LYIT Fourth Year

Computing Degree

Accommodation: Rented Flat, 16 Court Manor App.
Rent: €55 per week (£69.85).
Housemates: 2 other guys.
Most frequented pub: The Cottage.
Favourite pub: The Cottage.

Subjects

Fourth year was possibly the most entertaining year out of the four. We had fewer opportunities to be in the one room but this led to more time with our smaller class. Plus by this stage we knew each other so well that we could mess more and have more craic during practicals. This year we had seven subjects two of which were split into two and taught by two lecturers.

Advanced Database Systems

Quite a boring subject with loads of theory. There wasn't any notes to be taken down which was good but the exam was very difficult to study for and do. There was one seminar and one practical for this subject.

Comparative Programming

An easy enough subject to do as there was a good bit of programming and not a lot of theory to it. Some interesting things in it like JAVA Swing and Python as well as some of the more interesting theory parts. Two assignments one in JAVA and one in Python.

Computer Science

Interesting enough and there were loads of notes to be taken. This is a subject that really makes you think and gave us a chance to communicate and work out problems as a class. No practical only one test.

HCI/Legal, Ethical, and Social Issues

This was split into two subjects. Cyril Higgins took the HCI part and there were two practical for it one presentation and one report. The ethics part was taken by Evelyn Keown and there was one presentation and a number of reports to write. This really wasn't an interesting subject, all theory. Although some of the ethics parts were alright.

Multimedia

An interesting subject that again was split into two. Simon McCabe took the more practical side of the subject with the Director project that we had to do while Mark Leeney took the more theoretical side.

Project

I found the project quite difficult not helped by the fact that I hardly went in to the class and only met up with my supervisor Liam Miller about twice or three times in the whole year. He was still groovy about it though and I managed to get most of the required documents and hand-ups in on time.

Software Engineering

Without doubt the most boring subject this year. A real struggle to keep awake and it was often skipped especially in the evenings and the mornings and any time possible. Still there were a few reports to write and a group presentation which was an interesting endeavor.

Nightlife

Fourth year was a chance to let my hair down. I'd done the whole studying thing in first year, the going out the odd time in second year and the wasting money and having to buy cheap food in third year. As you can imagine I wen't a bit crazy at the start but still pulled it together at the end. This is the story of the Fourth and final year, in Letterkenny.

Fourth year at last and it started out like all the others with the usual Sunday and Thursday nights out. a new look upstairs in the Orchard sometimes got the nod on a Wednesday. Instead of boozing in bars the normal situation would be to get a carryout and drank in the house in Ashlawn where most nights we played FIFA (Magic), Rugby 2003 and watched the Bo'Selecta series 2 DVD. Good nights all of them. Then it was down to the Oasis (not before jumping the wall) and on to the Pulse.

This was the routine up until Halloween. I'd always wanted to dress up for Halloween night in the Pulse and this year I got my chance. I got doctors scrubs and a cheap kiddie's doctor set and went out writing prescriptions and generally diagnosing everyone. And in a rare moment of peace, Saddam Hussein and George Bush were seen enjoying the atmosphere.

For Christmas CP4 went on another mystery tour. This time we took the long trek to Monaghan. We all met up in the Brewery where we got our coach. We landed in the 'Crazy Camel' which was one of Monaghan's newest bars at the time. Unfortunately because it was a Thursday night there was nobody else in the pub. I still had a good night because I actually knew the two barmen so I was able to chat to them and get served easily all night. I didn't go back to Letterkenny as I didn't see the point but I really did have a good night.

After Christmas it was straight into graduation time. Again our graduation was on Friday morning, again I went out the night before and again I was sick as a dog. The whole ceremony was an exercise on how not to get sick! That night we went to Letterkennys newest nightclub Milan. Although I had a bit of a strange night it's still a cool place. That night I stayed with my good friend Ultan and the next day met up with the guys for a Mr Chippie. That weekend I stayed in Devaney's house for a bit of craic.

