CIT Students’ Union MagazineVolume Eleven - Issue Four

This YearI’ll Quit

Playit Cool

ConferringPhotos

Ball DatesAnnounced

MerryXmas

CIT Students’ UnionRossa Ave,BishopstownCork,Ireland.

Telephone: 021 493 3120Fax: 021 454 5343Email: info@expliCIT.ie

expliCIT StaffEditor - Killian HughesDesign & Advertising - Philip O’Reilly

ContributionsEzgi Muderrisoglu Joseph LynchIsabel Rossiter Orla FlynnJennifer Cotter Deirdre ConroyJohn Lane Sean F O’LearyMervyn O’Mahony David Moylan

CIT Students’ UnionPresident - Gearóid Buckley(supresident@cit.ie)Vice President Education - John lane(sueducation@cit.ie)Vice President Welfare - Deirdre Conroy(suwelfare@cit.ie)Entertainments Officer - Kelvin McLaughlin(suentertainments@cit.ie)Projects Officer - James O’Toole(suprojects@cit.ie)Communications Officer - Killian Hughes(sucommunications@cit.ie)

PrintBarnaville Print & Graphics LTD

Advertising OpportunitiesCIT has almost 17,000 full and part-time studentswith over 1,500 staff. Why not use expliCIT to pro-mote your business to this large audience?

Copy deadlines, advertising rates and technicalspecifications are available from our websitewww.expliCIT.ie or upon request from thePublications Office.

expliCIT magazine is published monthly by CITStudents’ Union. The views expressed in the maga-zine are those of their authors and are not necessar-ily those of CIT Students’ Union. All articles and pic-tures are the property of their respective ownersand should not be reproduced without their permis-sion.

If you would like to contribute to expliCIT pleasecontact Philip in the Publications Office, 1st Floor,

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We Need You!

EditorialOpinion

Hello everyone

I hope the study is going well. I am feeling the pressuremyself and by looking around I think most people are. Atthe end of the day, exams are only exams, and although wewould all love to do well, if it does go south – there arealways the repeats.

The last few months have been hectic – aside from havingmore college work than ever, I still managed to get out forsome social events and I have noticed that Cubins has beengoing fantastically for the last few months. Remember, col-lege is about more than education – it’s an experience, andthe experience is as good as you make it. I have been to theNorth with my club, Cork city far too many times, and everyyear there are so many more people to meet.

January is only around the corner so I would encourageeveryone to kick back and relax, because RAG week is com-ing in February and many of my colleagues are still lookingfor lust on a regular basis, maybe even love?

I hope you enjoy this issue. We have articles about a student we are very proud of, studytips and, as always, your photos. Keep the photos coming into us and we will be delighted to put them into expliCIT, or at the very least onto the CITSU website.

Enjoy the holidays, best of luck in the exams, and have anenjoyable and safe Christmas.

Killian

ne t issue:

See www.expliCIT.ie for magazine dates and copy deadlines

RAGWEEK SPECIALRag Week is happening between the 15th and 18thFebruary 2010. Already confirmed...

Jon Kenny - comedian (one half of the Legendary duo The D’Unbelievables) Paul Dee - The Finest Hypnotist in Ireland Rag Ball - Thursday 18th of Feb Glo in The Dark Party – Tuesday 16th of Feb.

Loads more to be confirmed...Start saving those Euros now!

3

Christmas is not all about Santa, elves, and sugar plum fairies when one suf-fers from depression, a loved one is gone, or Christmas brings back memo-ries of hurt feelings. For some, finances play a part in their sadness. Manypeople experience post-Christmas depression in the New Year as well,when all the hustle and bustle ends and families depart. What are someways that we might make the Christmas season a lot easier to get throughwhen we are sad?

Most importantly, tone down your efforts and expectations, both mentallyand physically, and do not try to make Christmas live up to an ideal, what-ever that might be. Make Christmas a no-guilt zone in your life. Ever feeleven slightly apologetic that you didn't put up a tree? Have you suffered apang of guilt that someone sent you a Christmas card and you didn't sendone back? When we are sad, the feeling of hopelessness is made worsewhen guilt is added to the mix.

Lowering expectations will also help prevent the after-Christmas "letdown," which would add to the already present sad feelings. If at all pos-sible, plan something after Christmas to look forward to so that ChristmasDay is not the ultimate focus. Like arrange to meet up with your friends onStephens Day to hit the sales or just to catch up.

Never let yourself feel pressured financially about things leading up toChristmas. I don’t think Charles Dickens invention of the Scrooge characterhelped matters, but we always need to remember that Christmas is notabout buying expensive gifts, because it is absolutely not.

I have gone through Christmas’s in the last few years with barely a few bobto my name. I got so upset because I have a little brother and sister, and Ifelt like I HAD to buy them really cool presents. My older brother was work-ing full time and I didn’t want to look bad next to him. But I was so broke,I couldn’t. I remember I gave my little sister a hoody I owned that she loved.It meant more to her than I ever thought it would have. She wore it ALLday Christmas day and for about two years after until she outgrew it. Itmade me realise, that you don’t have to spend a fortune to make someonehappy.

