TWO IRISH UNIVERSTIES, Maynooth and DCU, have made it onto a new list of the top 100 young universities in the world.

Fair play to them.

There is no doubt that the Irish college experience is a special one.  There’s the learning, of course, but some would argue that the lifestyle is what truly makes Ireland stand out when it comes to years spent at university.

Here are 21 ways to tell that you were once an Irish college student.

You lived on Koka noodles and chicken fillet rolls

Flickr/naxoc

You went on a J1 and/or interrailing

LEON FARRELL/PHOTOCALL IRELAND

You argued to get into the student residences for an after hours party

…despite knowing that your name wasn’t on the registered list and you weren’t getting in.

Flickr/Ahmad Gharbeia أحمد غربية

You thoroughly embraced Fresher’s ball and Fresher’s week even though you never considered yourself a ‘Fresher’

Or indeed used the word at all outside of that context.

Cubins.ie

A significant portion of your time at college was spent drinking pints and smoking fags

How else would you feel like a student?

Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland

You joined 27 societies during Freshers Week because they were giving out free stuff

The Green Party

You know what Hilpers, the Buttery, the Stables and various other unique to college food and drink establishments are

brookfieldhall.com

You loved getting all dressed up for a formal ball

…and coming home with your look and your dignity in tatters.

Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland

You were jealous of anyone who got a grant

It was free money, for pete’s sake!

USI

You went to a county colours night

Bebo

You watched seemingly intelligent people take part in a revolting Iron Stomach competition as part of rag week festivities

Facebook/Black Dogg Spiced Rum

You signed up for a bank account based on which bank gave you the best free gift

In the hazy days of the Celtic Tiger it could even have been a mobile phone.

Flickr/Remko van Dokkum

You went to student protests…

…for the laugh.

Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

You were delighted if the person you were having a romantic liaison with lived away from home

...and were willing to overlook the fact that they shared a room.

Flickr/jessycat_techie

You weren't necessarily interested in what you were studying

...because you'd made the choice in a Leaving Cert pressure-haze.

Campus.ie

You never really understood exactly what the point of the Students' Union was or why people got het up about the elections

Apart from Ents, obviously.

Facebook/UCD SU

You went to college debates because you fancied one of the people speaking

...and feigned interest in the subject being debated.

Facebook/The Hist

You went to a traffic light ball

...and immediately regretted it.

DKITSU

You got excited about a well past their sell-by date pop act appearing in the college bar

Like the Venga Boys, for example.

Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland

You never went out at the weekend

...because you were out every other night of the week.

Power Event Management

You were heavily involved in a society, which seemed like the most important thing in the world...

...but now the intensity seems slightly embarrassing.

Facebook/Board of Irish College Societies

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