting off to the South of France to have a good time, find what works for you and have some well deserved fun!

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SPORT Sport

COLLEGE TRIBUNE

Volume 35 - Issue 06

27-04-2022

Catch 22: Solving UCD AFC's Attendences Callum Buchan Sports Editor

The College Patronised

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niversity College Dublin AFC has returned to the Premier Division following last year’s promotion via playoffs. Many things haven’t changed since the Students last spell in the top flight. Competing against top opposition littered with talent from the good and great of the league, a different task tactically for Andy Myler as his side is resigned to being underdogs in every tie, and also the patronising comments questioning their status as a club at this level.

Many of these comments followed the College’s 7-1 defeat at the hands of table-toppers Derry City at the Ryan McBride Brandywell on Friday. Despite this being UCD’s first trouncing of the season after a dozen games, the predictable comments doubting their belonging in the league were voiced on social media. It is not uncommon for league leaders to win heavily against sides battling relegation, especially when it’s top versus bottom, in any league across Europe with Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Celtic all recording 7-0 victories during their respective 2021/22 league campaigns. But when it happens to the Students, the inevitable existential questions are asked about whether it’s right for a college team to be in the League of Ireland.

Weak attendances However, there is a fair criticism of UCD which is often highlighted, the perpetual question surrounding attendances at their games. Extratime.ie recently did a deep dive into the League of Ireland’s

attendances so far this season.

The article shows how there has been a 12% increase across the Premier Division from the last pre-COVID season, 2019.

Shamrock Rovers top the pile with sellouts against fierce rivals Bohemians and Saint Patrick’s Athletic. Most wouldn’t need to view the Extratime. ie article to tell you where the College ranks in terms of attendances (Hint: it’s the same as their position in the league table!). The average of 933 actually flatters UCD when you bear in mind that their biggest attendance of 1’708 was largely made up of away fans when Bohs made the trip to the Bowl.

UCD hold the record for the lowest attendance of the campaign thus far when less than half a thousand watched their home match against Derry, no coincidence that this game involved one of the longest travel distances for away fans.

There are thirty thousand students in the college yet so few attend the most professional sports team’s matches. The football club are adamant that they have made efforts to encourage students to come along to games and support the team. Director of Football

Diarmuid McNally previously told the College Tribune “We’ve done promotions, offered free tickets, free access to the clubhouse, free beer, made loads of attempts at it over the years to try and engage college support, But it’s been really, really difficult.” Although I don’t doubt their efforts in the past, in my time as a student I have never seen any visibility or promotion of the games on or around campus outside of social media, something simple like flyers on walls around campus could be a start.

So why is it, why can’t UCD attract fans to watch the highest level of domestic football? Is it because all 30’000 students at Belfield hate football and the Dublin 4 area is a rugby stronghold that view ‘soccer’ as a gentleman's game played by hooligans? Although there could be some merit in the second point, I would refute the claim that there isn’t an appetite for the beautiful game in UCD, walk around campus and you won’t struggle to find replica football jerseys or overhear a conversation about the weekend’s fixtures. I would instead argue that UCD finds itself in a Catch 22 situation.

Counter-culture to modern football It is no secret that the majority of football fans in this country support teams in England or Scotland, namely Celtic, with the Premier League on our doorstep the allure of the best league in the world is irresistible to most sports fans. Only a fool would say the quality in the domestic league is anywhere close to that on the other side of the Irish Sea. However, the League of Ireland offers something different to football fans, a sort of counter-culture to the growing commercialisation and sanitization of elite football. Many Premier League clubs have become unaffordable for their traditional working-class base whilst appealing to the day-tripping tourist who the club simply views as a customer. The eye-watering sums of money, sports washing, VAR, and breakaway leagues among many others have left many fans longing for the days before the behemoth of the Premier League was formed in 1992.

Something which can fill this vacuum is the League of Ireland. Cheap ticket prices, old

school stadiums, and crucially authentic atmospheres act as a foil to England’s elite. The chanting, the banners and the community spirit all form this atmosphere. Whilst flares can be seen as a proxy for the difference in the fan experience at Premier League and League of Ireland clubs, now effectively non-existent in England’s top flight but you would struggle to find a big derby in Ireland where pyro isn’t involved. Of course, there are health and safety concerns around flares, but that edginess around League of Ireland games does appeal to fans, as somewhat of a throwback to yesteryear. The quality on the pitch would be down on the list of the regular match-going fans on the reasons they attend matches.

This matchday experience is not possible for the prospective UCD match goers as there aren't sufficient numbers of fans to create this atmosphere, this then disincentives new fans, hence the Catch 22.

Bragging rights Another potential reason why the College fails to attract students to attend games in the Bowl is the opposition. In the United States, college sports are some of the best-attended events in the country where you could find over 100’000 spectators at a college American football match. One of the many reasons why students of these sports colleges take such pride in their teams is the bragging rights and prestige they earn by defeating their fellow colleges. If UCD were playing against Trinity or DCU in the League of Ireland, students may feel real jeopardy on the line to not lose to their Dublin rivals. Is the same true if the College loses to Finn Harps?