Remember as well that the pictures on Christmas cards and TV ads are love-ly but somewhat unrealistic. They are images of what we would really liketo experience, but very few do. Most of us are like window shoppers look-ing at those soft, fuzzy images of these Christmas scenes, but we do nothave the ability to buy into it so we never go inside. We stand for a littlewhile gazing at them and imagining ourselves there. Wouldn't it be won-derful just to be there? Away from all the problems and violence in theworld and away from our own struggles and sadness. Then we turn away,and the scene fades.

Therefore, do not attempt to make your life fit a Christmas painting. Whenyou are sad, it is best not to dwell on those scenes. Let your mind dwell onthings that you are thankful for in your life, however small they might be.These are what are real. Thankfulness has the power to lift our spirits.

Bad Christmas memories are hard to deal with as well. These are the linger-ing memories of being hurt by friends or family members, perhaps whogave better gifts to others or gave you none at all or even worse, gaveabuse. Hurt feelings can run from the past right up to the present while youare forced to be in the company of someone who was mean and continuesto be so. I have an aunt who I am forced to see every Christmas. All mymemories from when I was young involve her being nasty to my mum. Sonow, I can’t stand her and it puts me in a bad mood to be around her.When we are sad, this can build the tension to unbearable levels. Try tolimit your exposure to these people. Would it not be better to stay away ifthe hurt feelings are only made worse? Find a way to graciously bow out.If you HAVE to be in the same location as this person, make yourself scarcein their presence. Silence is golden, and distance makes it easier to be silent.Do this for the sake of yourself and for the sake of others. A family row atChristmas makes every problem associated with the family worse.

Try your best to get out of your rut of bad Christmas memories by forgiv-ing. Forgiving someone does not necessarily tell them that what they didwas NOT wrong. But it will make the person they hurt feel better and freefrom resentment. It is impossible to move forward without forgiveness. Justdecide to forgive. You do not have to feel forgiving in order to decide toforgive. It will help to cope with those memories.

Finally, if you are alone at Christmas because you have lost a loved one orfor whatever reason and you are sad about it, remember that you really arenot alone. It may sound weird, but you always have yourself. Cultivate afriendship with yourself and take good care of who is closest to you. If youcan be a friend to someone else, then you can be a friend to yourself. Dofor yourself what you would do for a friend.

You CAN get through Christmas when you are sad and perhaps be trans-formed in the process. Be your own boss on what to do and what not todo/avoid, without any outside pressure, and wake up Christmas morningwith a few less things to be concerned about. Would that not be the bestChristmas present of all?

Whatever happens, have a happy, peaceful and restful Christmas, all ofyou! xxx

Dee

How to Get your Jingle Back

The Management & Staff of the Rochestown Park Hotel would like to wish all CIT students and staff a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thank you for once again making us your Number 1 Ball Venue for 2009

Latest News

On November 26th thousands of CIT studentsdefied calls from Institute management toadhere to their timetables and attend college.Although Institute management distancedthemselves from any involvement, CIT Students’Union put several policies in place to ensure allsafety issue should be addressed.

However local Gardaí asked the Union to leavethe policing to the Gardaí, and to step back.CITSU agreed on the clause that the Gardaíwould do everything they could to ensure thesafety of students and those in the neighbour-hood, “we put a lot off work into devising a planto ensure the safety of all but the Gardaí haveasked us to step back, we did so under the reas-surances from the Gardaí that they would do allthey can to protect our students.” said CITSUPresident, Gearóid Buckley.

This year residents and the Gardaí appreciatedthat there was a lot less anti social behaviouractivity when compared to recent years, howev-er those whom took part in anti social behaviourwill face the full arm of the law.

Mr Buckley continued “I must thank all of thoseinvolved, particularly the Gardaí. They did a fan-tastic job on the ground and ensured the safetyof our students, which is ultimately the Unionstop priority. 99% of students enjoyed the day ina respectable manner, however a small 1%didn’t and unfortunately will face the courts andCIT’s disciplinary system.

I think there is a lesson to be learned here forevery CIT student, that 1% will now have a crim-inal record, a tainted CV, prohibited fromobtaining a visa for travel, and may even faceexpulsion from the Institute.”

Mr Buckley also stated “that we must notbecome complacent now that Christmas Day isover.

We receive phone calls regularly from concernedparents and residents, and I ask all students tobe mindful of that we are ultimately guests inthis neighbourhood and we must respect thosewhom we live amongst.

Zero Tolerance by Btown Gardaí

4

Global Student EntrepreneurFinalist Award for CIT

In a red letter day for Ireland and Cork Instituteof Technology Kieran O’Callaghan, ofVisionRETM has been honoured with a GlobalStudent Entrepreneur Finalist Award sponsoredby the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation in conjunc-tion with Mecedes-Benz Financial at the GSEAfinals in Kansas City, Missouri, USA..

