Today the Irish Independent reports that third level applications are at an all-time high. The paper claims that points will soar due to the high demand for places as many more people choose third level education as a safe haven from the recession.
This is worrying news for those sitting the Leaving Cert in June.
If these figures are correct then no one has a safe course. Some courses won’t see a substantial rise in applicants however others could see points rise significantly.
The rise in applicants is directly linked to the recession as young people choose to further their education. The fear of job losses has pushed many to re-skill and re-train themselves in the hope of finding secure employment.
This is our aim too. We want to have third level qualifications and we all want secure careers out of them however it’s clear that these next 4 months are make or break time for many of us!
Well that’s day one of the mock, pre, whatever exams down. For me it was English Paper 2. That’s right, Paper 2. I should probably point out that I’m not going to give anything away on any paper, in this post or in any other, at least not without an express warning. No point ruining the fun 
How was it anyway? Well, it was okay. Overall my big problem is time and managing it. Trying not to be distracted by some of the more attractive teachers. Thank God I’m not stuck behind some of our Year. Seriously, hormones should be left at the door, it’s pretty ridiculous. Section 1, The Single Text is probably where I’m most angry at myself. I chose the question that naturally chose to focus on one character and in doing so shot myself completely in the foot seeing as over my revision I’d skimmed over everything, all characters and a few general quotes but nothing too specific. I realised this 2 pages and approximately 45 minutes in. Too late now, so I chugged ahead. Eventually an hour had passed, still not finished so I moved onto Section 2, The Comparative Study.
Holy Mary Mother of Jesus. The Comparative. It’s not so much a difficult topic or a difficult question really is it? It’s condensing it all down that’s the hard part. In an hour. I took the 2 parter and again, although I got a good few questions I was unable to write a solid conclusion for the (b) part. I know that I’ll get more practice in before June but perhaps the 70 marker is the way to go, even if the two parter breaks it up nicely.
Section 3 and my most detested part of the course. Which as of today has probably become my favourite. It’s like that snotty-nosed cousin you remember from your youth…the years go past and you meet them at a wedding or funeral or something and suddenly they’re all grown-up and pretty cool. Lovely questions on all the poets, I can only hope that we’re so lucky this summer. Again, time was an issue. I barely covered 2 poems in my answer.
So yeah, overall I’m slightly disappointed. Although, given the level of revision I did (clue: rhymes with “falmost hero”) I am pretty happy. Assuming I hit the B range. Next up is Irish Paper 2. Awesome.
I know it’s been ages since I posted and apologies for that, I’m trying to keep on top of it all having started grinds at the weekend on top of everything else. I have to say, I’ve been keeping pretty optimistic about these exams but at the back of my mind is that lingering question: would I repeat? Trying not to listen to it in English exams, that’s the challenge 
Good luck everyone, revision and exam-wise.
It has been little over 20 days, since my last post here. For me, the mocks start on the 22nd of February, which means that I still have a nice amount of time to do my study. No, I haven’t started yet. My week back to school started out very well, but somewhere along the line, I fell into a long phase of pure laziness. The result? I did the bare minimum to get through the days (and it is also the reason for my delay in writing another post, I just didn’t feel it).
I barely remember all the Interpretation of Accounts formulas and definitions (it’s what we’re doing in Accounting at the moment), I haven’t bothered learning them off yet. I have been trying to study, I seriously have, but I just don’t feel it. I need one of those jolts of energy, that just make you want to take on the world (anyone here ever had one of those?).
We had a maths competition on Friday, and in preparation for it, I actually studied a lot. Maths is my favourite subject, so it was interesting, at least for me. We ended up not winning, and I cannot help but feeling that this surge of laziness has something to do with it, at least as far as my performance is concerned, since I believe I could do much better. Now I have a cold, and I am feeling even less willing to do anything.
I cross my fingers and hope that that jolt of energy comes this week to make me study incessantly until the mocks come around. If not, I need a punishment, something that will make really regret not studying. Any ideas? 
What do you do to force yourself to study when you just don’t feel like it?
Apologies Gaffer.
