We constantly hear about the valiant efforts of students volunteering abroad, and while that is extremely important and admirable, there’s a lot going on at home that we don’t stop to appreciate.

As a college student, I spend more time worrying about money than I do about course work, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. We’ve all had that moment before a night out where we’re driven demented because we don’t have any presentable clothes, and barely enough money for a taxi home. The solution? Charity shop.

Before this summer, I had never set foot in a charity shop. I, and I’m sure I’m not the only one, had this idea that clothes from charity shops were sub-par and more suited for older generations. I held on until Christmas and birthdays when I could badger my parents for money for new clothes. Not anymore.

I’ve been volunteering in an NCBI (National Council of the Blind, Ireland) for about three months now, and the experience has completely changed how I see the shops. Now, half the clothes I own come from the shop, for less than my lunch costs me. T-shirts, jeans, jackets, books. Everything I needed to get together for going back to college in September, all there, for less than a pair of jeans in Debenhams.

Grabbing a bargain

Not only are the clothes cheap, but also they are vetted stricter than an airport. I’ve often Okayed a shirt, only for a fellow volunteer pointing out a tiny tan mark or stains in places I wouldn’t have thought to look. Clothes make their way through a precise system. First, they usually come in bags. From there, they are sorted and hung. Then, once they pass the test, they are steamed, tagged, and priced. Clothes that are not up to standard are recycled. There’s a pretty simple code; if you wouldn’t be happy to wear it, don’t put it out for sale.

Not only are the prices cheap enough as it is, the shop in which I volunteered offer deals. For instance, they have a 4 for €10 deal, in which you could buy a dress, cardigan, shoes and handbag for €10. I don’t wear dresses and I don’t even want to think what that much would cost in the likes of River Island.

So, now that we’ve gone through what charity shops do for you, let’s talk about what you do for the charities. At NCBI, you’re providing funding for a blind person to learn Braille, or how to use a cane. In Wexford, the branch in which I volunteered, they have Lochran House, a center to help young and old people that are turning blind adapt to their new life by teaching them day-to-day things like cooking, washing-up and even social events like dancing and book clubs.

Before I began volunteering in the shop, I was a lot shyer. During my first few days, I was terrified to do anything without asking for help, and there was no way I’d go near the till. Working with NCBI this past summer has given me so much more confidence in my abilities and myself. It showed me what it was like to work in a shop environment, and I know that the friendships I built through my work will last a lifetime.

Having spent my summer volunteering in Ireland, I’ve realised that a charity shop is something with no downfalls. They stock quality brands, at a quality that won’t have anyone guessing their origin. They’re perfect on a student budget and most importantly, they give back to the community. It’s not a €100 cheque to NCBI, but it’s a contribution, and every penny is a penny put to good use in charities.

Let’s talk about sex. Charles Bukowski once echoed that “sex is kicking death in the ass while singing”, and I really think he was right. But what does the Irish male actually know about the realm of sex? Growing up, we’re educated about sex from a myriad of sources. School taught us that we have to use a condom – otherwise we’ll get a deadly disease, get girls pregnant and that we really should stay away from it altogether until we’re “mature adults”. Now we have this Catholic riddled sexual education with an anxious sense of guilt hanging over us leaving more questions we’re almost afraid to ask.

Our more beloved teacher, known as the television, taught us a wildly different and diverse side to sex in a very different form of classrooms, known as the living room. These lessons visually expounded that sex was hot, steamy, and pleasurable and of course strengthened relationships among partners. Positive appraisal for seeking advice and support about sexual health seems to be an alien idea for us young Irish men under the age of 20 and now it’s up to us to educate ourselves.

Leaving home for the first time can see a lot of change. One of these changes is meeting a whole array of new people. It’s an exciting, flirty and energetic time of our lives. We bump into someone we find attractive, and suddenly one thing leads to another and we’re quickly abandoning our clothes, thrashing about trying to find that one condom we strategically placed behind our student card and bank card for this pivotal moment! Blinded by the flush of hormones, things take a twist, there’s no sign of it! Going against the school hymn of always being covered by Johnny, we shrug and proceed anyway thinking that it is okay! But here’s the thing Eros, it’s not!