Kieran received the highest acclaim from thedistinguished judging panel of internationalentrepreneurs, was very highly rated rightthroughout the judging process and wasaccorded particular mention and praise for theinnovative technical expertise and the highlyethical nature of his developing enablementproducts for the visionally impaired. Kieran per-formed with the greatest distinction, enthusi-asm and honour throughout a gruelling seriesof workshops, presentations and exhibitionsover the last two days – a remarkable ambassa-dor for his country as the first ever Irish studentto reach the Global Student EntrepreneurAward Finals from a nominated worldwideentry of over 1,500 students.

Ireland and Cork Institute of Technology can behugely proud of Kieran and of his equallydeserving VisionRETM team members NormaDowning and Etaion Ni hAilpin.

(See the last edition of ExpliCIT for full details)

Sean F. O’Leary

Latest News

5

Commercialising Innovation & CreativityIn the current economic environment, successful-ly developing and maintaining a business canprove quite challenging. The Rubicon Centre,based here on campus in CIT, offers a modernand dynamic working environment, providingprofessional support and invaluable services toEntrepreneurial as they launch into the businessworld.

As Ireland’s premier business incubation centre,the Rubicon has developed strong links withmany successful businesses and works closelywith Cork Institute of Technology. These linksprovide many benefits to the Entrepreneursbased in the Rubicon, as they have access to theResearch and Development facilities of the col-lege and on-site academic expertise.

"The Rubicon Centre is a valuable resource forearly stage businesses in need of support, in par-ticular technology startups which need muchdevelopment to be brought to market. As well asthe essential support of incubation space andaccess to the expertise of mentors and trainers,

The Rubicon Centre provides a positive and moti-vational environment for people who are com-mitted to developing a successful business."...Dave Cody, Chief Executive Officer, Cork CityEnterprise Board - www.corkceb.ie

Due to the demand for suitable incubationspace, an extension to the existing building isnow well underway, which will provide muchsought after entrepreneurial office space, labo-ratories’ and additional support facilities.

The Genesis Programme (www.gep.ie) is alsobased at the Rubicon, offering participants theopportunity to avail of a 12 month rapid incuba-tion programme, which aims to support andaccelerate graduate entrepreneurs in developingtheir business from a very early stage. The centrealso continues to develop links with other incu-bation centres nationally and internationallyassisting in the development of national andinternational market opportunities.

Further details on The Rubicon Centre can befound on their website www.rubiconcentre.ie

The CIT Rubicon Centre

Venice Biennale Scolarshipfor CCAD Students

Two current fourth year Crawford students,were this summer awarded with a scolarship towork for the Irish Pavilion at the 53rd VeniceBiennale.

Jennifer Marshall and Theresa O’Leary receiveda four week work placement invigilating theworks of Gareth Kennedy and Sarah Browne,two of Ireland’s most promising new artists.

The exhibition, curated by Caoimhin Corriganand funded by the Irish Arts Council, was animmense success. Both Jen and Theresadescribed it as a life changing experience, thatprovided them with an invaluable insight intothe contemporary art world.

Orla Flynn

What type of centre is The Rubicon?

(a) Sales centre(b) Incubation Centre(c) Call Centre

Name the programme that is based at theRubicon Centre?(a) "Techstar Programme"(b) "Platinum Programme"(c) "Genesis Programme"

Rubicon Centre Competition to Win €30Please return the answer to both questions below in a SAE with your name, class and mobilephone number to enter this competition for a prize of €30 cash sponsored by CIT Rubicon Centre.

Open to CIT Students only. One entry per student. Competiton closes 21st December 2009.

6

Union Address

Hopefully the Semester has treated you welland at this stage you are stressing (just a little)over exams. As you should know, the examsare starting on Friday 11th and running upuntil Friday 18th. Unfortunately, there will bemore exams the first week of January, but youshould all be fine.

The last few weeks have been manic for us all,with the run up to the exams, strikes, floods,study, projects, Christmas day and whateverwe have had going on ourselves. I would justlike to say thanks for all the support we have

been given as a Union, and hopefully, long may it continue.

The National Budget will undoubtedly affect all of us in our own differentways. Money is becoming tighter and tighter for all of us, but hopefully wecan struggle on together being the poor students we have chosen to be.That said, fret not, we as a Union are still here for you in any way we canbe so never be shy to call in or give us a call at any stage. Trust me when I

say it – there is nothing that can surprise us anymore.

Was anyone else astounded by giant sperm running through the canteen afew weeks ago? It was for the Sexual Health Awareness Day run by the SU,and more specifically Dee, but no one told me what we had planned. Deeour Welfare Officer, told me she had a few surprises in place but WOW!!!We have many more things in the pipeline, not forgetting RAG week inFebruary, so get ready.

I really hope you all enjoyed the first semester, I know I did! I’m looking for-ward to the new semester in February – even though it seems a millionmiles away now.

I hope you all enjoy the well earned break, and going into the Christmasseason just remember to be safe, don’t drink and drive, and go away andenjoy yourselves for a few weeks.

Good Luck,John

CITSU Vice President Education Opinion

Hey Guys,

I don’t know about you, but I cannot believehow quickly Christmas has snuck up on us! Ifeel like it was only yesterday that I tookoffice in the Students Union. It’s weird tothink that it was almost 6 months ago. BeingVice-President Welfare has taught me so, somuch already.

