MU Blogger – MU International Office Blog

by MU Blogger October 27, 2025

Mini Crawl, Major Munchies: Eating Through Maynooth

Maynooth is a small town, but despite its size, it’s home of one of the oldest universities, a castle lost in time and, of course, several places to eat, have a drink or simply hang out with friends. The key to finding a good place to eat it’s to know what’s out there! Here I’ll recommend 4 places for you to eat in Maynooth town. Picture on the right: Full Irish Breakfast Coffee ...

by MU Blogger September 4, 2025

blogs , Eunice Duyen , Student Stories

Humans of Maynooth – Episode 4 “Will Digital Marketing change in the Age of AI?” – insights from a GOI-IES Scholar

After sharing stories of resilience and empowerment in our previous episodes, we now meet a “new face” in Episode 4 of Humans of Maynooth. Minh, a GOI-IES awardee 2024 who is pursuing an MSc in Digital Marketing at Maynooth University not for corporate fame, but to make a meaningful impact in academia. With a strong enthusiasm for research and a vision for future teaching, he shares how his time at Maynooth University ...

by MU Blogger August 21, 2025

Moving from secondary to third level education by Katheryn

blogs , Campus life , Katheryn Carolina Aymerich Díaz

When Homework Became Independent Study: My Academic Culture Shock

For many students, the transition from secondary school to university is more disorienting than expected. In secondary school, we become accustomed to a very structured way of learning. Daily classes, regular homework, exam preparation, and a strong emphasis on memorisation are the norm. There’s also a constant sense of supervision—teachers check your work, remind you of deadlines, and guide you closely. While this does require responsibility, it’s within a fairly controlled ...

by MU Blogger August 1, 2025

blogs , Culture & Lifestyle , Phanindra Yenneti

Do’s and Don’ts for International Students in Ireland: Staying Safe and Settling In

Relocating to a new place is both interesting and challenging. As a student in Ireland, you are surely going to experience some warm hospitality, new experiences, and different cultural wings. Ireland is a safe and student-friendly country, but a few practical considerations are worth mentioning in terms of basic safety, cultural norms, and social behaviour. Here’s my honest guide on what to do and what not to do as you begin ...

by MU Blogger July 30, 2025

blogs , Careers & Jobs , Eunice Duyen

Humans of Maynooth Episode 3: Empowering Women in Tech with Archana Sahoo from India

In the last episode of our Humans of Maynooth series, we explored the journey of Sichen Huangfu, a PhD in Education, who shared her courageous path in overcoming homesickness to pursue qualified research projects in Ireland. In this third episode, we shift our focus to another inspiring voice in the Maynooth University community — Archana Sahoo from India. Currently, she is a postgraduate student in Software Engineering. With a background in ...

by MU Blogger July 24, 2025

blogs , Careers & Jobs , Phanindra Yenneti

Part-Time Jobs in Ireland for International Students – My Experience and Advice

International students come first in the race for a part-time job. Part-time work helps pay the bills and sometimes serves as a gateway into the social scene, providing the opportunity to acquire local experience and soft skills that complement one's academics. But getting a job in the first place can't be quite that easy. I hope to shed some light from my own experiences and offer some learning points that ...

by MU Blogger June 26, 2025

blogs , Olusolape Sonuga , Preparing for Life in Ireland

What I Packed VS What I Actually Needed

Before moving to Ireland for my master’s, I spent weeks researching what to pack. YouTube videos, TikTok’s, blogs, alumni chats, I consumed it all. Still, the truth is that no one can pack perfectly for a new life abroad. Now that I’m settled into Ireland and have braved my fair share of snowy nights, rainy weeks and lovely spring weather, I thought it would be helpful to share what I packed, what ...

by MU Blogger June 23, 2025

blogs , Eunice Duyen , Student Stories

Humans of Maynooth Episode 2: “Brave, Bold, and Bilingual” – Sichen’s PhD Journey from Shanxi to Maynooth

Welcome back to Humans of Maynooth, a heartfelt interview series that shares the voices of international students at Maynooth University. Each episode offers a glimpse into the lives, challenges, and triumphs of students who have journeyed from around the world to call Maynooth University and Ireland their second home. In this episode, we meet Sichen Huangfu, a Chinese PhD student whose research explores the power of translanguaging in education. I ...

by MU Blogger June 19, 2025

blogs , Katheryn Carolina Aymerich Díaz , Preparing for Life in Ireland

What to know before arriving in Ireland and Maynooth University

You got your place in Maynooth University? Congratulations! You’ve already started your journey on studying in Ireland and, believe or not, the pre-arrival information seeking phase can be the most hectic and stressful one. In this blog, I’ll explore the key information any prospective international student should know before arriving in the Emerald Isle.Picture: Student Ambassador Katheryn Aymerich in front of Maynooth University’s Library First, you need to register with the university ...

by MU Blogger June 16, 2025

blogs , Campus life , Careers & Jobs , Phanindra Yenneti

Beyond the Classroom: How School of Business Extracurricular Activities Shaped My Professional Journey

As a Business School student, you just cannot say the academic curriculum was anything but rigorous and intellectually rewarding. What made it more enriching, perhaps, were the extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities that ran parallel with the formal teachings. Such activities conducted by the School of Business were not put together as mere additions; rather, they are truly essential in shaping our career readiness and personality development. From real-life assignments to ...