You’ve immediately put yourself in danger of either contracting, or sharing a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and I can assure you that is the wrong way to be spreading the love around. STIs are “infections that are passed on from an infected partner(s) during unprotected sex (vagina, anal and oral) caused by specific bacteria and viruses”. Although you might not show physical symptoms, it can cause infertility and serious conditions later in life. Infections like HIV, syphilis and herpes are only a few of the types of infections out there.

Getting a STI test

There’s no shame in getting yourself checked for an STI. You’re no less of a man, much like girls are not “sluts”. If anything, you are actually acting like an adult. Our school educated us in a preventive attitude towards sex, but we need to adopt a more appropriate stance with it. Would you not get your teeth checked at least once a year? If your gums were bleeding, would you not go to the dentist immediately?

A check-up is simple, painless and takes 30 minutes at most. A physical examination is carried out for warts or ulcers along with a collection of fluids. If something does arise, then no problem. You won’t be branded, named and shamed to the world. You can get immediate and quick treatment with antibiotics just like a chest infection.

I used to roll my eyes and think people were using scare tactics every time I heard about these Sexual Monsters known as STIs. That’s just the way I was told about sex. Little did I know STIs were more than fiction, and the people around me were sexually active and open about sex. Even saying the word “sex” in front of my family would turn my face red forever. But moving out of home saw me landing in an environment surrounded by my peers, friends, and colleagues. Sooner or later, my friends and I realised that sex and sexual health does not have to be the shameful act kept under hushed whispers and giggles in the schoolyard, but a part of everyday life.

It helps men grow up, explore their sexuality and come to terms with who they are as people and what they enjoy. In fact, it’s pleasurable and special when two people share the intense connection together and that’s okay too. Although we’re educated in the standardised Catholic mantra of being afraid of something that feels great, there are some truths encapsulated under there. It’s up to us to shake off that shameful and embarrassed attitude stirred among us and be okay to talk about sex, or get checked. Television was right too; it is a great experience, and one that brings people closer. So if sex is indeed our way of kicking death in the ass while singing, let’s be smart about it. Let’s wrap up, have fun in a responsible way and make sure our sexual health is good and healthy.

In the words of Flight of the Conchords, “keep it real sexy, fellas”. 

Remember: The age of sexual consent in Ireland is 17. If you're over 16, you can consent to medical treatment including any treatment or tests needed.

I think the problem with things like dyslexia and dyspraxia is they can be brushed aside. The word “only” is often attached to them, as if it not frustrating to want to draw a picture but have to stop because your hand won’t let you. As if a calf cramp from walking out your front door is just one of those things. As if forgetting how to spell your own name is something you can brush off. While there are so many conditions so much more profound and so much more difficult to live with, here’s my shout into the void about what its like being a dyslexic and a dyspraxic kid growing up and facing college.

As a baby, I never learned to crawl. As my family so affectionately put it, I bum shuffled along the ground until one day I decided to walk.

When I was seven years old, I couldn’t spell my second name. I couldn’t tie my shoelaces. I couldn’t run as fast as my friends, I couldn’t kick a ball as high.

When I was 10 years old, I cried because a boy in my class made fun of the way I spelled soldier. I’m sure I butchered the word.

When I was 12, I started to get angry. I started to hate that my body didn’t work like it should. I started to hate that my friends got to run and jump and play in the community games, while I couldn’t run the length of the classroom without getting a cramp.

When I was 14 I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Microsoft word is telling me to correct dyspraxia, that it is not a word. That’s how much information there is about the condition.

I started going to these meetings, where kids were told about the condition and asked to talk about their experiences. I was surrounded by anger, or indifference. I decided that I was going to be neither.

When I was 15, a close family friend went on holiday to Spain. Her balcony collapsed from underneath her. She’s in a wheelchair now. This same lady once said that there is nothing in this life that can’t be worse. She still believes that.

When I was 17, I was in all honours classes, except for one. My teacher couldn’t understand that I knew the formulas and how to solve an equation. It wasn’t my fault the numbers wouldn’t stay still.

When I was 18, I was accepted into college, 100 points clear for the course I wanted. I went to my first lecture and my hand cramped. I recorded it on my phone. I finished that module with a 68.

I had my first college exam and got mixed up with all the numbers I had to put on the front of the booklet. I got an invigilator to sort me out. I passed that first year. There is no shame in looking for help.

When I was 19, I got shortlisted for an internship with the Irish Independent.