It has been exhausting and emotionallydraining at times but I have never in my lifehad such a rewarding job. There is some-thing amazing about feeling you have

helped someone out. It gives you that lovely warm feeling in your tummy,like when you drink hot soup on a cold day! It makes all the long nights andearly mornings so very, very worth it. I wouldn’t be here without you, thestudent body. You voted me here and I hope that I am making you proud. On a “welfairy” note, the party season approaches, so please remember thebasics; drink sensibly, use contraceptives, never ever drink and drive andtake care of yourself in general. Good luck in your Christmas exams andhave a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

Here for you now and in the future,

Dee

CITSU Vice President Welfare Opinion

Semester one is coming to sharp close, asemester which has gone relatively smoothlylocally but has witnessed a rollercoaster onthe national scene. Students are still awaitinggrants, a rise in registration fees looks immi-nent, student finance is now a distant memo-ry and the student support bill is still gather-ing dust on Batt O’Keeffe’s desk.

The past few months have been difficult formany families and students and unfortunate-ly 2010 does not look like things will get anybetter, however you should know that theStudents’ Union and CIT Student Services are

here to face these challenging times with you, so take advantage of theseservices where and when you can. If you are finding things difficult, call intothe SU office, we can sit down and solve the issue from there.

I’ve been looking through my election manifesto recently and I’ve been try-ing to cross issues off over the past few months. In February’s edition I willdetail my election promises and highlight where I have succeeded andupdate you on the others. Also in February is Raise & Give Week, if you haveany suggestions please don’t hesitate to send them into us. I would like tonote that RAG week is about charities, and this year more than others we

must acknowledge that, so as you look forward to the week long eventplease bare others in mind.

There is much more also happening in semester two, but as we approachexam season I am sure your attention is focusing on one thing. For examand study tips please visit www.citsu.ie. I would also ask you not to infringein an examination. If you cheat in an exam a student usually faces suspen-sion from the institute for a year, if you don’t know the information anddon’t cheat you will get 0%, but you will get the opportunity to resit inAugust.

I understand that the current scenario of having exams before and afterChristmas is not ideal but it is something which we are working on and itshould be rectified for next year.

If you have any issue over the holidays, remember the Students’ UnionOffice re-opens on 4th January, in the event of an emergency you can ringone of the sabbatical officers who’s numbers are available at www.citsu.ie

Best of luck in your exams regardless, enjoy your Christmas parties, andhave a wild and crazy Christmas.

Merry Christmas,Gar

CIT Students’ Union President Opinion

Join our Facebook Fan Page for the latest news and updates!Search for “CITSU” in Facebook or click join on www.citsu.ie

7

Education

As I am sure many of you are stressing at the moment, a few tips tricks andstress management techniques might go down well.

First of all, remember that exams are not the end of the world. A worm holein time will not open up sucking in everything if you do not do well. If youcan, figure out what you actually need to get in the final exam to pass. Allthe continuous assessments are designed so the weight of the final exam isless, so you may find that getting 10% in the final exam will still leave youwith a pass.

Realistically, this is college and exams cannot, and should not, be passed byfluke. Study is a necessary ingredient to pass and do well. Study is a verybroad term, as different people study differently, and what works for oneperson may not necessarily work for the next. As people learn differently,these tips may not work for everyone, but hopefully they will help

Where to study• Make sure you have as little distractions as possible. No noise, TV or

friends to distract yourself• Try to have your study area quiet. This mirrors an exam situation and

allows your brain to be in the same “zone” both when you are studying and when in your actual exam

• Keep your study area tidy, but have everything you will need – pens, calculators, highlighters, etc. so as you have no reason to leave

How to study• Set yourself one hour blocks for study. This structured approach

allows yourself more room for effective study, and you know exactly how long until you can take a break

• Write notes out and summarise. When you look over your summary you should be able to expand on these points without any further use of notes

• Have a routine. Try to start and finish at the same time every day

Active Learning• While you are reading, write out the main points and headings• Constantly and consciously try to relate what you are reading to real

life• Draw out graphs and try to understand why they are the way they are

in your own words

After Study• Go for a walk or something else relaxing but also active. This circulates

oxygen and also helps your brain wind down. This will aid in memory recall the next day.

• When you are finished for the night, you are finished for the night. Forget about college work for a few hours

Do Not….• Drink heavily after studying. Alcohol damages brain cells and hinders

your memory recall, especially your short term memory• Do all night cramming sessions. You are better to sleep as your brain

will work more efficiently and clearly. After 24 hours awake, a person has the same levels of concentration as after drinking over half a litre of 40% spirits. You need concentration when going into an exam

• Get overly stressed. Exams are not the be all and end all of college life. You will find you will actually perform better in an exam if you are more relaxed. Your brain will think more laterally and remember more related points

Exam TimeBefore it starts

• Know exactly the format of the paper (3 questions do 2, 5 questions do 3, etc)

• Know where your exam is on – every year people arrive to the wrong venue

• Get good nights sleep. Eight hours is recommended but six is a minimum for you to stay alert

• Eat breakfast and bring yourself a glucose based energy drink. This will keep your mind focused. Never enter an exam hungry

• Arrive in plenty time and have everything you need

During the Exam• Read the instructions carefully and decide on your best questions• Do not use a red pen!• Manage your time efficiently. Divide your time according to points. If

you are not finished a question when you run out of your allocated time, move on and come back at the end. Most marks are picked up early on in a question so move on!