I got an e-mail and I knew I should post something, but expecting me to do it would’ve been like expecting a Haitian to run a marathon. Pure mean considering the state I was in. Suffering vicious headaches, mucus build up (I’m dead sexy), dry mouths, impoten……. well I felt awful. And the last thing I needed was for the shrew of a doctor to shine a big Jesus arising from the dead-esque light into my eye to try find the solution to the headaches, then tell me there was little she could do to determine the cause of the problem! We need better doctors medicine students!
Truth be told I would’ve welcomed this dilemma twelve months ago, few days off like boi! But now, yeah it’s hindered the auld study progress. I mean there’s only so much Loose Women and Maury someone can watch. Incidently, you can NEVER have enough Total Wipeout! But the fact that I’m watching Richard Hammond make jokes as brutal as Loose Women, JLS and a relationship with O.J. Simpson all combined on a Saturday night isn’t exactly as good as a few Loose Women out on the town.
But anyway everyone’s probably done their C.A.O.’s. End of story with that, you’ll NEVER get to change that! Phhfftt. Of course you will, people just try scare ya, the facts are that it’s good to give yourself a goal to work towards, but you have until July technically to sort it out! So take it easy, maybe even listen to some Sigur Ros while sipping on Iced-Tea (Mr. Kraft from Sabrina memories btw), chill, relax, it’s not the end of the world as Maury would say. Whether LaBron’s the father or Shaneiequa, as long as the bab……. Sorry, digressing. Some people will make the right choice, some wont, some will end up delighted, some gutted, either way you should just put the task of the C.A.O. in the backseat now until after the exams, hush!
February, pres, mocks, whatever you call them for most students they’re falling on our laps in this month. All I can say from experience is, it’s only the pres! While I’d give The Leaving a capital letter, the pres are so insignificant (well they’re not completely useless but many a flaw do they have) that I don’t value them worthy of one! I mean, last year, jesus, people getting 530 when they end up with 460 in The big LC, others getting 370 when they achieve 450 when it matters come August. Some marks are as inaccurate as Jordan’s chest, or Dannii Minogue’s face for that matter. Don’t squeel crying at some prick grading your questions too poor, the pres are all about experience, timing and the likes. And if you still care, you can get the papers off the internet! Not that I recommend that or anything of the sorts.
Is there a point in the pres for Repeats, without doubt! Especially if they didn’t give a hoot last year. In fact this Sunday last year, I was sessioning on down for the Superbowl throughout the night, how American! Steelers v Cardinals, woohoo! U.S.A., U.S……. Ehm. Needless to say the next day, well school wasn’t an option. Especially when it started snowing! Intense drinking and snow, like Christmas in Poland. You’d be surprised how much one can mature over a year. As Maury would say.
Oh and I’m not impotent.
Ciao and Merci Beaucoup.
Sorry for taking this long to post but my parental units felt the need to withdraw my internet privileges as they thought it was ‘interfering’ with my study. All i can say to that is ‘WT fuck??’, but thankfully The broadband modem and I are now happily reacquainted = D
soo..anybody else fall victim to the delusion that revision seminars are the solution to all? just yesterday i sacrificed an entire saturday in the name of chemistry revision in ucc(pretty pricey revision at 5oeuro!). Not really sure what i’d expected but it wasn’t what i got. Basicly we were presented a chemistry book,slightly smaller and less ‘waffly’ then our actual book but a fairly hefty read nonetheless. We then spent six friggin hours going through that book! I will concede that the lecturer was fairly proficcient in the art of pretending to be an electron(did you know that they’re all scottish??) but aside from that it just seemed like exactly what any chemistry teacher would be doing with their class in may except crammed into one VERY long yawn inspiring day. Maybe other people found it helpful,and i’m open to criticism. leave a comment if you were there and think i’m just being a cynical biatch,oh and if you were there, I was the girl sitting with the infamous SIMON,lol.