I’m 20. I am 20 years old and one year clear of graduating university. I am 20 and I am a dyslexic writer. I am 20 and I still can’t tie my shoelaces.

Completing the task of asking people their views on Irish was an inside-out looking task for me. Having attended an all Irish speaking primary school, learning Irish was instilled in me from an early age. The isolation that was felt by fluent speakers existed for me all the way up to Leaving Cert. Many of my fellow fluent speakers simply felt that secondary school Irish was a rehash of what we did before, rather than something that got more difficult. But great unity was seen in our class by the collective’s hatred of poor Peig Sayers.

Talking to people on bustling Grafton St, I learned how the majority felt about the language. The responses were not surprising. I asked each person how they  would promote the language, and as usual they said that they would reform it as a subject and make it more oral. Surprisingly, the majority did not advocate making it choice for the Leaving Cert.

One particular gentleman advocated making a European language mandatory for the Leaving Cert, as well as dividing the Irish subject in two. Under his policy there would be one subject for Irish literature and another for Irish conversation.

Someone else I interviewed described the 80,000+ living in Connemara as being privileged and getting hand-outs for speaking a dead language. He did make an interesting point when he said that it’s not for the government to promote the language or spend money on the language, because there’s a limit in the effectiveness of said techniques.

He pointed out the explosive popularity in response to Coláiste Lurgan’s rendition of ‘Wake Me Up’ by Avicii. More examples of contemporary approaches to promotion would be Des Bishop’s documentary about learning the language (In the Name of the Fada) and Bernard Dunne’s documentary, ‘Bród Club’.      

At least the above examples might reignite a love for the language in young people, but the education system seems to be failing at sparking that reaction. Each and every Irish person I interviewed between the ages of 18-50, seemed to be critical of not what they were taught but how they were taught the language. There was a lot of remorse also. Many people around their early twenties seemed to wish they knew more.

They wish they listened more in class or that they went to the Gaeltacht. I myself had the pleasure of going to Coláiste Lurgan three times and I must say that some students went there for the language, while others went for the craic. However, some people, including myself, went to both improve their dialect and have a lot of fun.

In conclusion, here in Ireland we are essentially on the exact same journey as the Welsh in trying to preserve our language. While I have tried for the most part to keep my opinions to myself in this article, I do believe the language to be intrinsic in our culture and our heritage. My mother instilled that in myself and my sister from a young age. It would not be fair to say that being fluent makes you more employable- for the most part it doesn’t.

Neither would it be fair to say that only those who are fluent are ‘truly’ Irish- on that logic only a fraction of our population would be ‘truly’ Irish. But the cúpla focal can be useful when trying to impress a few tourists, when trying to celebrate your patriotism at a sporting event, when trying to learn the words of our national anthem and when visiting Ireland’s answer to Hawaii (Connemara).

I would encourage you the reader to pick up even just the cúpla focal. Doing so and being active in the language’s preservation can do no harm. If you do so, go n-éirí an t-adh leat.

What do you get when you put a group of young enthusiastic women into a room who aren't afraid to use the “F Word” freely? – no, not a group of ill mannered females, but a room full of voiced opinions and willingness to make a positive change in their fields of work and areas of interests. And the F word? – feminism. The aim of the intense two day workshop was to equip us with the personal and social skills needed to create a 'ripple effect' in our areas of interest, to get people talking and pick up some nuggets of wisdom along the way.

From debating with politicians, to watching Una Mullally struggle to choose her favorite Nirvana song, practicing mindfulness and running around Temple Bar encouraging people to burst balloons for the sake of artivism and mental health awareness – I've had an incredible two days alongside a group of inspiring young women whom I now have the pleasure of calling friends.

We all arrived at the academy with the same aims – to create, learn and make positive changes, but what we left with was more than any of us could have anticipated. We were treated to presentations and interactive workshops from guest speakers from all walks of life – journalists, mental health activists and politicians to name just a few.

Girl power at it's finest, perhaps with even more energy than the Spice Girls themselves. To have Una Mullally share career advice and her unique opinions on gender inequality was eye-opening, but of course telling a group of young feminists that they “Should be ANGRY” and teaching them to deal with criticism is like preparing them for a battle – Mullally almost spearheading our campaign for positive action, simultaneously creating a danger zone for those who would argue gender inequality isn't “important” in our modern day society. Una's presentation ignited a spark in all of us – a resistance to change for the sake of societal acceptance, and the courage to try, to fail, and to try harder – ultimately, this set us up for all that was to come during our remaining time at the academy.

