Banks are especially interested in Freshers because they know once a student signs up for a bank account, the chances of them switching are quite slim. It's the kind of inertia we all feel when it comes to financial matters especially as young adults. So it's no surprise that all leading banks have collaborations with major colleges and universities. You will see their pop-up store during the start of new semester where they make the bank account opening process a breeze.

1) Passport - Banks will usually need your passport as the ID proof

2) Address Proof - Banks take multiple documents valid as address proof (college letter stating your current address or utility bill)

Of course, they don't expect you to stay in the same place forever. So don't worry about imminent address change in the first few months. Get your college to provide a letter stating that you are a student and that you live in the current address.

1) AIB 

2) Bank of Ireland

3) Ulster Bank

4) Permanent TSB

5) KBC

6) Revolut

CPCC Ireland does a very handy tool for comparison of the first five accounts. Find the tool here. 

Revolut is not a physical bank but a virtual bank which has become popular lately due to the features it offers. I'd recommend getting a free Revolut account just for features additional to your regular bank account. It's not an alternative, but a good addition to aid your banking needs.

I just love the concept of Student Leap Card. Being a book nerd and saving money has always come naturally to me :D The application process is quite easy, especially for students in Dublin. Being in city center is quite obvious and you can't/won't miss Trinity College where you can get it for 10 euro in just 10-15 mins.

While there is an obvious discounted rate in the bus fares on using the Student Leap Card, there are many more benefits to having one:

• 30% off food and drink at Milano*
• 5 euro medium extra value meal every time you show your card
• 10% off in all Boots stores - my personal favorite as I get a lot of stuff skincare, makeup, etc from there
• 5 euro off every 50 euro
• 10% off deliveroo
• Discounts at H&M, New Look and other stores

Finding a place to stay in Ireland is a stroke of luck. Sometimes, you never hear back from your house queries for a long time and other times you end up getting an answer back instantly. While going through this roller coaster ride, it's very easy to fall for scams and lose out on hard earned money.

Rule of thumb is never go for owners who are not in Ireland themselves or cannot give a proper viewing of the place before asking for the deposit. Always ask for receipts, it's very useful in case of any disputes at a later stage. Make sure to save all communication threads between yourself and the landlord.

Moving so far away from friends and families can be a daunting experience. But believe me, there are good people out there. If you ever feel like you are being bullied or being taken advantage of, always take the help of Gardai and RTB (Residential Tenancies Board). If in severe cases, the Embassy can also help out with tricky situations. Know that you're not alone. Stay Safe, Stay Happy :) Enjoy.

Getting an IRP card is so tough! The process itself is so tough. I said this when I got my GNIB card made the first time, I still say it after so many years. But to be fair, the process has been streamlined so much, thanks to the Irish government. No more lining outside the Burgh Quay office at 4 in the morning. Yeah, you read it right. Those were the days :D

I never quite understood the use of PPS card when I first had it made, because I just never used it anywhere. But now that I look back it's a very important card. I'd definitely recommend working on getting both cards as soon as you come to Ireland.

I miss the days of Student Leap card with so many student discounts in bus fares, Boots, McDonalds and so many other places :D Lining up in Trinity college to get my student leap card. Never quite getting the picture cute.

It's funny how the cards I used back home changed so much after coming to Ireland. Be it the bank cards, or the IRP. Life just changed so much. What didn't change was the need to keep the cards safe while not being drowned in the bulk. That's why I recently invested in a Secrid wallet for all my precious cards. Didn't regret that one :) Stay safe, keep your cards safe :D Enjoy

I love Dublin Bikes to bits as a student. No denying that for a fact! If you're a student and living near Dublin city center, don't forget to subscribe to Dublin bikes. I'd suggest getting an annual subscription, it's around 20 bucks which is quite cost effective when compared to Dublin buses or dare I say, the taxis.

You can start using them immediately after having paid for them online. Make sure to install the Dublin Bike app to know about the closest terminal. Finding the closest available parking terminal is one of the only cons I could think of after having used it for about 2 years. I have wandered around many terminals trying to find a spot during rush hours. :D

But beats having to go through the hassle of buying a bicycle of your own. A few cons of buying your own bicycle:

• Expensive.
• You need to buy accompanying accessories like helmet, night time jacket etc unless you wish to be stopped by Gardai.
• Dublin is so infamous for having bicycles stolen. One of my friend lost it within record 5 minutes of her going into a store.
• If you're here only to complete a course, it's tough to get rid of it after sometime. Say you wish to sell it, it's tough to find a buyer for the price point you might have bought it for.

Wandering aimlessly around Dublin city centre, I realized how different the shopping culture and shops of Ireland were when compared to back home. Most of the stores I had never heard of, ever in my life! Be it Boots, Lidl, Tesco, it was the first time for me to go into these stores.

Of course you live and learn. It was easier for me because I had friends and family already living in Ireland who took me to the stores and gave me all the information I needed to easily shop around in Ireland. I wanted to be that person to someone who was coming to Ireland for the first time. :)

This video is quite comprehensive. I have covered major stores for Food, Electronics, Clothes, Euro stores, Pharmacies and Natural Health stores.

Yes my list does have Penney's in it. I think any student list for Ireland would be incomplete without it :D I hope you find this video informational. Enjoy.