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Does "Normal People" reflect normal TCD life?

Hi everyone!! I thought I'd make today's blog post all about the BBC's "Normal People", discussing my favourite elements and if it creates unrealistic expectations for being a student in Dublin.

If you haven't watched it (why???), Normal People was based on Sally Rooney's bestselling novel and tells the tale of an almost unconventional love between main characters Marianne and Connell. They attend the same school, where they initially meet before going to the same university, Trinity College Dublin, a year later.  

There are a few reasons why I think Normal People was so popular when it released. The first being, if you're anything like me seeing elements of Irish culture on TV brings you all kinds of joy! Normal People is set in the fictional town of Carricklea however it was filmed in Sligo. I found this was one of the main reasons I chose to watch it as I used to visit Sligo quite a lot as a young child, it was weird to see it featuring in a TV show! Connell also plays Gaelic football in the show, something very dear to the hearts of the Irish people. In fact, my favourite tweets to see during the Normal People "phase" were the ones focusing on the Gaelic football aspect of the show. Whether it was international viewers completely baffled by what was going on or the locals saying they loved to see it getting the attention it deserved. Gaelic football has a real community element to it, so it pleased a lot of people to see this portrayed on their television. 

After Marianne and Connell attend their "Debs" (aka their prom or "formal") they both moved to Dublin to attend Trinity College, Marianne to study History and Connell to study English. This was a vital element of the show as it is when Marianne comes out of her shell and is able to grow and develop as a person. Marianne begins being portrayed as the shy, introverted character with not a lot of friends but we get to see the tables turn before the end. We get to watch the characters embark on their educational journey whilst learning more about themselves as well. 

One of the most interesting elements of Normal People is the romanticising of Dublin and Dublin life, particularly at TCD. After the success of Normal People Trinity actually saw an 11% increase on their CAO applications for September 2020. In numerical terms that's more than 40,000 applicants! Although Normal People did make Dublin student life look really fun (which I'm sure it is), many people have commented since the show aired saying that is not how it is at all. Moya Wahinney is a Belfast youtuber who attends Trinity and she recently did a video with her housemates answering questions about TCD life and if it meets the expectations provided by Normal People, in short the answer was no but they do still recommend applying, don't worry!








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