We also met Donal Scanlan from St John of God's hospital who taught us the importance of mindfulness in our everyday lives and began to solidify our new found friendships through interactive discussions and partner work. He used audio visual representations of his main message – mental health matters. He later took a selfie Ellen DeGeneres would have been proud of.

Later in the day we met Aideen Carberry from the Labour party who encouraged us to use our voices, especially in the workplace, offering words of wisdom : “Don't be someone's doormat just because someone's paying you”. Following this Órla Ryan from thejournal.ie hosted an eye opening interactive political debate with Eilish Ryan, Rebecca Moynihan, Christabelle Feeney and Regina Doherty. Topics included gender quotas and inequality in politics, youth unemployment and soon descended into a fiery mental health debate. I can safely say we used our new found wisdom from previous guest speakers to full effect, “be angry about the world you live in, and angry enough to change it”. Aisling Twomey from Pavee Point used personal career experiences to highlight the need for social change, and also demonstrated her unique approach to criticism. “Even Jesus couldn't convert the world, and you're not him”

We were given the tools to make informed decisions and encouraged to shape our opinions according to our own beliefs and outlooks, all with a sense of courage and self-importance. We rounded off our first day together in the IFI, watching a series of short films which were thought provoking in nature and experimental. We later reflected on our first day together over dinner discussing everything from our college courses to future aspirations, and of course, all we had learned from day one – a wonderful ending to an inspiring first day.

Day two was full of surprises thanks to Niamh Heery and her presentation on artivism. She highlighted the importance of artivism and demonstrated how easy it can be to create a ripple effect in our communities and beyond. She used a series of videos and stories of other artivists who create visual talking points based on current affairs and wider societal issues, without the use of words.

Before we knew it, we were plotting and planning our own temporary art installations across Dublin City, addressing women's rights, women's health, mental health awareness and inequality – equipped with balloons and arts and craft materials, we set to work before creating a ripple effect on the streets of Dublin. We aimed to get people talking, to have a lasting impact whilst getting our messages across – taking action, rather than just talking about such issues highlighted the need for social change, whilst giving us lasting motivation to take matters into our own hands. It was refreshing to see the public get involved (including tourists!) – all of whom left with a smile.

Later in the afternoon we met Patricia Kennedy, an anti bullying campaigner from Sticks and Stones Ireland – and before we knew it, we were learning about the importance of non verbal communication through a series of drama workshops. Following this we were involved with a walking debate with two members of the Y! Factor (an initiative of the National Women's Council of Ireland) – we were encouraged to be opinionated but also equipped with the tools to develop our personal outlooks and perceptions. This interactive allowed  us to discuss a range of issues facing feminists and activists today, cultural identities and stereotypes, and the place of women in Irish society.

The day came to a close following the presentation of certificates and series of photographs together. Thank you to all who made the Academy so memorable, for offering their time and wisdom – and to John and the Spun Out team for their hard work and dedication in organising the the two day event.

As we all take a break from the constant sight of lecture halls and classrooms, the next few weeks of freedom offer the perfect opportunity to get your health and fitness back in gear. From food to fitness, this guide's got you sorted.

Start running

No, not arduous uphill climbs or magically running 10k with a day's training. Instead take it slowly, going from 30-minute walks, and then gradually increasing this to include jogging and running, over a number of weeks. It will hurt at the start, but honestly it does (eventually!) become enjoyable. If you're a bit unsure about doing it alone, there are a number of smartphone apps, like Couch to 5k, geared towards gradually improving your fitness levels.

Replace dessert with fruit

Fortunately, there are a lot of fruits, so you can leave behind the memories of mouldy apples and oranges from the bottom of your school bag. Blueberries, blackcurrants, watermelons, strawberries, raspberries – there's so much choice, you're bound to find something you like. Just resist the urge to put it on top of a cake/douse it in chocolate.

Walk instead of using the bus

This obviously won't work if you live in a rural area where everything's a fair distance away, but if you're in a city, then embrace walking over using public transport. Almost everywhere in the capital has a local shopping centre nearby, if you usually hop on the bus for a 10-minute or so journey, try walking instead. It will take longer but you'll feel better. You'll save money on bus fare and won't have to wait around at the bus stop either!