SO enough about that,and on to bane of my existence right now..PRES. Normally I am the most layed back person around,infact i’m practicly horizontal, but i live in fear that my loveably chilled out dispositon won’t last the next few weeks of general ‘freak-out-ness’. The pres are approximately…well i have no idea when they are,but they’re soon and i should probabley be studying for them like everyone else. I however have been reminded of this fact so very many times that my natural teenage rebllious instinct has kicked in and has revoked my ability to study for more then half an hour at a time. Not the kind of thing someone hoping for medicine should be doing,or not doing as the case may be, you’re probabley thinking and you’re totally right. So basicly,PLEASE STOP GIVING OUT TO ME EVERYONE. I’m directing that particularly at certain classmates(you know who you are!). If worst comes to worst i can always stick to the golden phrase “it’s not like they matter anyway”,i really hope that works as well for the l.c pres as it did for my j.c ones.Nothing beats a good excuse afterall,except maybe a leather suit..(fotc joke,hehe…)
So on a totally and depressingly related note, the hpat is right smack band in the middle of my pres. sad,eh? This sucks worse then beta decay since the hpat actually matters,so hopefully i won’t succumb to pre fever and be a nervous wreck that weekend. I think that my school might secretly conspiring against me cos they want me to have to repeat so they can have me for a whole year more. Not likely,i know,but it’s a comforting thought.
I should probabley be doing some homework/study right about now but i think i’m gonna end this here and go watch full metal alchemist and pretend i’m in fifth year(you should try it,it’s a nice feeling!).
Annah
p.s. I miss having a life!
Today was a very important day. Today, we received a very special “legal document from the department, THE DEPARTMENT GIRLS” that listed out all our subjects and the levels at which we will be examined, and the point of it all is to check and make sure that everything is right as rain so we’re all set for the ezzamms. We were also told to check such things as our names and ages because, according to my principal, if your name is spelled wrong on that sheet it will follow you for the rest of your life! You will be “Valery Lotus” forever more! The temptation to put down “Seymore Butts” in the little change-of-name box was almost overwhelming. (I didn’t do it)
I am so tired though. Wrecked. All the time. And it hasn’t got so far into this whole LC thing that I’m allowed be in a bad mood all day every day, a door-slamming, exahale-and-roll-of-eyes type of mood, without someone calling me out on it. I’m looking forward to that. The freedom to grind your teeth and shoot dirty looks whenever and wherever you please! The snappy retorts! It’s like freedom to be my true horrible self.
Now that’s not true. I am a nice person really, and I only retort snappily when absolutely necessary
I took a look at our exam timetable the other day, of course Music is on the second last day and of course I’m going to have to remain under house arrest (of sorts) for a week while everyone else is living it up, footloose and fancy free. (Of course I have just discovered formatting. And yes, I just pulled a triple attack of bold, italics AND strikethrough on your sorry asses.) On the upside, I can concentrate on my set works for that week. Berlioz, Mozart, Deane and the Beatles. Deane is so totally wtf. I am the only one in the class who doesn’t squirm and grimace when my teacher tentatively suggests we might revise it, and that’s only because I’m amazed that someone would actually think to make music like that. Anyone who hasn’t heard it…the first few bars would give you an idea of the whole thing. Squeaks, squawks, Psycho-style saw violins…yurp. Fun fun.
Anyone doing anything fascinating/weird in their practicals? Unfortunately I was not blessed with the patience required to succeed at musical instruments, I have tried and failed at guitar and piano several times because I actually cannot grasp the concept of practice. It is horrible I know, but I expect to see results in everything instantly and when I don’t…I’m all “Kthnxbai.” So I’ll just be singing. Ughhh, singing. Quel ennui, I know.
You can tell I like this here blogging, can’t you?
Valerie
Grad dates. All I have heard about since the return to school is grad dates.
“OMG did you hear Mary Kate asked JohnJoe over the Christmas!”
“I’m gonna ask Eugene guys!” “Good for you Margaret!” etc etc.
Yeah. Good for you, Margaret.
How the hell am I supposed to concentrate on my mockadoodledoos (they’re a wake up call, see! Oh I’m so clever) when I’m obsessed with finding a male type humanoid to put in a suit and stand next to me for a few hours? I suppose it’s my own fault for choosing to go to an all-girls school which, contrary to popular belief, makes girls 10 times crazier about boys. So much for the “less distractions” myth.
Also, can I ask WHY is telly getting so good just when I shouldn’t be watching it? Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, Glee, Criminal Minds…ugh. Maddening.
Must stop this from degenerating into a complete rant.
