back for my second blog, as promised!!

got my “Xmas” report, so here’s what i got:
English: B1
Irish:C2
French:B1
Art:B3
Home Ec:B2
Geography:B3
Maths:B1

was pretty happy, but i know that those are nothing to go by, i didnt think it was realistic at all!

but its given me some motivation for the mocks so i guess thats a plus!
anyway, not much else has been happening, except for the year photos (scary photographer “look at me…no NO LOOK AT ME!! CHIN UP” etc)

i’m pretty sure i’m flinching in my picture, but what can I do?

Then i got to the all important social side of the leaving cert, went to an 18th, then a halloween party, got it all outta my system!

I’m adding to my draft from this point onwards:)

had the old parent teacher meeting yesterday, and, my father said the teachers had very minor criticisms!!
great expectations of me apparently, and I’m really happy that they have some confidence in me, gives you that little bit more confidence in yourself dont you think?

anyway, it has just made me decide that if I keep what I’m doing up, there may be hope for me!!

yay!

anyway, thats all for now people!!

and as for Mr. Eóghan, the latest to join us bloggers, its better late than never!! was beginning to think we were almost alone here!! XD

-Anna

I’ve never been a very punctual person, sorry for the late post people who uh…don’t know who I am…
Might try this again

Heya, my name is Eóghan, a young man who has gone a little over 18 times around the sun, a young man who is going to sit his Leaving Cert in a little over 200 days time…yay…
The picture is one that I just snagged off Facebook, shall have to do until I get a better one, I’m the guy on the left, with the bad haircut and the blurry smile.

My hobbies include, reading, drawing, playing the mandolin and making study schedules that I can never seem to keep to…huh, funny that xD

I’ma doing all honors, (I’m sure there’s a pun in there somewhere)

->English
->Irish
->Maths
->History
->Art
->Japanese
->Biology

To be honest I’m still in that terrifying stage where I have no idea what I want to do with my life, hopefully I’m not the only one on this blog with such notions, and maybe over the next few months, we’ll figure it out together ^_^
I’d like to say hello to Miss Anna and Miss Caoimhe, the fellow ramblers. and any other bloggers who (god forbid) are a little bit later then me.

And that seems to be it, First post done (Huzzah!)
It’s a pleasure to be writing here, I hope that we have a helluva time.
~Eóghan

The LC will not kill you. It’s not the “beginning of the end” the “worst year of your life” or any other of the sweeping statements that are thrown around so often between worrying 6th Year students nowadays.

I foolishly listened, worried and stressed for months of the school year. MOCKS, HPAT, CAO IT’S ALL SO OVERWHELMING. Take a step back, flick on the kettle and calm yourself.

I’ve been there and done that. I’m a repeat student for Medicine in the Institute of Education and I’m hell-bent on not making the same mistakes I did last year. I did a good LC in most people’s eyes, unfortunately not in my own. It’s that feeling I had on results day that has motivated me to give it my all for one more year. It’s the prospect of that feeling that should make you give it your all for 6th Year. The promised land of college awaits (and judging from the daily stories I hear from my friends, it’s everything you want it to be and more).

Take each day as it comes, work and study hard and find time for yourself everyday (for me it’s running, watching Criminal Minds etc, whatever takes the LC off your mind!)

For all you Med hopefuls, the HPAT is more important than ever, you MUST give it a large portion of your time. Believe me, forget the Mocks in February, they mean absolutely nothing. HPAT takes priority!

I hope my ramblings help in some way, if they don’t they are just an ideal way for me to rant and vent. Put the effort in and it’ll all come together!

PEACE!
LC Veteran

Hey Everyone!!

First of all, thanks to Patrick Barry for giving me this opportunity!
makes sixth year that little bit more worthwhile
and hey to all the other bloggers

well, i guess i better introduce myself:
My name is Anna, and i’m 17 and I, am a leaving certer of 2012!! bit foreboding isn’t it?! In any case, Bring it on!
Yes, I am scared stiff, the idea of Orals and Practicals make me want to curl up under a rock and die, but I’m trying to look past that…waaaaaay past that!

My final year, in a school i have both loved and hated (mostly loved tbh) is hopefully, not going to kill me!! Its flown by so far i think, well- most of the time

the subjects I’m doing are:
Art (H)
Home Ec (H)
Geography (H)
Irish (H)
French (H)
English (H)
and of course, maths (O)!!

cant say I hate any of them yet thank god, and I’m hoping to do well in them!
Anyway, I’m doing Christmas exams (I know- eaaarly) at the moment, so will let anyone who reads these know how THAT goes O.o

Ok, my first blog- done. That was easier than i expected!!

Oh, I suppose i should say what I’m aiming for, I’ve known for a few years thankfully!

French and Business!! Now all i have to do is get it!!

ok people, that’s me for now! will get back to blog with my results of the auld xmas exams this week

Anna.

