Originally published in print September 2020.
As we enter the dawn of a new era of Zoom lectures and remote learning, I can’t help but feel sorry for the scores of students, like myself, who will miss out on many of the traditional formative experiences of college life. So, whether you are a wide-eyed fresher or a seasoned third-level student, I have assembled a list of college-centred series you can live vicariously through in these strange times.
Community
Revolving around a dysfunctional and eccentric study group at a community college, led reluctantly by suspended lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), Community showcases a diverse group of characters from all walks of life, from mature students to disgruntled faculty members. The gang’s bizarre adventures in improving both themselves and their failing college will have you longing for the days of mass gatherings and group hugs. This series is one of my favourites because it perfectly illustrates the way in which people with very different personalities and backgrounds can come together in college and end up as unlikely friends. It also has an array of unique themed episodes, including annual paintball fight showdowns and a historical pillow fort war documentary, making you wish you could have put Greendale down on your CAO application.
Available on Netflix.
Dear White People
Following the lives of a group of Black students at a fictitious Ivy League college, Dear White People captures the petty politics and scandals that often go hand in hand with attending a prestigious institution. Getting its namesake from the controversial campus radio show hosted by film student Samantha White (Logan Browning), the series delves into issues surrounding racism and discrimination, and the many forms of activism students can get involved in to combat them. Despite being an American show, these issues are universal and still relevant on Irish campuses, even without the lenient gun laws and high police brutality rates of the US.
Available on Netflix.
Fresh Meat
For a viewing experience a little closer to home, Fresh Meat focuses more on the social aspect of college than the academic side, which is ideal as that’s the side we will be missing out on for the foreseeable. The show marks the beginning of comedian Jack Whitehall’s rise to fame as he plays the pretentious JP, who joins five other freshers in moving into off-campus housing in Manchester. Tackling the complexities of living in student accommodation with all the doubts and mistakes that come with starting a new chapter, the series definitely serves as a cautionary tale against getting sexually involved with your new housemates.
Available on Netflix.
Normal People
This list would not be complete without mentioning the reason you may have applied to Trinity in the first place; Normal People. Despite its glamorous portrayal of Trinity as a place where your childhood soulmate is only one house party away, I regret to inform you that you may spend the entire four years looking for the Marianne to your Connell, with little success. In addition, the show’s depiction of the overactive sex lives of students in their first year of college will also prove to be a let-down for the vast majority. However, this series is the most accurate crash course college experience you will find on screen, even if it’s due to purely geographical reasons. It covers a lot of iconic Trinity locations, serving as a virtual campus tour for new students and making returning students feel almost nostalgic for doing actual college work in the library. With the additional inclusion of buzzwords like ‘Schols’ and ‘Erasmus’, all that’s missing is a few cans of Prazsky at the Pav.
Available on the RTÉ player.
