Hermione Headlines February 2025
News from The Hermione
by Res Prefects Madeleine Decard (6J) and Fatima Mzhir (6K)
House Highlight - Somerville and Ross
Our final House Highlight is Somerville and Ross, floor 1A. Edith Somerville and Violet Martin (pen name ‘Martin Ross’) were an Anglo-Irish writing duo, composing thirteen novels together, and Somerville writing ten novels on her own. Some of the pair’s novels were adapted into the TV series ‘The Irish R.M.’. Edith Somerville was born on 2 May 1858 on the island of Corfu, growing up in Co. Cork as the eldest of eight children. She attended Alexandra College before studying art in Paris and Westminster. Somerville was a suffragette and a nationalist. She died in October 1949 in Co. Cork, and was buried next to Violet Martin. Violet Martin was born on 11 June 1862 in Connemara, Co. Galway, the youngest of sixteen children. Together with Edith Somerville, she wrote under the pseudonym ‘Martin Ross’. A suffragette and unionist, Violet Martin died in 1915 in Co. Cork, and was awarded a posthumous D.Litt. (Doctor of Letters) by Trinity College Dublin. Our prefects for Somerville and Ross are Madeleine and Yvonne.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Valentine’s Day is a significant day in February. It reminds us of the importance of love, the worth of all people whom we adore and also that we ourselves are loved. Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to slow down the pace of life and take a moment to remind your family, friends or any other people in life that you appreciate them, because your kind words matter!
Congratulations to Junior and Leaving Cert Boarders!
This month we have a special version of Hermione Headlines as February was an especially busy month for 3rd and 6th Years due to the mock examinations. Accordingly we are delighted to congratulate all 3rd and 6th Year students for completing their mock exams. In addition to that, 4th Year students were also occupied finding their passion through experimenting with different environments and skills while doing their work experiences.
February was a month full of challenges of different kinds for many students in our boarding community. These challenges were a privilege that allowed for self discovery and growth. Additionally, they represented a special experience that was added to their journeys in life.
February Birthdays
We are joyful to wish the boarders born in February a happy year ahead of them that is full of joy and success. We would like to wish a happy birthday to Kiona, Emma, Emily, Irene, Cayetana, Holly, JiaNa, Polaris, Audrey, Lily, Siyuan, Alicia, and Susana!
World Book Day
With World Book Day coming up in March, everyone has the opportunity to engage with literature of all kinds. Reading and writing have been part of society for millenia. From semi-recent works such as Claire Keegan’s ‘Small Things Like These’ all the way back to Homer’s ‘Odyssey’, literature has always been a cornerstone of humanity. While reading is certainly not for everyone, studies show that reading can help reduce stress due to the amount of focus it requires. And although you may not notice, you read all the time: a logo, a brand name, or a street sign - your brain reads without you registering it.
As an avid reader and writer, I am here to do two things: tell you about the Hermione Library, and give you some reading tips and advice. I was asked in TY to help set up, and subsequently run, the Hermione Library. After two years, the library is now being run by dedicated 1st and 2nd Years Sophia, Ruby, Henri, and Lucy-Jane. The Hermione Library offers a large variety of books for boarders to read, anywhere from non-fiction to fantasy. Free to borrow from, the Hermione Library offers a comfortable, low-stakes opportunity for any boarder to start reading more books. If you struggle to read for any reason - dyslexia, ADHD, or other impairments - but would like to read more, there are ways to make reading much easier by tricking your brain. For example, sectioning a book in fifty-page chunks makes it seem far more manageable, as you have a smaller, less intimidating bite to take. Some people find that listening to white noise or even music can help improve their enjoyment of reading, though this can be distracting. Finally, if you struggle with reading, listen to the audiobook instead - it still counts. Happy reading!
Butler's Chocolate Factory
The girls had the opportunity to visit Butler’s Chocolate Factory and learn about the lengthy process of making and designing chocolate. They got to design their own chocolate elephants to bring back to Res and had a lot of fun!
