Alina Lupu, B.A. 2012

My Maynooth experience started five years ago when I was persuaded by my sister to look into returning to education after being made redundant yet again. I always knew that if ever I was to go back to college, it would be only to resume my ‘love affair’,  so to speak, with French, a language I fell in love with as a sixth grader in my native Romania.  I embarked on what I now refer to as ‘my Maynooth journey’ in September 2009 after having successfully completed the previous year a Return to Learning course which helped ease my way into third level education. For a mature student going back to the routine of college can be daunting at times, yet, to me it was second nature. I quickly adapted to the new life and was happy to face my challenges head on. I enjoyed the courses immensely and applied myself to my studies. I interacted well with my peers as well as the lecturers whose work ethic and enthusiastic attitude I found inspirational. I did not feel more in my element than when I read, spoke and listened to French language. I have always liked grammar and considered it to be my strongest point, yet, a few weeks into the course I was pleasantly surprised to discover a newfound fascination with French literature and politics. Not long before starting final year another concept caught my attention: feminism. Having very limited knowledge on the subject and wanting to explore it more, I decided to choose it as my topic for the final year dissertation, a challenging and exciting project which greatly influenced my views and ways of thinking. 

I have yet to decide what my next adventure is now that my Maynooth experience has come to an end but if there is one thing I am certain about is that French will always be a part of my life.  I am currently enjoying my newfound freedom, away from the stress of the exams and essays but I am always looking for a new, exciting challenge to enrich my existence.  I am currently working for Enterprise Ireland.