Inventive snacking

It's all too easy to reach for that chocolate bar when you're in the queue and ready to eat the entire shop out of its chocolate stock. But instead try a bit of creative snacking; healthy doesn't have to mean boring. Apple slices with a smattering of peanut butter (it sounds weird, but believe me it's delicious) will fill you up and satisfy both savoury and sweet cravings. If you're craving crisps, replace them with crunchy cashew sticks.

Invisible vegetables

Okay, so technically they won't be invisible, but if you find it difficult to have your 5 a day try incorporating vegetables into some dishes with strong flavours. If broccoli and mushrooms aren't your friends, read on. Like spicy food? Put mushrooms, kidney beans, peppers, broccoli and sweet corn into a homemade chilli. The aroma of the chilli will make your mouth water and the flavour of the chilli will make your taste buds dance, you won't even notice the vegetables. If you prefer more muted flavours, give a vegetable stir-fry a shot using soy sauce and a combination of vegetables. The dishes are flavoursome enough that if you're not a fan of veg you won't have to worry about an overpowering taste of broccoli taking over your dinner. Delicious and healthy!

It's time we raise our voices and achieve equality for our young people with disabilities. This matter has been with me personally for most of my life. I have a younger sibling with a severe disability and I hold myself responsible for standing up and making sure his voice is not forgotten about.

There is a need for dialogue to be opened up in Irish society on the lives of the young Irish community who live with disabilities. We are in danger of leaving this community on the fringes of society. I personally know for a fact that the families of children and young adults with disabilities feel taken advantage of and seriously let down by our government. We need to recognise independence to be an advantage and remember that many young adults with disabilities do not possess this independence that enables others to voice opinions and express feelings of injustice and neglect.

Growing up in a family with a little boy who could not walk independently or express himself in the same way everyone else did opened up my mind to the value of independence and made me cherish my own abilities. We take our independence for granted; that is simply not an option for so many young people in Ireland. The example of the student protest in Dublin in 2011 represents a time when young Irish people gathered on a large scale and voiced anger over inequality of access to third level education.

The injustice that many young disabled people and their families live with on a daily basis in this country is incredible yet protest is a medium which is unfeasible for many families caring for young people with disabilities twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. The example of the recent medical card controversy shone a much needed light on the real life injustice that families are met with in this country.

It is a travesty that a parent of a child with Down Syndrome might be asked whether that child is indeed still suffering from the disability. It reflects an ignorance inherent in Irish society to the needs of our young people with disabilities. The fear of losing current inadequate facilities holds families back from protesting and shouting much of the time. Are we living in a totalitarian society where protesting is met with the retraction of civil rights?

The uneasiness that families feel with the knowledge that there is a constant option open to authorities to review cases is disgraceful and puts unneeded burdens on already emotionally stretched relationships. Children with disabilities are more prone to illnesses yet once they reach adulthood they are subjected to waiting lists that are simply unacceptable. It is left to the families of these young adults to shout as loud as they can; shout through the exhaustion and frustration until a more acceptable option is offered.

It is simply unacceptable that these families deal with such rigid and closed systems that offer little respect for the hardship that they experience on a daily basis. A national service offering counselling and information on services for children and young adults with disabilities is in dire need in this country. We need a safe and comfortable environment where families can come, meet other families going through similar situations with qualified counselors and informed staff that can aid families to avail of all the necessary services for their loved ones.

There is simply no free time and no energy left at the end of the day for these families to try and start looking for help. Families with young people with disabilities do not work on the same time schedule that others do; they work twice as hard with less resources and freedoms.
Families with young disabled adults are loving, thoughtful and fun to be part of. I know this from experience.

I am disheartened (as I am sure other family members also are) by the lack of outrage on the behalf of the independent young people in this country toward the injustice their fellow young citizens are dealing with. Perhaps it reflects a lack of information and education provided to our young adults on the lives of intellectually and physically disadvantaged young people; this needs to change.