GoQuest
This month, the girls went to GoQuest, an interactive indoor experience centre that offers escape rooms, puzzle rooms, and other team-based activities that encourage participants to think, work together, and apply problem-solving techniques. GoQuest was a perfect opportunity for the girls to reactivate their minds from that fog many of us experience at the start of a new year, especially in the cold early months!
Congratulations to TY Boarders!
This month, we would like to share with you some of the TY students' experiences through discovering the unknown and their thoughts about them.
Miranda J.
What did you do for your work experience?
I have done two podcasts, both with the Alex school nurse, Tui.
Where are you from?
Venezuela.
Did you find it difficult to find work experience as an international student?
Yes. I had to get help from teachers as I got rejected from multiple places. From my own experience, some people could be harsh when they feel your lack of understanding in a certain conversation or a situation as an international student.
Did the distance between you and your family make work experience harder?
I am personally a very unattached person and I like being on my own. Therefore I didn’t struggle much. I feel very privileged to be able to easily cope with this challenge compared to other internationals. It is also often easy to bond with other international students experiencing the same thing.
Travelling to a different country on your own is obviously very difficult; how do you cope (especially during work experience)?
It wasn’t a big challenge for me as I have been doing it since I was 12.
Would you consider doing what you did for work experience as a career in the future?
I would love to study journalism. In my opinion, many people are able to do a podcast but not everyone has a certain talent or drive for it.
Fully honest, what did you learn?
I haven’t learned much, to be honest. I already knew I’d enjoy it, and sometimes we do things because we have to do them.
Any advice for next year’s international TY’s in work experience?
Always to remember that everything will be okay.
Mina Y.
What did you do for your work experience?
I have worked in a Junior school, a restaurant, The Irish Cancer Society and a Korean Academy in Dublin.
Where are you from?
South Korea.
Did you find it difficult to find work experience as an international student?
Yes, I did. Work experiences are not common in South Korea therefore it wasn’t familiar to me. Some students, including me, didn’t get enough information about work experiences and we had to gain some information from 6th and 5th Years. The language barrier was a significant issue as well in terms of finding work experience.
Did the distance between you and your family make work experience harder?
Of course. It’s something every international student copes with. One of the main challenges was not being able to contact my parents when I was going through difficulties and that is due to the time difference between South Korea and Ireland. It also takes a while to find other trustworthy support systems in res.
Travelling to a different country on your own is obviously very difficult; how do you cope (especially during work experience)?
If you have experienced being on your own it is not as difficult. Despite that at the beginning it might be incredibly difficult.
Would you consider doing what you did for work experience as a career in the future?
Yes. I want to be a teacher, so I worked in the Junior School and Dublin’s Korean Academy.
Fully honest, what did you learn?
When I was working in the Korean Academy, I had to deal with worried parents when a child got hurt. Mainly, I have learned responsibility and communication skills.
Any advice for next year’s international TY’s in work experience?
Make use of your native language and build on the skills you already have. This doesn’t cancel the possibility of learning new skills, but opens many doors and opportunities for you.
Catherine K.
What did you do for your work experience?
I have worked in Oxfam and the Goethe Institut.
Where are you from?
Germany.
Did you find it difficult to find work experience as an international student?
Yes, at the beginning, because I didn't know the city very well, I wasn’t able to get proper information from school and I didn’t get any replies from the companies I emailed.
Did the distance between you and your family make work experience harder?
There is a big difference whether you are doing work experience in your home country or not. Local students have the privilege to communicate with their parents about any difficulties they face. In Res, there are so many students, and the staff obviously don’t have the time to ask every TY about their day at work.
Travelling to a different country on your own is obviously very difficult; how do you cope (especially during work experience)?
The beginnings are always hard, but it gets better with time.
Would you consider doing what you did for work experience as a career in the future?
I wouldn’t consider any of my work experiences as a job. Oxfam was a nice experience but not considered as a career option, and the Goethe Institut was a joyful experience but not very informative or insightful.
Fully honest, what did you learn?
I gained some organisational skills when I was organising the Oxfam charity shop, but I don’t think I learned much in the Goethe Institut.
Any advice for next year’s international TY’s in work experience?
Charity shops are always looking for volunteers, so don’t hesitate to go to one and ask. It’s a great option for the first week of work experience.