• When allocating time, give yourself 5-10 minutes at the start to read all the questions, decide what questions you are doing, and write out your headings straight away, before staring the question

• When allocating time, leave yourself 5-10 minutes at the end to go back and tidy up any questions you may have moved on from, to check graphs, and look over any maths or formulas you were unsure of

• If don’t know something – don’t panic. Give it a go, even if you are chancing your arm. You will always pick up a few marks, and some are better than none.

After the Exam• Do not analyse the paper with your friends. It will shake both your

confidence and theirs• Relax for an hour. Even if you have more study to do for other exams,

relax for an hour as your brain will have been through a stressful few hours

This should help you out. But most importantly, remember to minimisestress. Stress can often make people freeze in an exam and this is the lastreason you need to do poorly in an exam. Breathe deeply and crack into thequestions. Often when you are writing something, it will trigger anotherpoint.

For your information, a minimum 40% average is required to progress fromyear to year within a course, and from level 6 to level 7 courses. However,a 50% average is needed to progress from Level 7 to Level 8 add-ondegrees, and a carry fail is not an option.

Preparing forYour ChristmasExaminations

8

CIT Conferrings 2009 Photos supplied byBarry O’Sullivan, CIT.

9

10

Play it cool is one of those sayings that can be used in any context – chattingup girls, getting past bouncers, robbing banks. It’s as applicable to one as itis another. Recently, I have begun to believe that it is a phrase commonlyused, but never practiced.

I have seen many people since the start of the year, especially when chasingmen and women, coming on FAR too strongly. Word to the wise, if you likesomeone, and are looking for lust, play it cool, a little coy, and don’t makeyour intentions as obvious as the sky is blue. Aside from scaring your poten-tial other half off, it looks really desperate to both your friends, and theirfriends, when someone is following someone else around like a little lostpuppy.

So here are a few pointers that I have only picked up over the lastfew weeks:

• Play• Tease

And if all else fails:• Man (or woman) up, swallow your pride, and just ask them out

Cold chat ups (walking up to a stranger, talking to them, and asking themout) are definitely growing in popularity. A number of my friends in the lastfew weeks have done it, and before my very eyes, it worked! To be honestI was dumbfounded. I have always had a strong opinion that it’s nigh onimpossible to meet someone outside of an alcoholic setting. Admittedly Iwas wrong.

So then comes the next question – You are going out with a completestranger, where do you go? There are a few simple options:

• Cinema – spend time together with minimal conversation. Its ok, but you definitely need to be doing something either before or after – you’re not 16 anymore.

• Drinks – good idea as long as it doesn’t turn into a session with just the two of you. If it’s a group of your friends, session on! But if its just the two of you, have a few and keep your dignity. This is a really good way to get to know someone and see if you will be able to stick them for long periods of time.

• A meal – be very careful. This will either go incredibly well, or crash and burn like a zeppelin. Make sure before you go for a meal with a person that they will eat (I know of girls who refuse point blank to

eat in front of their boyfriends), that you will be able to keep conversation flowing for 90 minutes, and that they won’t do a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde on you after half a glass of Merlot.

• Coffee – my own personal favourite. Go for coffee, sit down, chat away for 20 minutes, if it’s going well, that 20 minutes can easily turn into 2 hours. If its not going well, either party can pull the “oh I’m supposed to be meeting a friend” type of excuse. Its cheap and cheerful, and first dates should always be kept out in public because you never know who the ‘psychos’ are.

Playing it cool doesn’t just apply to dating though. I’m sure everyone hasthat friend that you wish would just shut up. That friend that you want tojust shake and scream “I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME” in their face. Theyare out there. If you don’t have a friend like that, I’m sorry… but it’s you.

Many people I have come across do need to relax, breath, remember yourpressure points – Woosah. Just relax is the point. People hear you, thingshave a way of working themselves out. It might not seem like that now, butthey do.

Stress is a killer. Bad for your heart, bad for your brain, bad for your soul.The happiest people in this world are the laissez faire types. The peoplewho seem to never get rattled. And trust me, when you finish college andgo get a real job, you may be top of the class, but if you are so wound upthat people think you could kill a man, bury him, and calmly come back toyour desk like nothing happened, you’re not going to get that job.

Same for projects, and now that I think of it, the upcoming exams. Stopspending your time worrying about them. Instead spend that time study-ing, working on what must be done. Often, the most worried student can’tstudy because they are worried so much, and really they are only harmingthemselves. And even if you do do a bad project, exam, lab, whatever, it’snot the end of the world. Richard Branson was a college drop out. In yearsto come when you are going for a job, no one cares if you failed maths inSemester one of second year. Interviews are based just as much, if not more,on personality than anything else. If you have no personality, I really hopeyou’re good looking.

