DAY 830-832

Dec 10-12

1) And just like that, our final paper of the semester - Tropical Medicine - has come and passed! And with that comes a great big void - what to do next? One moment we're so hardcore studying that barely after finishing each paper we're already studying for the next, and now there's absolutely nothing left to study! As I pondered over what to do next, it hit me that in less than a week, I wouldn't be here anymore!

2) For lunch, my friends and I (Joshua, Ishtar, Jeffrey (Kaung Sett), Melvin, Melissa, Zi Yan, myself) planned a nice buffet lunch at Jimmy Chung's. We were originally supposed to meet up at 11.30am, but I was delayed a little as I needed to close my AIB Bank Account. Anyway, we met up there and enjoyed lunch, after which Joshua was really kind to hand us all goodbye cards. As you know, the RUMC students (a.k.a Melvin, Melissa, Zi Yan, myself) will not be returning to Dublin next semester, so it was our last chance to meet up before parting ways...

3) While I may not be physically here in Dublin, I wanted to be able to take as much as I could back home with me, hence the many pictures below! But before all that, Melissa was meeting up with Dr. Fitzpatrick to say goodbye, and she kindly informed me so I tagged along. We sat down for a nice cup of coffee over at "Remedy" - the college cafe. It was such a change of pace to be idling about (with good company of course) compared to what we had been doing the past two or three weeks.

4) Dr. Fitzpatrick had a function to attend to, which is when we decided to take as many photos as possible. We went to the "historical" section of the campus, and took lots of profile pic worthy photos. I had dinner with Zi Yan, and we talked about our trip to the Giants Causeway tomorrow. It was a guided tour with the "Wild Rovers", but more of that in the next post.

5) After dinner, Zi Yan and I went over to the "Friendship Room" (an obscure room in the main campus) to watch a movie. We originally wanted to use one of the giant screens in the student lounge or in the library study rooms, but we couldn't find a cable to connect to my laptop. After a long battle over what movie to watch, we settled on "The Incredibles 2" as we had both watched the first movie and not the second. It was quite an entertaining movie, albeit more suited for a younger audience (this coming from someone who still watches Spongebob XD)

6) Soon after, I had to go back home, in order to pack up and mentally prepare myself for the trip tomorrow. Bear in mind that at this time I was already sleep deprived many times over due to the end-of-semester exams haha. Anyway, that's it for this edition of the blog, stay tuned for the next one - which will be on our day trip to the Giants Causeway.

7) As always, huge thank you for reading, and have a nice day. Cheers!

P.S. Now that you're braved through the text, please enjoy some really nice photos below :)

Barry had to leave early to meet his brother at the airport, so this is a nice picture of Andy, myself, and Barry at the study pods immediately post-exam :)

Dinner from Burritos and Blues (note the marked absence of a lot of students in the Dispensary - that's the absence of all IC2 students who'd finish their exams today XD)

Having a lovely chat with Dr. Fitzpatrick over a cuppa, at Remedy Cafe

(l-r: Melissa, Melvin, Dr. Fidelma Fitzpatrick, myself)

I got myself a nice cup of hot chocolate, to go along with the mince pies that Dr. Fitzpatrick ordered for us <3 <3 <3

Paying the board room a visit - note beautiful grand piano on my left :)

All dressed up with nowhere to go

(and yes, the eagle-eyed among you will notice that this is the college tie that I have on me)

Paying the College Room a visit

(beautiful college crest behind us)

Remedy Cafe in the main campus

RCSI logo and motto - Consilio Manuque - which means Scholarship and Dexterity

Profile picture worthy I might say haha

The old repainted piano is now in the student lounge of the main building

Posing in the board room

(same place where the grand piano is located)

Mr Skeleton - the Harold Brown Lecture theatre is where most students in Junior Cycle wait in before getting called to the Anatomy Room for our Anatomy Practical Finals

Here's where we wash up before and after our dissection visits to the Anatomy Room

I have no idea why I took this picture - just thought it looks cool haha

(it's actually the door handle in the board room)

Poster of Malaysia in the Friendship Room, which contains stuff from the various clubs and societies (I'm assuming this poster would be used by the PMCSA to promote our country)

The College Hall, where exams are held 

(we have a larger hall aptly called the "Exam Hall" 

where more students can be seated for their exams :)

I ordered the Big @$$ Burrito, which comes with all the fixings, served on a bed of nachos and cheese. Simply heavenly! :)

DAY 809-829

Nov 19-Dec 9

1) Where to even begin? Soon after our final class on Nov 21, we've been bombarded with exams after exams, and as I'm typing this there is one last exam to overcome. We had our CNSLF "mid-semesters" exams on Nov 26, then our finals started on Dec 2, with an exam every other day. We've literally gone through three huge exams in just one week - REGUB, GIHEP, CNSLF (which we had today - on Saturday(!)), with the final exam (TM - Tropical Medicine) coming up in three days.