Rag week was from the 9th till the 12th of February and for once I managed to go out every night. Sunday night was the Grill as usual, Monday night was the Pulse, Tuesday was Sister Saras and this was the only night that I didn't bring my camera. Wednesday night was the Orchard and Thursday was back in Saras and the Pulse. Loadsa craic and loadsa pictures, maybe someday I'll share them.

Paddy's day was spent in Gallagher's and we started early enough. Although we missed the parade nobody was really bothered and we got to watch Celtic play while worrying about the upcoming Barcelona matches. After a good few hours in Gallagher's we made our way down to the Cavern where we met up with Devaney.

After this it was time to get a bit serious. I stopped going out during the week because I had loads of projects to do as well as most of my main project. Sunday nights were still a necessity. These nights mostly consisted of getting off the bus, going to the Cottage for a pint or two, going to the Cavern for a Vodka/Jack Daniels/Anything or four and finally on to Bella's in the Grill until two or three in the morning. These were some of the best nights out. no hassles, no worries, good company and plenty of drink.

I didn't go out at all over Easter because I decided to stay in Letterkenny for the three weeks or so (which I don't usually do because I work in Monaghan) to do my project which was in danger of never being completed. Thankfully the time was not wasted and I finished it with not much time to spare. This included a bit of a hash of a write-up but at least it was out of the way.

After the main project was finished the majority of people went out to celebrate that Thursday night. Again it was the Pulse but it was a great night that I can't remember too much about. I do remember a great sense of relief off of everyone in CP4 though. A week later everyone had finished everything and we went out to celebrate again. There was nothing standing between us and our final exams now.

The exams were understandably barren and it was difficult to study for them. We did have a bit of a break in the middle of them though. on the Thursday before our last exam many other courses finished up. This was then the perfect chance to let our hair down before the last exam. We did a bit of a pub crawl around the town taking in the Oasis, the Cavern, and Saras before settling in the Pulse. The next day we went out again this time to the Grill where I again took many, many photos.

Monday was finally our last exam and it was met with not much enthusiasm. I've been more relieved and excited about finishing Christmas exams. The general consensus was 'Is that it? It doesn't feel right'. Ah well, we soon forgot all about what we'd learned in college and got down to some drinking. We made our way to CP4's usual party ground which was the Central. The new beer garden was a new twist on a familiar theme. Thankfully it was mostly a good day. That night we made our way upstairs for more of the same. This was my last night out as a student in Letterkenny. It was a strange place to end it but still a great night.

The next day Dec had a barbecue organised at his house which was a nice touch. It was a really cool day and Dec managed not to poison us with his cooking. A few burgers, a few beers, and a volleyball game later Dave got on the decks in the garage and played a few tunes for the rest of the night. It was a perfect way to end the year. The next day I packed up all my stuff and left Letterkenny as a student of LYIT. I still don't think it's sunk in yet that I'm not going back to college...roll on graduation in November.

College Life

We didn't really have much free time this year but we still managed to have a bit of fun outside college and outside the pub. This was the mustard to the filling of the sandwich that was fourth year (how's that for a metaphor!!)

Astroturf

The Pin Tavern has a number of Astroturf pitches and most weeks (especially after Christmas) we would go down for a game. Usually five a side we had some good craic here. After a few weeks we were even able to run around without getting totally killed from the exercise. The teams were made up of me, Stan, Deirmuid the Greyhound, Gary, Kieran, Doc, Colin, Enda, and anyone else we could rope into it.

Chilling/Messing in the Flat

The flat was where we were most of the time. There wasn't much to do only watch the TV and watch episodes of South Park and the Simpsons that I downloaded from the net in college. The biggest activity we did in the flat was the messing that went on which included putting barbecue sauce on light switches and door handles, throwing popcorn about, pileups, and kicking the football about (without actually managing to break anything). The funniest bit of messing was throwing stuff at the construction site next door which included half a fudge cake, eggs, and a few things that smashed!!

Cinema

The Cinema was attended a few times during the year which included Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, The Matrix Revolutions, and Dawn of the Dead among others. Most weeks Stan would get a video out as well.

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 came up for a visit after Christmas and we had a good many games of Tiger Woods 2004, CTR, FIFA, and Red Faction which Diarmuid never managed to win even though he got the game out.