I’ll cut to the point, people of the family of CIT, RELAX! Don’t worry. Try tolook as cool and together as you can, but don’t be too relaxed or the worldwill pass you by. You will get on better in work, college, and hopefully life.Try it for the next month and let me know how it goes.

John

Play it Cool ;-)

11

For years I have always said that at my birthday, New Years, first day backto college, I will quit smoking. Some attempts have been more successfulthan others, but the long term results of all have been the same – FAILURE.

I have tried giving up for various reasons – money, health, women. . . Butnever for the right reason, which should be because I want to. And thetemptations aren’t always there either! I am the only one in my family whosmokes and most of the people I live with don’t either. My friends fromhome do, and I really only see them in the pub, where I do allow myself acancer stick, as I do believe smoking and drinking go hand in hand.

There is nothing sexy about smoking. When you were young there wassomething cool and rebellious, but now as we move into our 20’s it isfrowned upon. And there is nothing sexy about kissing someone who tasteslike an ashtray either!

So now, in my office and bedroom, I have a list of the following, compiledfrom the net, to remind me of the tangible health benefits (not to mindhaving more money) to keep me on track

The Effects of Giving Up SmokingAfter Twenty Successful Minutes

• Blood pressure and pulse rate drop to normal • The body temperature of hands and feet return to normal

After Eight Successful Hours • Level of carbon monoxide (which is a toxic gas) in the blood decreases

by as much as half and drops back to normal • The oxygen level in the blood raises and increases to normal

After Two Successful Days • All nicotine will have left the body • Nerve endings start to regrow • A chance of a heart attack decreases slightly • The ability to smell and taste properly increases and return to normal

After Three Successful Days• Your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase

After Two Successful Weeks• Your circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the

next 10 weeksAfter Three Successful Months

• Circulation will improve • The lungs begin to function 30% more efficiently – physical activity

becomes easier • Physical addiction to nicotine will cease

After Three to Nine Months• Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung

capacity improves by 10%

After One Successful Year • A decrease in coughing, congestion of the sinuses, tiredness and

shortness of breath will occur • Lungs increase their ability to handle mucus and reduce infection• Your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half• Energy levels increase even further

After Five Successful Years• The chance of dying from lung cancer of a former one pack a day

smoker is decreased by about half • Chance of stroke is reduced to that of a non-smoker• The Risk of developing mouth, throat or esophagus cancer is half of a

smoker’s

After Ten Successful Years • The chance of dying from lung cancer is about the same as that of a

non-smoker • The Risk of developing mouth, throat or esophagus cancer is

decreased even further After Fifteen Successful Years

• The risk of developing coronary disease is the same as a non-smoker • The risk of a heart attack is the same as a non-smoker

I intend to take nicotine patches and this coupled with the support (andcondemnation) of my friends if they see me smoking at home and aroundcollege should really help, even though I am sure I will get ratty with themif I try to smoke and they take a cigarette from me. And if anyone readingthis sees me smoking feel free to come over and ridicule me also.

Looking forward to a healthier new year

John

This Year I will Quit...........

The CIT radio station, which is situated directlyacross from the Common Room, has recentlybeen renamed CFC Radio. It stands for CorksFavorite College Radio station.

The station is on air in the common room andthe student centre between the hours of 12pmto 2pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and12pm to 1pm, Thursdays and Fridays. In thenear future the station hopes to be broadcast-ing in the main building corridor.

If you are interested in being on radio, don’tbe shy and pop on over and talk to the stationChairperson, Richard; Secretary, Kevin; or PRODave.

This may all sound very serious to you but inreality it’s a laugh and great experience. Youmay already know how fun it is listening to theSpecial K show on Mondays from 1.00 pm to2.00 pm where myself, Dave aka Special andKev talk about everything and anything.

If you have never been on radio or anything ofthe sort that is not a problem, our experts willguide and help you through all the equipment.If your preferred genre of music is drum andbass, hip hop, metal, rock this is not a problem.You are free to play what you want wheneveryou are scheduled.

PLEASE drop over and talk to us if you wantmore information. We’re always happy to seeyou!

We now have a text line up and runningso please send your requests to 085-2490072 or e-mail citradio@gmail.com

Hope to hear from you soon,

Dave.

CIT Radio Station

12

Sport & Societies

As I watched our PRO officer impersonate the Kingof Pop while she belted out the first few lines of‘’Billie Jean’’ I had a feeling our first event of theyear was going to be an enjoyable night. The CITHeadway Society decided to organise a KaraokeNight as our first fundraiser of the year. Leading upto the night everyone kept insisting that theyweren’t going to sing...however the atmospherewas electric as the room started to fill up and therewas more than one playful squabble over themicrophone as people started to discover theirinner rock star!