2) And of course, as the exams are all in the main campus (much to the delight of pretty much everyone else) I had to travel everyday from Beaumont to the city centre. Add to that the chilly and recently rainy weather and that's a lot to take in. The only small consolation is thanks to the tight schedule, we'll finish our last exam very soon. And that would be it - 2.5 years (or 832 days) in Dublin!

3) As I am returning to Malaysia early (on Dec 16th), I have very little time to say a proper farewell to Ireland. Nevertheless, I have planned trips and meals with friends to make the most of what little time I have left post-exam. It will be very difficult to say goodbye to everybody, but hopefully it's just a roundabout way of saying I'll be back.

4) Now, as they say, I need to get cracking again. Last Paper Syndrome cannot get the better of me; I have to finish strong! My sleep-deprived, running-on-fumes, caffeine-imbued self can only take so much, but it will nevertheless take me through the last mile of our exam marathon. And that's that for today's update - I really do not have the luxury of time anymore (just for now - I'll have loads of time after exams XD). Thanks very much for reading, and have a lovely week ahead. Cheers!

The last day of lectures - with Prof. Arnold Hill

(Professor and Chair of Surgery, RCSI)

The last day of lectures - with Prof. Leader

(Professor of Pathology, who taught us from IC1 right till the very end of our journey 

(for the Penang students I mean XD))

With Ms Tanya Chapple - the most helpful person for anything and everything 

societies-related

Claire, Monika, Lanny, and myself

- at Cafe Nero enjoying some light conversation before the nightmare of exams begins :))

The Moon was out in full force this rather chilly morning - I wait at this particular point every time I need to go to the main campus!

A fun fact: this is the first balloon I've actually inflated and tied off - I know it sounds strange but I've never done it before! XD

Promoting our Cancer Soc's Bake Sale - all proceeds would go to charity, specifically the Movember Foundation which aims to raise awareness on men's health and research.

(P.S. That is my handiwork)

Posing with Eddy the Elk - the new official RCSI Mascot!! ^^

All the decorations are up in preparation of Christmas! It's gonna be a big one :)

Contemplating life's many intricacies the night before our first exam (if I remember correctly - my sense of day and time has been lost)

Our CNS mid-sem exams were in Beaumont - the first time we had our exams in the recently renovated Smurfit Building

Probably the most fulfilling meal I've had in a long time - at Croi na B Cafeteria at  Beaumont Cafeteria (some day I'll be able to pronounce the name haha)

I'm going to miss this view very soon. It's so quiet and tranquil at night...

Trop Med - one last hurdle to go, and I'm free! 

(until the next semester of course haha)

   

DAY 789-793

Oct 30 - Nov 3

1) This is turning out to be one hectic month. We have yet another quiz on Monday (Nov 5), this time on the "REGUB" module (Renal Endocrine, Genitourinary and Breast). Amidst all the studying and stressing about, I've found some time off to attend a session with the other PMC scholars at RCSI. This is the first meeting we have had as a group, and we aim to expand on this to facilitate better transitioning from each year to the next, especially the transition back to Penang, Malaysia.

2) It was a short and informal meeting we had with Mr. Philip Curtis, Director of Student Recruitment, Admissions & Student Services. He informed us that he would have a meeting with the UCD correspondent, to see if we could form a group comprising PMC Scholars over the years. The main goal would be from an academic point of view, including feedback on how to improve the programme as a whole.

3) The rest of the week has been pretty much the same, but one thing I've come to appreciate more is the drastic change in colour as autumn comes. The fallen leaves turn the ground many shades of red, brown and orange. I'm not sure why I haven't noticed it before, but it looks very beautiful! I won't be seeing much of that back home, that's for sure. So best to make the most of my time here. Sadly, most of it will be spent burying myself in my books. Anyway, that's all for today's blog update, and stay tuned for more. Have a good one, cheers!

PMC Scholars from across three years!

Back row l-r: Melissa, Me, Talal, Mr. Philip Curtis

Front row l-r: Engracia, Aisha, Sarah, Shu Chen, Jamie

Empty library is the best library ^^

Halloween food!

Roast chicken with carrots and colcannon mash

(mashed potatoes with chopped cooked kale, green onions, milk or cream, and lots of butter)