It’s that time of year again as Irish students emerge from their winter hibernation pale, dreary eyed and shaking from their missed fixes of Jeremy Kyle and Storage Hunters. The only cure is a summer of fun to shake the cobwebs off and revitalize before returning to studies in the Autumn. Traditionally this has led to droves of 20 something’s jetting off to foreign destinations and hotter climates but with a scorching summer expected* there are more and more reasons to stay in Ireland this summer! Here’s my top five:

Irish beaches are awesome

Nostalgia is a dangerous thing. Forget your childhood memories of sand sandwiches, buckets and spades and a long uncomfortable drive home in an overcrowded Nissan Datsun… an Irish Beach Holiday today can involve Land-Yachting in Tramore, Surfing in Strandhill or chilling in Ireland’s only Beach-house/Hunting Lodge at Trá na Rosánn in remote Donegal. Thanks to hipsters your 1980’s Speedos are back in fashion so get planning your trip!

Ireland is Europe’s adventure capital

Whether it’s mountain-biking some of Europe’s best trails in Ballyhoura, Co. Limerick, hill-walking in the Blue Stack Mountains, Donegal, wakeboarding in Dublin’s financial district or Kayaking off Cape Clear Island, Cork, there are no shortage of options for the adrenaline junkie to get their fix! An Óige’s Craic’n’Crash team also organise great value adventure breaks away every couple of weeks that’s open for everyone with rock-climbing, white-water rafting, coasteering and having the craic with others… come by yourself or bring a friend or two for a weekend that gets out of the pub and into the great outdoors! 

Irish festivals are buzzing

Summer time is festival time in Ireland. You can check out Hooker Racing in Galway, that’s right Hooker Racing, Electing a Goat King of the Town in Kerry, or the World’s Biggest Irish Traditional Music festival in Sligo… there’s something to satisfy every taste. Not to mention the huge amount of gigs & festivals in Dublin – with beds in Dublin International Hostel from only €13 including breakfast, you can’t go wrong!

Ireland is old

Okay… granted, ‘Ireland is Old’ is probably not the best way of describing the rich abundance of heritage on our doorstep but revisiting old school tour destinations can be really enjoyable without the fear of impending wedgie! The Rock of Cashel, Newgrange (older than the Pyramids!), Kilmainham Gaol or for the more adventurous among us The Museum of Country Life can be better appreciated when not concentrating all focus on getting a shift on a school-bus. Get the crew together and relive old times with a new perspective (but hopefully still some shifting!).

Ireland is beautiful

Whether it’s the rugged beauty of the Burren or the amazing reflection of the mountains on the Lakes of Killarney, there’s no doubt that Ireland is one sexy ass beast of a country. What’s more, this beauty can be seen on your own terms with a group or in your own remote hostel away from it all. You can even rent out the entire hostel if you’ve got the numbers up for it!
There’s no doubt that there’s never been a better time to holiday in Ireland. Check out www.anoige.ie for information on Hostels, Activities, Events and Things to Do all over Ireland.

*An Óige accepts no liability if a scorching summer isn’t delivered – blame the weathermen!

 

If you are confident in your ability to remain calm and collected during an interview while still coming across as focused and confident, look away now. You don’t need this advice. However, if like me you attend your first proper interview for an actual full-time job and discover you have no idea what to say, then keep reading. I’ve been there (a good few times, actually), but, inch-by-excruciatingly-painful-inch, I learned how to tackle my nerves and make a good impression.

Trying to calm my nerves

When I first started going to interviews, I would be so nervous that I would keep drinking the water they offered – glasses and glasses. So often, that one interviewer asked if I would like them to open a window, I obviously needed to cool down. Most of the time I would be lightly shaking, and my voice would always come out weird when answering the first question. 

I was so caught up in what they were going to ask, and how to give a perfect answer, that I failed to relax into it, be myself and appear in anyway competent. Obviously this was a major hurdle in landing a job. My eureka moment came when I was interviewed for a marketing internship. On the day, I couldn’t find the office due to a slight mix up in my mind between the word “road” and “street”. This led to me racing at top speed up and down Dublin’s cobbles, in heels, four times. Luckily I was in plenty of time (Tip #1!) so I made it with a minute to spare, complete with sweaty red face and out of breath (at least this time I felt the water was warranted).

Going with the flow

I wouldn’t recommend doing this, at all in any way, but exercise is a great way to calm nerves. I was interviewed by two people at the same time, good cop and bad cop. Bad cop did most of the talking and got me so far out of my comfort zone I forgot to be nervous. I couldn’t possibly have prepared for his questions if I had tried. They seemed so ridiculously hard in comparison to any other interview I’d been to that I thought, pretty much from the moment he started talking, that there was no way I would get the job. This was an a-ha! moment, because it meant I relaxed. I stopped caring about perfectly rehearsed answers and just went with the flow.