Everyone who joined us on the night was in greatform and donated generously to Headway. Wewould like to take this opportunity to thank every-one who supported us. To finish off the eventthere was a “sing off” battle between CIT and UCCstudents…as you might expect CIT students wonhands down ☺

Headway is a centre which provides services forpeople affected by Acquired Brain Injuries. I amstudying Social Care and as part of my degree Icompleted a work placement with Headway whichis based in Ballincollig.

I was given every opportunity to learn and thor-oughly enjoyed working with the clients in the cen-tre. My placement made me realise how commonAcquired Brain Injury is, I felt it was important tomake other students aware, so I set up theHeadway Society. The Society is relatively unknownin college as it’s only been in place for a year.

The two main aims of Headway Society are:­� Raise awareness of Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI) ­� Organise events in aid of Headway

Acquired Brain Injury is a high-prevalence injury,believed to be ten times more disabling than spinalcord injury. People aged between 15-29 years arestatistically three times more likely than any otherage groups to have an Acquired Brain Injury whichmeans students are a high risk group. During arecent visit to Headway Glen Power, drummer ofThe Script, spoke about his brain injury “I got myhead injury a few years ago from a fall…it was pret-ty serious but I was one of the lucky ones, I made afull recovery. I am delighted to stand here todayand lend support to Headway and the fantasticwork they do. Rehabilitation is so important after abrain injury and without it so many people’s storieswould be very different’’.

According to CEO Kieran Loughran the number ofyoung people using services is increasing year byyear “Stories of road traffic accidents and alcoholrelated incidents in particular are becoming increas-ingly familiar to staff here at Headway and we areseeing the number of service users under 25 yearsold go up each year’’

The Headway Society will be holding a number offundraisers and public awareness events over theyear. We would be really grateful if students wouldget involved, come to our events and support thesociety.

CIT Headway Society

Sport & Societies

13

CIT Órgra Shinn FéinnÓgra Shinn Féin is the youth wing of the Irish polit-ical party Sinn Féin and forms a significant part ofthe Republican Movement. ÓSF, as it is colloquiallyknown, is active and organised throughout Irelandon both a constituency and college basis with Ógracumann [branches] organised in all of the major 3rdlevel universities and colleges, including CIT.

The long-term aim of Ógra Shinn Féin is to establisha thirty-two county democratic socialist republic.Specific issues of primary importance include: Irishunity and independence, workers rights, the envi-ronment, an end to sectarianism and racism inIreland, free healthcare and education for all andthe promotion of the Irish language.

Campaigns over the past few weeks here in CIThave included an anti-drugs campaign concerningCork’s heroin crisis, participation in the ICTU Day ofAction and the carrying out of a ‘Register to Vote’campaign prior to the closure of the deadline to beincluded on the full register.

The highlights of the last month though have beenwhen CIT ÓSF activists partook in two weekendsaway, one in Bandon (for the Manchester Martyrs

commemorative weekend) and Belfast (at the ÓSFNational Congress) where massive fun was had byall on both occasions. Also we recently had a filmshowing and music night in the city which wasanother major success.

Why not join the most active, fastest growingyouth wing in Ireland? Meetings take place everyThursday at 1.00pm in Meeting Room 3 [Upstairs inthe Student Centre] and anyone is welcome tocome along and join in. If you require more infor-mation you can email osfcit@gmail.com

Join with us in our radical movement for change –Join Ógra Shinn Féin!

www.citsocieties.ieJoin Societies Online - Monthy Competitions - Latest News - Event Calendar

International Soc at the Races! On Friday November, 20th, the InternationalStudents Society members were taken on a tripto the Greyhound Race Tracks. Some of ourinternational members had never watchedgreyhound races before, so for them it was anew experience. It was a fun filled event, wherethe members got to know one another, as wellas enjoy the races.

The first Greyhound race track in the Republicof Ireland was opened in May 1927, atShelbourne Park in Dublin, and followed theyear after at Curraheen Park in Cork. Over theyears, greyhound racing has become a valuedtradition. What is special about Ireland andgreyhound racing is that many of the ownershave their dogs as family pets, and make theirhousehold income from racing.

The members who had joined us spent the nightcomparing favorites. There was a race going onevery fifteen minutes, with ten races in total.There were screens allowing us to watch racesgoing on in both Cork, as well as in Dublin. JerryO’Sullivan, a cork resident, was on hand to givemore information about the races and the dogs.Visiting the Greyhound Race Track in Corkmakes for a unique Irish cultural experience! Wedefinitely plan on coming back next year.

The International Student Society is having aChristmas Party/Farewell Bash, to celebrate theholidays and to say goodbye to our memberswho are leaving this semester. It promises to bea blast!

Stay tuned for our future events!

Zeynep Ezgi Muderrisoglu ISS Chairperson

14

Sport & Societies

Each year, over 4000 students attend the Societies Balls which will takeplace after Christmas; the dates are below so make sure to save money overChristmas! Ticket sale details will be posted on the new Societies websitewww.citsocieties.ie closer to the date. The courses that should attend eachball are listed below and this year, 50cent will be donated to two local char-ities from the sale of each ball ticket.