OK, so this is my first official post … weird to be finished the Leaving when I start blogging but it’s better late than never! Suppose I’ll start with this …

English           B3 higher              

Irish                C1 ordinary

Maths              C2 ordinary

French           B3 ordinary   

History           C2 higher

Biology          D2 higher     

Chemistry     D2 ordinary

My results were not exceptional, nor were they enough … I got 285, 95 points short of my target. Upon recieving my results, I cried … I was dissappointed with myself. I didn’t bother getting them checked or veiwing the scripts. I had 5 fails in my Mocks, and none in my Leaving. That was a major achievement! Hard work showed and I did my best. My best wasn’t enough, but I believe that what’s meant for you won’t pass you by. I got offered my 3rd choice, Legal Studies, but declined it, instead choosing to do a one year PLC in Arts, Culture and History, which I can hopefully progress from. I want Arts in Maynooth (History, English and Geography). I’ll study hard this year, I’ll work in my job, I’ll get some sleep and I’ll have some fun. August 17th, 2011 taught me not to expect the sun, moon and stars from yourself … you’ll only be forever dissappointed. Do your best and take pride in your work. One lesson I’ll never forget … Chemistry was NEVER my subject, and I should’ve picked business!

Ciao for now,

Caoimhe

P.S – I promise I won’t rant as much from now on!

Hey guys! OK, so I asked to be an AllHonours blogger back in January … but got accepted now, in October. Seeing as I’m finished the Leaving Cert now and enjoying college, I thought I’d do a diary with tips and some little anecdotes along the way. Hope you guys find everything beneficial and don’t hesitate to ask me any questions, and hopefully I can answer them as best I can! <3 Caoimhe

#adamandihavestartedusinghashtagsfromtwitterineverything.

First, THANK YOU PATRICK BARRY FOR ALLOWING ME THE PLATFORM TO BOAST, BLOG, TALK AND MAKE OTHER PEOPLE FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSLEVES THAT THEY AREN’T SUCH AN IGNORANT, STUCK UP, DICK LIKE MYSELF.

I woke up on the results morning a little bit nervous. I listened to music for about 30 minutes as I dwindled about my room cleaning up, putting on a bright yellow t-shirt , shorts and flip flops. I was attracting the attention of that photographer regardless of my results..

Was the first one into the school and the first one to pick up my results. Totted up by a teacher and he said 430 well done. I started to think holy shit how did I pull that one out ? Turns out I didn’t, he counted it incorrectly and I got 390. My goal was to break 400 so with rechecks that’s still a possibility. I’m viewing my scripts tonight so ten points out of nowhere would be fantastic.  I know myself had I been told 390 straight away I would have been happy however the fact I thought I had it for over an hour was a little disheartening.

Now let’s get this straight, I’m not better than you points wise, because I only got 390.

I say ONLY, because I only started to work 3 weeks out from D-Day give or take and the only way it makes me feel when I realise I’ve missed out on Multimedia is why didn’t I start it earlier.

Regardless, Multimedia went up so I was 30 points off as opposed to 10.  So I suffered up until last night with this semi attraction towards UCD after I accepted English and Drama.

Today I am making pleas to level 5 courses which have the entry route into Multimedia after a year. I would have liked the English and Drama course, I do think I would have came to like it I mean. Yet I found out through the UCD system I would have to take two other subjects. 4 subjects in an Arts degree ? This isn’t Galway mate and that’s when I realised I’m not really an Arts student.

I don’t want to undersell the degree and others love it, but the ego, the person and what I’ve came to expect of myself as well as what others have come to expect of me is that I’m not the type of person who is going to settle for that degree.

The person who is preaching constantly to follow what you want, say what you want and do what you want yet I was going to settle. As opposed to swallowing my “pride” to do a level 5 to get into the course I want.  Here is a quote from my last blog

I think the goal of close to 400 points is still on. Here’s hoping however i more than likely will be doing the PLC route simply because it’s the best course for Radio Media / Presenting. I’m just looking to go somewhere i can train a lot, that’s been said and won’t be spoke on any more.

This is a quote from my first blog

I will get 400+ points. That is what i need,

So all and all in and around the same goal has been achieved. I’m now blogging myself on this website www.starlighthysteria.wordpress.com and I would love if you read it! In fact the first post on the website is my English Paper 1 100 Mark essay which I can’t wait to see tonight. Finally I’m also on facebook for those who missed it, in fact not just bloggers please anyone feel free.

www.facebook.com/guardpuller

So this is my final sign off with a song, similar to how I felt upon getting my results, knowing regardless they were high enough to warrant not repeating and I  feel sorry for those who do and 100% Genuinely here I hope anybody who repeats, has the balls to repeat quite frankly gets exactly what they want because right now I’d probably take the job of Gadaffi’s right hand man over repeating the leaving cert. watch?v=E6Yosqms1nM&ob=av3e

I’m Andrew McGahon, It’s been a pleasure.

Bonjour!