I walked out 99% sure I would never hear from them again, but I was wrong. They offered me a job. This was a fantastic learning curve for me, and it gave me great experience that I carried into later interviews. I had found my rhythm and what worked for me.

So without further ado, here are my top tips to help you not be your own worst enemy on interview day:

Exercise

Seriously. See my epic run, above. While I don’t recommend you partake in such a marathon 10 minutes before you are due to interview, a little light exercise like a short walk on the day can work wonders for calming stressed out minds.

Be yourself

This sounds clichéd, but I don’t care because it is so important. If you try to base your answers on what you think the interviewer wants to hear, it just won’t work. You want to work in a place where you will be happy, and they want to hire someone who is a good fit for the company. Also, pretending to be someone you’re not is hard work and likely to increase your jitteriness.

Be prepared

Make sure you know your CV inside out. Be aware of what skills you possess and how these fit the job. Know what achievements you are most proud of, and what you can bring to the role. Do research on the company and make sure you have great reasons why you want to work for them. Spend a bit of time researching the best way to structure your answer – for example, many people use the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method.

Expect the unexpected

You can’t prepare for everything, so if a curve ball gets thrown your way, don’t get flustered. Accept that you can’t know everything they are going to ask. Just remember your interviewer is not looking for a perfect answer. A lot of the time it is the way you answer a question that is important. Take some time to think about what they have asked if you need to, don’t just launch straight in. Remember to breathe as well – holding your breath will make you tense up.

Cut yourself some slack

You have done all the hard work in getting to this point – building up experience, writing a good CV, doing a great application. Trust yourself to do your best, and if they don’t want you then it is their loss – you will eventually find a place to work that works for you, which is the most important thing of all.

Being body conscious as a man is completely natural – but not really accepted by society. Where women can say “she’s so pretty” or “look at her figure”, men can’t really do the same for their male counterparts, without being slagged senseless! It’s not only women who notice other people’s good points – we all do.

We’re all conscious about our bodies. For men, we’re under pressure to go to the gym, bulk up, be tall and handsome, dress well, etc. It’s even more difficult nowadays – I know my dad and uncles, for example, would never care how they looked.

Here’s a few of the things I’d consider the biggest worries for guys.

Body

We’re expected to be well kept, first of all. For some reason it’s okay to tell a guy he’s put on weight or needs to, it’s seen as banter. But it can actually make us pretty self-conscious. We’re not just under pressure to be trim but also toned. It works both ways. The media constantly complains about guys expecting girls to be skinny and blonde. How often do men hear “oh I love really toned arms”? More than you’d think.

Hair

Hair colour isn’t really a big deal for guys but the volume of hair and the hair style is. Nobody wants to go bald but for most (it affects up to 70% of men at some point in their lives) it’s a real possibility. Even when we have the hair, the style is really important. Personally, I’m quite lazy about getting haircuts so more often than not I’ve got pretty terrible looking hair. This gets comments which, I’m sure if I reciprocated to a female friend, I’d get looks of disgust.

Height

Ah, height. I don’t think I’ve ever met a man who doesn’t want to be more than six feet tall. Even though I’m average height (5’ 10”) I get slagged for being small. It’s not exactly something we can change, our height, so it’s not the nicest insecurity to have. Of course, it works both ways. I’m sure some guys have the opposite issue; where they feel too tall.

Clothes

There’s a fine line here. Dress too well and you get abuse; don’t dress well enough and it’s hard to attract romantic attention. Generally, blending in with the crowd seems to be the safest option. Not one I recommend, but the safest.

These are just some of the things that affect the male body image, though there are loads more. The media focuses on the pressures on women; though we guys are under pressure too. I’m not one to lecture on it – I’ve as many insecurities as anyone – but I think the best advice is to be comfortable in who you are. Trying to cover up your insecurities only makes them more obvious. Embrace the extra few pounds, the lack of hair, the too tall/too small fiasco and anything else life throws at you!

Personal safety is something we often take for granted. You never really expect any of these dark, dangerous situations you see on TV to actually happen. Sure, there are parts of your local area you avoid; maybe certain people you have been told from a young age to steer clear of.