I did my CAO. It was quite scary. I put down a shedload of courses, most to do with journalism or English. Our careers guidance teacher has started pulling people out of classes, sitting them down and basically interrogating them on what they expect to get out of their Leaving, their goals for specific subjects, study plans, whatever. Now this is the absolute last thing I want to do. I understand that the school is interested in scouting out who they might be able to hype up for the 600 but…I’m gonna keep my goals to myself for now.
Everything is kind of starting to kick in now! I’m actually looking forward to the mocks, is that a bit mad? I just want to see where I stand at the moment, where I need to work more, where I can afford to ease the pressure a bit. Orals…Hm. I often wonder why, even though I have been learning it for most of my life, I struggle to string a sentence of Irish together. And then when my Irish teacher is shrieking “NA BRIATHRA NEAMHRIALTA GIRLS!” or some such at us I realise: I learned the most important structures of Irish grammar when I was in 4th class. I was 10. Now, 8 years later, I am expected to be able to just conjure it up from the foggiest of the foggy depths of my brain? Hah. Not gonna happen. What’s worse is that every teacher is absolutely shocked when we can’t remember it. Oh yes Miss, cos I go over my 4th class grammar notes daily. Sheesh.
Oh dear. This did degenerate into a complete rant. Tá brón orm.
(No really, I am sorry for this dreadfully boring post. I am currently experiencing writer’s block like you wouldn’t believe, it took me about 2 days to get this post in shape. I officially fail at blogging.)
Valerie
Hey everyone, I know it’s been a good while but rest assured that I do swing by to check out comments every second day or so! I’m sure you guys can all appreciate how hard it is to grab a spare moment to blog but I am committed to- at the very least!- one per week. Kudos to Bruno and Valerie, that comment train is really impressive!!
Ah school. It’s been ridiculously comforting going back. Like an old family pet you see after coming back from the Gaelteacht or summer holidays. Before Christmas I wanted to take Old Yeller out the back and silence his constant yelping about June and revision. Now I’ve dug up the old legend and he’s hanging above my mantlepiece. Metaphorically of course.
I could completely agree with Bruno’s last post about the snow screwing everything up. Let’s face facts here: since coming back to school my work ratehas increased dramatically. There’s routine. No more friends calling round at all hours, no extra shifts at work and no day-long marathons on Comedy Central of Scrubs or 30 Rock (I still maintain those were days well spent however). It’s fairly depressing though isn’t it? Maybe we’re all just creatures of habit or perhaps I’m obsessive compulsive about my time management. Haha people will probably think that I’m insane but it’s awesome being back and having the same old chaos to deal with. Perhaps I really will feel sad going after all!
After school study started back (as 2009’s Elizabeth hilariously christened ASS) and it’s like a blanket made of revision with added silence. Ok so there are the occasional paper planes that swoop across the hall, but hey, it’s good to have you back buddy.
Subject-wise, the ones I’m freaking out about for the mocks are probably Chemistry and Irish. I didn’t exactly kill myself working so tá brón orm if I slip in and out of Irish because I’m really working at it over the next few days, with “An Cearrbhach MacCaba” (yeah my spelling is probably wrong…) being touted as the first batch of notes that starts the bonfire after June 22nd. Ah Irish.. that’s another post for another day. Hope ye all had a good week back and hit the ground running (so long as that snow’s gone!)
Mister X.
Last week, Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe ordered a blanket closure of all primary and secondary schools on health and safety grounds. The forecast at the time was for heavy snow on Sunday night and that this would make school impossible for the first three days of the week.
I don’t know about where you live, but here in Dublin we had a shower of rain but not a flake of snow. I now look outside and see the snow melting! This begs the question whether there should have been a blanket closure in the first place, and whether this should now be lifted to allow schools to make their own decisions.
Fine Gael Spokesman on Education Brian Hayes said while many schools are still unable to reopen, it is clear this morning that in many parts of the country they can and should open from tomorrow morning.
It’s now likely that at some stage the Minister will lift the ban and allow schools to make their own decisions again. I know we’re all enjoying the snow but on a personal note I’d prefer to be back in school. The mocks are looming in the next month and all leaving cert students need their teachers back to help make the most of them!
Heavy snow fell in the south last night and this could close some schools for the rest of the week, however in Dublin we could be walking the corridors as early as tomorrow!
