I’ve been here for a few weeks now, and if I could use one word to differentiate the Irish people from Americans it would be “chill”. (I am referring to the slang definition of the word meaning “laidback” or “relaxed” but I suppose in the following example, both common definitions are applicable. Alas.)

The other day, I went to a Pilates class (you know, just working on my fitness) and I was shivering the whole time. (See? Chill.) I was not simply “not sweaty” or even “not warmed up”, but I was downright frigid. Our instructor had tattooed arms and that weird haircut that involves a man bun on top with the bottom part of the head shaved that is super weird and unattractive (in my humble opinion) yet so popular in this country and he was focused more on entertaining the 20 millennial girls in his presence than strengthening their cores. I think I probably burned more calories from laughing at his jokes and stories than from doing any exercise. It was a marvelous experience.

Last semester, my friend Garrett and I established a spectrum of “chillness” with regards to engineers, (a demographic statistically lacking the attribute) but even the most chill of Vanderbilt students simply cannot compete with the Irish in this regard. In my environmental engineering class, a notoriously difficult experience back at Vandy, I have yet to learn anything more complicated than basic high school chemistry (in a soothing Irish accent nonetheless).

Now, I understand that I have only had two and a half weeks of class, but yesterday, my professor wanted to “take a break from all the chemistry we were doing” (read: balancing chemical equations) and lectured about something "lighter" in order to relieve our tortured brains from the intense science for just a few moments. He also ends every lecture about 10 minutes early because he doesn’t feel like diving into the next topic without having time to adequately finish it.

The Irish students, for better or for worse, seem to take after their elders in this regard.  First of all, they all keep up their carefree reputations by refusing to sit in the front of the room. (In one of my lectures, the entire class sat in the back third of the room and left 30 rows of empty seats between the professor and the first row of students; it was super weird and uncomfortable for everyone involved.) They also refuse to respond to a lecturer’s questions, or really participate in the class at all. They simply sit and whisper amongst one another about the shenanigans they got into at the clubs the night before.

I consider myself a “chill engineer” (by Vanderbilt standards at least), but I feel like a weird overachiever if I so much as take out a notebook. (Don’t worry mom and dad; I’ve still been taking notes. I wouldn’t dare allow my potential reputation as a "nerd" to prevent me from fully absorbing and retaining all relevant information from class!)

In order to more fully understand the "chillness" that seems to come so naturally to those that surround me, I have tried to interact with my peers as a relatable, stress-free twenty-something caught in the fruitless world of STEM academia. Following is an example of how these efforts played out as I followed a group of fellow civil engineers striving in solidarity (at least in my opinion) towards our soil mechanics class just a few moments after it was scheduled to begin:

Edgy group of Irish boys (some with above-mentioned man bun haircut; all with pants that are just a bit too tight): joking around with each other about some shared experience that I obviously was not a part of

Boys: walk with a casual pace that somehow succeeds in being faster than mine

Me: powerwalks with as much gusto as I can manage but just a few steps behind above-mentioned boys

Me: sighs to self; slightly stressed and annoyed about being late yet again for no particular reason other than my inability to be on time to anything in my life

Me: finally catches up to boys and says quick prayer that they’re going to the same classroom as me and that I can submit to gender norms and simply follow them

Boys: go into wrong classroom

Me: follows boys into wrong classroom

Boys: turn around and make a rather significant detour towards correct room

Me: huffs and puffs behind them; continues to powerwalk in order to keep up

Me: runs to grab door as it shuts behind last boy in group

Me: almost makes eye contact with said boy

Me: decides to take a chance and say something

Me: Well, at least we’re getting in our workout for the day!

Me: awkward half-giggle

Boy: slightly turns head

Boy: turns back and enters classroom

I have tried a few other times to break through this seemingly impenetrable social barrier with, unfortunately, similar results. Someday, maybe, I might have Irish friends. We shall see.