Keeping out of trouble is naturally important. Both for your personal safety and your parents’ sanity! Here’s my story of one time I did not keep out of trouble…

I was on a night out in Dublin with a couple of friends. We’d been to the infamous Coppers (and, to be honest, I still love Coppers). I’d had a few drinks and wouldn’t say I was very drunk but I was definitely tipsy; I wasn’t at 100%. During the night, we ended up getting separated. I was staying with a friend out in Drumcondra so I started making my way back towards that direction. I was down Grafton Street when I realised my first mistake: I’d no money. I wasn’t working at the time and this night out was on borrowed funds which had gone on those few drinks and the tenner into Coppers.

Making my way home

Undeterred, I kept going. I mulled over my options. I could (a) do the smart thing and get a taxi to my friend’s house and wake her up to pay him and then pay her back or (b) the not-so-smart thing and walk. I chose the not-so-smart thing. Mistake number 2! Now, to some, the walk to Drumcondra from Dublin city centre might seem a bit ridiculous but I’d done it several times in groups or with friends and knew it wasn’t too far, so I set off.

It was the first time I’d done it alone though; so was trying to get directions on my phone (mistake 3 – using a smartphone in lonely, dodgy area). I came to an unfamiliar area and wasn’t sure whether to turn off or keep going so asked a guy walking past. On this occasion, this was mistake 4; though I didn’t realise. Once I found my way again, I crossed over into a residential area and started heading for the house. Then, I got mugged. Phone and wallet gone, fractured nose and a few cuts and bruises but in all honesty, it could’ve been a lot worse.

My dad had always (wisely) told me and my brother if we were ever attacked to just hand over our stuff – safety first. Material items aren’t as important. Instinct kicked in though and, cue mistake 5, I defended myself. I tried lashing out, which resulted in a few kicks to the face (hence the fractured nose) so I relinquished my belongings and he left.

Fast-forward a couple of hours and I’m back at my friend’s house, phoneless, penniless and fresh from the Garda station.
The point I want to make here is that though this situation wasn’t my fault, there were steps I could’ve taken to avoid it. What I’ve learned is these few tips:

  1. Always stay in a group, try to find your friends if you can and leave together. Safety in numbers. It’s a cliché but you’re less likely to fall victim of ill fate in a group!
  2. Keep money in your sock or somewhere safe, for emergencies like taxis. Resist the urge to get that last drink!
  3. Drink sensibly. I’m not saying don’t drink, ever, but just keep in mind that being drunk makes you easy prey.
  4. Avoid unfamiliar territory. Had I known exactly where I was going, I wouldn’t have needed to ask a mugger for directions.
  5. Don’t ever think that things like this won’t happen to you. Us young people kinda think we’re invincible which really just isn’t true!

Overall, be careful. It’s not very nice to be the victim of an attack and personal safety is so important, I can’t emphasise that enough. Obviously, you can’t hide away from the world to avoid things like this completely, but be mindful of things you can do to prevent them happening!

Need more information?

We are here to answer your questions and talk through your options. Our online chat service is for 16 to 25 year olds and is available Monday to Friday, 4pm to 8pm. Chat to us now about your situation.

Suicide affects so many people, both in urban and rural Ireland. It feels like everyone knows someone affected by it in some form. My older brother Phillip, aged 28, on October 8th 2005 sadly took his own life and it left so many questions unanswered to all of us. It seemed to us to have come out of the blue. We, as a close family, felt emotionally devastated at the time.

Nearly nine years this year and I have only just begun the journey to heal and accept that I could not change the situation. When my brother died by suicide I was left reeling and the grief was overwhelming, wondering if I could have done something to prevent this. As we faced life after our loved one’s suicide we remembered that we don’t have to go it alone.

All my emotions such as shock, anger, guilt and despair went up and down over the next weeks and months. I was still in 4th year in school at the time. I had difficultly concentrating and had a loss of usual activities. It felt physically and emotionally exhausting to me. Understanding your emotions, as well as learning something to help others may ease your grief.

My advice to anyone dealing with this loss or anyone feeling down, depressed or suicidal would be:

While we may be living in the 21st century there is, unfortunately, still a great deal of stigma attached to suicide. If you are in a very emotional and vulnerable place right now don’t be afraid to speak up. Communities now need educating when it comes to suicide prevention, and together we can help each other through those difficult times. Take care of yourselves and others.

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