The social and cultural aspects of a city are crucial considerations when deciding where to spend the most significant years of your life. Before coming to Dublin, I did my research on Reddit (my most trusted source of information) about life in Ireland’s capital city. Spending more than a year here has allowed me to fully appreciate all that this metropolis has to offer. If you happened to glance at my first year grades, you would be assured that I am fully qualified to tell you all about Dublin’s social scene because I have — in true fresher’s style — spent most of my time away from college academics. In my defence, I would like to point out that I am an outgoing person with a multitude of interests. Regardless, I urge you to not repeat my mistakes, and to plan your social life wisely around your study schedule. Finding and maintaining that difficult but crucial middle ground between being an academic weapon and a social butterfly is important. Now let’s deep dive into the who, the where and the what in Dublin from the highly informed perspective of an international student from India. 

Dublin’s culture is rich and inclusive. With more than 21% of the population being international, you have opportunities to celebrate every festival, tradition, and culture in the city with different communities. From a vantage point on Dame Street, one can overhear conversations in several different languages from around the globe. A combination of European and American influences gives Ireland a totally unique personality and cultural landscape. 

Because I had never been to Ireland before coming to Trinity, I was also new to Irish drinking culture. The clubs and pubs are not just places to drink with friends, they are social hubs where people strike up conversations with strangers. Truly, Dublin knows how to have a party. It’s refreshing to see how people of all ages can approach life with boundless energy and joy.

And while there are many festivals celebrated by different communities, both in the College and across the city, my number one highlight of the year is St Patrick’s Day. Having a cultural and religious significance, Dubliners celebrate this day with a parade, followed by day-drinking and festive fun with friends in favoured clubs and pubs. People are out and about enjoying the city, which has a more jolly atmosphere than Christmas. 

The nightlife was non-existent back in my home city. While my Spanish friend Sofia had told me that “the clubbing scene is not as crazy as in some cities in Spain”, I was absolutely shocked to see that every night of the week, there is always some club with a special discount to lure in potential party goers, with most boasting a variety of music and cocktails that cater  to every nightlife  animal. With such a massive pre-drink culture a fixture of any student’s night out, sometimes you don’t even make it to the actual party and that’s when you know it was a seriously fun night. This partying attitude is also facilitated by Trinity’s plethora of societies where you can find others who share your interests and attend events at reduced prices.

However, what most surprised me about this city is how deeply embedded art is in the historic and contemporary fabric of it. The Trad Festival, International Film Festival, and Fringe Fare are just a few of the many cultural events that celebrate different art forms and typically last for 2-3 days. During the Fringe Festival, I saw two plays which boasted some of the best acting I’ve ever witnessed. This artistic reverence was, for me, one of the most attractive aspects of Dublin. The primary reason I moved here was because I needed a place that brought out the artist in me. Being a UNESCO City of Literature, creativity flows through Dublin. To this, add the museums and art galleries such as the National Gallery of Ireland, the Little Museum of Dublin, the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Douglas Hyde Gallery, most of which are free to visit or provide a student discount. And what does one not want more than staying in a city where the mother, Taylor Swift, herself is coming to perform?! Concerts by your favourite bands or even impromptu street performances may brighten even the darkest of days. 

My flatmate from China is a post-grad student. People like her – those who are swamped with work, have deadlines and don’t like to party – also have the choice of visiting one of the city’s numerous big parks for a breather. For a capital city with so many important buildings located in it, you would be surprised at the amount of greenery it holds. We have the largest public park inside the city limits of any European metropolis, and it is home to a wide variety of animals, including some of the cutest deer you will ever see. 

As someone from India, where the LGBTQ+ community is still not accepted widely, I have also been keenly aware of how Dublin approaches love with so much compassion and understanding. Pride and the LGBTQ+ community here are liberated and uninhibited. 

Although, as there are disheartening incidences of violence against the community, activists and unions continue to fight for LGBTQ+ rights.  

The culture you grow up in plays a significant role in shaping who you are. Although I will always and proudly be a girl from a small city in India, Dublin has become a big part of my identity forever. It may be expensive and always raining, but there is also the old lady at the shop who will always ask how you are or a stranger who will tell you that you are beautiful, and that is sometimes enough to make you feel that you matter.