My MIC Story - Anna Purcell

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! My name is Anna. I’m 21 and I’m from Laois. I’m in my second year at MIC Thurles studying on the BA in Education, Home Economics and Business Studies programme, which will qualify me to become a Home Economics and Business Studies post-primary teacher. I attended Coláiste Mhuire Johnstown in Co. Kilkenny and before I came to MIC Thurles, I completed a PLC course in Templemore Further College of Education to help me gain entry to the BA in Education, Home Economics and Business Studies programme.  

Why did you choose MIC?

I chose MIC due to the range of subject choices available but Home Economics and Business Studies appealed to me the most. The career pathways stood out for me as well as the fact there are more career opportunities from this programme aside from post-primary teaching.

The location of the College also played a factor in my decision to come here as I can travel easily to and from Thurles from my home in Laois. Thurles is only a 30-minute drive away so that definitely appealed to me when I was making my decision on the right college for me. Also, the option to study abroad also influenced my decision to choose MIC Thurles.

Has it been easy to get to know people and make new friends?

Yes, it’s been really easy to make new friends here because the smaller class groups at MIC Thurles make it less daunting. Having different groups for lectures and tutorials has given me the opportunity to speak to more people and get to know them as well. Group assessments have also given me the chance to meet new people from different programmes.

I find that because all the students at MIC Thurles are studying post-primary teaching it means you immediately have a common interest with everybody in the College.

What do you love about studying at MIC?

I was extremely lucky to be the recipient of the TOMAR Trust Award, which was an honour to receive.  The scholarship seeks to recognise those who transfer with distinction from their Further Education programme to take up a place on one of the post-primary teaching degree programmes here at MIC Thurles.

There are many things about my programme that I love! One would have to be the people on the programme and in the College. Having such a small class size has allowed us to gel together really well. We are all there to support and help each other when it comes to assessments which is really helpful. It’s also extremely easy to get in contact with our lecturers who are always there to help and guide us.

My favourite modules would include the practical side of Home Economics. The Textile and Food Science modules have taught me so many new skills in Year 1 alone that I’ll be able to use for life, both inside and outside the classroom. The Education modules that I have so far completed have been so interesting and have really opened my mind to the logistics of teaching and learning.

In first year, we all got to experience one week of observation in a primary school. This was our first interaction with the teaching community and it really opened my eyes to teaching methods and how teachers approach different things in the classroom. The Business Studies modules have also really enhanced my ability to think critically and to be innovative, especially with the assessments assigned for the modules.

What do you love about college life?

College life has brought me a sense of independence and I love that it’s up to myself how I use my spare time. The social life side of things plays a big role in college life. Events are organised throughout the year at College such as Freshers' Week, Charity Week, Christmas Daze, and many more which gives everyone a chance to go out and enjoy themselves. It’s fun to go out and meet new people and there’s always a real sense of community between everyone.

College life is a lot different than secondary school life especially with academic assessments but the continuous method of assessing modules is great and it means that a huge amount of academic pressure doesn’t build up for one big final exam.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I like to relax and while studying Home Economics I’ve found a great way to relax is to sew something using the new skills I gained in first year. I also like to experiment with new recipes!

The Thurles Leisure Centre is located very close to the College, which is so handy. They have annual student deals, which is great so I like to go there to use the gym or the swimming pool.

What would you like to do after your graduate?

After I graduate, I would love to travel with my degree and get to teach in different parts of the world.

What advice would you give to anyone considering studying at MIC?

If teaching is something you’re any way interested in, I would say take the jump! The idea may seem daunting at first, but it’s important to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Teaching is such a rewarding career and if you find two subjects you love and have an interest in, you’ll always enjoy it.

Looking back to when you were filling in your CAO form and doing your Leaving Cert, what would you say to your younger self?

I would tell my younger self to explore all options and to not close my mind to ideas so quickly. I’d also tell myself that it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t work out the first time around and there’s so many options to help you enter a course you want if the Leaving Cert doesn’t go to plan.

What word would you use to describe MIC?

Welcoming.