by: Marisa Ruggirello

Song of the Day: Cleopatra // The Lumineers

Reflecting back on my time on Ireland, I cannot believe how fast this trip has already flown by. Tomorrow morning we leave for Cardiff, Wales for a little over a day, and then head over to London for two weeks! These last few days have been absolutely exceptional, and I can’t help but feel melancholy about leaving this wonderful, beautiful country of Ireland.

Today we visited the historic Trinity College located in the center of Dublin. The buildings were old, but gorgeous all the same. We were given a tour by a current student who told us that he only has one year left at uni. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of kinship to him and began thinking about the fact that I too only have one year of college left and then I’m off, thrust into the ‘real world’ with ‘real responsibilities’. The thought is B E Y O N D terrifying, but I will be forever grateful to MSU and the opportunities and resources that it has given me.

Also located at Trinity College is the Old Library and The Book of Kells. The Old Library is home to some six million books, and most of the books are kept off campus in a holding center because the number is too great to hold in the actual library. The Book of Kells is a 9th-century manuscript of the four Gospels of Jesus Christ. Growing up Roman Catholic and attending Catholic school from Kindergarten all the way until high school, it was definitely a sight to see. There are no words to describe the way the book is decorated and unfortunately there was no photography allowed, so if you would like to learn more, click here.

Ireland, farewell to you and your rolling hills, green and teeming with life. Thank you for your unbelievable hospitality and for only raining on me a few times. I will miss you. Wales, you’re next, and London? You’re on deck.