‘Business Studies, Accounting and Tourism & Hospitality’ BallThis ball is for students studying the following courses; Business Studies(Common Entry), Marketing, Accounting, Business Information Systems,Business Administration, Agriculture, Horticulture, Tourism, HospitalityManagement, Culinary Arts & Bar Management. Please note this ball willtake place in the Rochestown Park Hotel on Wednesday 10th February2010. Cost of ball tickets will be €25 for the full and €13 for the afters.

‘Schemers & Mechanical Engineering’ BallThis ball is for students studying the following courses; Science (CommonEntry), Instrument Engineering, Applied Physics & Instrumentation,Biomedical Science, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Herbal Science,Nutrition & Health Science, Applied Biosciences, Analytical Chemistry with

Quality Assurance, Analytical & Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Social Care,Recreation and Leisure Management, Early Childhood Care and Education,Community Education & Development, Good Manufacturing Practise &Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical & ManufacturingEngineering, Biomedical Engineering, Sustainable Energy, Building ServicesEngineering, Transport Management & Technology and students studyingin the National Maritime College of Ireland. Please note this ball will takeplace in the Silversprings Moran Hotel on Tuesday 16th March. Cost of balltickets will be €25 for the full and €13 for the afters.

‘Pic & Mix’ BallThis is for students studying the following courses; Engineering (CommonEntry), Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering, ConstructionManagement, Quantity Surveying, Construction (Common Entry),Architecture, Architectural Technology, Interior Architecture, Chemical &Biopharmaceutical Engineering, Electronic Systems Engineering, ElectronicEngineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Development, SoftwareDevelopment and Computer Networking, IT Management, Computing,Information Technology Support, Visual Communications, Multimedia &Design Communications. Please note this ball will take place in theRochestown Park Hotel on Thursday 4th March 2010. Cost of ball tickets willbe €25 for the full and €13 for the afters.

Crawford ‘Masquerade’ BallThis is for students in the CIT Crawford College of Art and Design. Cost anddate to be confirmed.

‘Music by Degrees’ BallThis is for students in the CIT Cork School of Music. Cost and date to be con-firmed.

CIT Society Ball Dates

Fun Stuff

CITSUCORK

EXPLICITINSTITUTEMAGAZINEDECEMBERSOCIETIESSTUDENTS

TECHNOLOGYUNION

WEBSITECHRISTMASPRESENTS

CAP

This Month’s Prize: €€30 30

Competition Rules: All Entries to be returned by deadline to the CITSU Office, 1st Floor Student Centre on official form. Open to CIT Students only and one entry per student.

15kindly sponsored by the new www.citsocieties.ie

Last Month’s Winner: Conor Keena - DSE3

1. Dogfish2. List of choices3. Anagram of "Salt"4. Leak slowly5. Consecutive6. Female demon7. Margarine8. Maori club9. Found at the end of a pencil10. What they play in the NBA11. Unearthly12. Mark of insertion13. Beams on ships21. Talk25. Scene26. Basilica area27. Regrets28. Goddess of discord (Greek mythology)29. Decorative30. Units of distance

31. Very imposing or impressive34. Hindu princess36. Chocolate cookie37. Not fat38. Vipers40. Visual organs45. Leg joint48. Spreads sleeping sickness50. The color of the sun51. Customize52. Not satellite TV53. Vicious54. Fumes57. Wood fastener58. Circle fragments59. Squeegee60. Initial wager61. Marsh plant62. Concludes

expliCIT Crossword - Win Free Cinema Tickets!DOWN

1. Accumulate6. Easy gait10. Not front14. Donnybrook15. Winged16. Wings17. ___ alia18. Prefix meaning "After" or"Beyond"

19. A title of address20. Promising22. A ship's beam23. "I knew it!"24. Things that happen26. Ring of color around thenipple30. Excellence32. Happy cat sound

33. Journey35. Hemorrhagic fever39. Parisian river41. Muhammad ___42. Merchandise43. An analytic literary composition44. Between the head andshoulders

46. Jump47. Mixed-blood49. Stockings51. Admission54. Behold55. Gosh!56. A type of cooking utensil63. Adjoin64. Tropical root

65. Cloth from flax66. Entreaty67. Ill68. Chose69. Inform70. Ultimatum ender71. Noxious plants

ACROSS

Correctly complete the crossword and Return in anEnvelope with Name / Contact Details to enter

draw for a double pass for the Gate Cinema / Cinema World.

M P P G B J I C S R K C T B F W D A E K Z A T D Y V Y R V R K R O C F O N E G M M E G D E S E N T R E X O A Z N N P F B F D N I D P L Q C L H K U N M S A W U L O I N S T I T U T E Y O T I N U F O I C I U M R C F S C H O E W X Z H X G P J E W I C I I P Y E Q R V C N V D T E L T E U K S B I K F B Y C T O T Z N T P R E S E N T S I A C E I X X I Y F T I B U J T V Z O G P V H E K M V T B X S E N I Z A G A M S A T Q E M U I S J P J Y Z D Z S O Y D N R

Drop in your competition entries to the Students’Union office before 21st December 2009 in SAE.

Winners notified and listed next issue