The Global Lounge Experience

The Global Lounge has become an amazing way for students to meet new people, have an nice place to hangout over the weekend, and most importantly, its a place to relax and have fun! A student who has been a regular attendee since the beginning has been kind enough to share his experience!

- Can you give me some general information on your life as a student in NUI Galway?

My name is Sai, I’m 27 years YOUNG and I came from India to study here at NUI Galway.

Life as a student has been amazing in the last year and a half. So amazing, that I never left the University even after graduating from my Masters! I was able to find a PhD opportunity to continue being a NUI Galway student.

- What would you usually have done on a typical Saturday?

If it wasn’t for the Global Lounge, on a typical Saturday afternoon, I would be struggling to get out of bed. If I did, I would be wasting a lot of time cooking and prepping my meals for the day when I should be having fun. Thankfully the Global Lounge has a lot of food, and friends!

- How would you describe the Global Lounge to a student who has never attended before? What is the atmosphere like in the Global Lounge?

It’s a yummy way to meet new people, relax, play some board games and watch movies. The atmosphere is very welcoming and warm (despite the Galway weather!), casual and snacker-friendly.

- What would you say to anyone that is thinking of going to an event like the Global Lounge but are unsure as they would be going on their own?

They should still try it because a lot of the people who regularly chill out at the Global Lounge, came alone and ended up making friends. People motivated enough to wake up before 12 pm on a Saturday or not get drunk on a Friday night should come alone to these events if they can. What good is it if you always hang out with the same bunch of people at similar kind of places (whether it be gym, cafes, restaurants, pubs, or clubs) and not meet new people?

- How has the Global Lounge made a difference to your life as a student?

I have met a lot of new people from different nationalities and have had interesting /eye-opening conversations about culture, education overseas, music, and just life in general.

- What is your favourite thing about the Global Lounge?

Free Food! No, I’m joking, although there is always a wide variety of food, snacks and beverages. My favourite thing is the atmosphere and organisation of the Global Lounge. As students we get to decide the direction each event takes, what we do (or don’t do!), and our suggestions and ideas are listened to and incorporated. This might be asking for healthier snacks, movies we’d like to watch or games we think would be fun to play. It’s nice to have such an input into what we want to do every weekend. It’s been amazing how much it has changed from its humble beginnings of tea and snacks to the variety of things that we have done, played, watched (and of course, eaten!). We’re still excited about the new things we could try, from organizing day trips and GoKarting to setting up Lip Sync battles.

- Could you describe your overall experience of your time in NUI Galway in one sentence?

Yes, I could.

It has been, and it is, a Roller coaster of learning, growing and having fun, that will carry me through the end of life, even after hopping off, and I don’t plan to hop off for another two and a half years.