I did my Leaving Certificate in 2018 and I really wasn't sure of what I wanted to study in college.I chose to do a PLC course in Enniscorthy Vocational College in Legal Studies level 5. This really aided in my decision to go to Waterford and gave me the confidence to make a decision which can seem frightening.

Being in WIT has given me a lot of opportunities, like volunteering, to get involved in the community and meet new people. I'm eager to move forward in life, enjoy my time in WIT and complete my degree. I'm now in my second year of college, studying Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Sociology and Law.

Last year, when I was in first year, I got to study three subjects before ultimately deciding on one minor subject - it was either psychology or law and I chose law.

Options

I really enjoyed that aspect of my course in that I was given the option to study multiple subjects before really narrowing in on it as it gave me the time to see which subject worked best for me. Of course this year will be a strange one with all my classes being online but I'm getting used to it now and developing (somewhat) of a routine.

I'm really enjoying my modules this semester, they're all very interesting and while being on Zoom for many of them can be a pain, I really enjoy learning about the different aspects of sociology and law.

Support

This year I also decided to become a Class Rep along with one of my classmates. It's been great getting more involved with WITSU and seeing all the great supports they have available during the pandemic also. It’s been 2 years since I did my PLC in Legal Studies, first year flew by. I really enjoyed first year, there were a lot of great events in the college and I've made some amazing friends. I had a lot of support in first year, which was amazing. Like I said in my initial interview, the leap from leaving cert to college can be extremely frightening and a hard one but it doesn't have to be. There are so many different supports out there and progression routes available.

The PLC gave me a lot of preparation for college - with the same style assignments and exams as college, and a different timetable that you don't experience as a second-level student. It's also a more relaxed environment than in secondary school which I think some students can struggle with when coming directly from Leaving Cert but the PLC really does help in this preparation! I'd encourage any second-level students, or even returning mature students, who are unsure of what they would like to do, to seriously consider doing a PLC!

Bachelor of Arts in  Arts (Hons)

WIT