Currently in one of those sentimental moods, acknowledging the great events of the past. The 2006 first year Jason used to love listening to green day (hence the title), remembering when bebo was cool and facebook was for old people (how times have changed) Some of my best memories are from secondary school, from 3rd year when our maths teacher came in with a shredder and each of us wondering what he was going to do with this contraption, decided to make everyone shred their own maths theorem’s because that’s what they deserved (mine was spared of course). Me and my friends never laughed so hard when we left that class. My favourite football team Manchester United, I got to see twice due to secondary school. The first being the f.a. cup match between man u and portsmouth (not such a great match to begin with) but second year round I got to see the champions league match between Man U and Inter Milan … one of the experiences I will cherish for the rest of my life. It’s strange to think my secondary school experience is over ..

August 17 … the day I had envisioned for so long came and went. I got the points I wanted and that’s all I can really say about it. It was perhaps the strangest forms of happiness I’ve ever had. It was like receiving a botox injection … all your wrinkles had just disappeared by a single needle. All that worry and stress was worth it in the end. I now had a new face. Of course I’m not going to tell you my results, I think these results I want to keep personal. I’ve told my family and friends and I that’s all I want to say on the matter.

Medicine which perhaps was my first ever love, has taken a firm step backwards and we are now probably further now then ever, but I can’t predict the future. I’m going to keep to option of doing graduate medicine open, but I can assure you now I will never repeat that leaving cert. Fair play to anyone who decides to repeat, but I couldn’t do another year.

I wonder which candidate I will be next year,

Who knew 11 months later I would be a pharmacy student in the college I adore ??? Quiet chuffed with myself for achieving the points, I want to advise everyone doing the exam next year to sit down each evening and study, It really does pay off in the end. For the future bloggers, I wish you all the luck in the world of the leaving cert … it is certainly eventful.

To Patrick Barry, I cannot thank you enough. Like Ciara, once I discovered this site I loved it. I dreamed of writing for this website, and this year that dream became a reality. I have never regretted becoming a blogger and I had a great sense of accomplishment for getting my work published. You allowed me to record my experience, present myself to the world and that was invaluable in my opinion.

To my fellow bloggers, you both gave me motivation and inspiration. Your blogs pushed me to work harder but also allowed me to relax, realizing not everyone out there is doing a million hours study. (perhaps that was only me at times ?)

Since accepting my course on Monday, I have been sprung at full velocity into college life, with letters coming in each day with social events, the hear scheme orientation program and registration. Atleast this year, I’ll be doing something different on my birthday and yes I do expect you all to wish me one on facebook

Thank you everyone who has shared this experience with me …

I certainly had the time of my life

I got my course, Public and Social Policy in NUIG. Yesterday morning when I clicked accept, I felt the surge of excitement that was missing on results day. I think it’s because it’s more final now; no going back! I’m nervous of course but looking forward to it a lot. Staying at home means I won’t be expecting as big a change as some but it will still obviously be different.

In the end I decided not to view any scripts or get anything rechecked. I was happy with what I got, obtained my course and disastrous episodes of Deal or no Deal have taught me to call it quits while things are going well. It’s strange that this whole Leaving Cert business is completed once and for all. People say it’s nine tough months and then it’ll all be over but between waiting for results and offers, it takes the guts of a year. At first I felt a little sad it’s over (no doubt it was some form of Stockholm Syndrome) but I really wouldn’t go back for all the cans of Druids in a fourteen year old’s schoolbag. Looking at people who were in my year and did TY, with all this ahead of them yet, makes me relieved to be finished secondary school now.

Sadly this is my last post. This website has been a great resource to me since I found it in Third Year and really helpful in getting any exam related questions answered. My remaining question is, what happens now? I read the book One Day over the summer and thought this quote from it summed up the vagueness of the future pretty well;

“‘What are you going to do with your life?’ In one way or another it seemed that people had been asking her this forever; teachers, her parents, friends at three in the morning, but the question had never seemed this pressing and still she was no nearer an answer. The future rose up ahead of her, a succession of empty days, each more daunting and unknowable than the one before her. How would she ever fill them all?”

Yes there’s a lot of uncertainty but it’s refreshing after the year that was. Instead of worrying as I could easily do, I say bring it on.

To Patrick Barry, thank you for taking a chance on me (and then another one) by letting me blog here for the past two years. It’s been a great opportunity and one that I thoroughly enjoyed, although some posts from Fifth Year make me cringe just thinking about them. It’s common knowledge that Fifth Years are blissfully unaware of the plight of Leaving Certs, so hopefully I was forgiven! It was brilliant to be given full creative leeway in all my little rants and I’d like to think my writing has improved, at the very least from the days of “hiiya hunnii wu@ luff yhoo”…yes I was that First Year. Plus it was great to read posts by other bloggers going through the same thing. I hope you all got what you wanted and have a great time at college.

To upcoming bloggers, I advise you to use this blog to your best advantage. Post as much as you can and comment regularly. While I can be accused of doing neither, in the last few months I truly appreciated having this space to vent all my stress, hopes and worries.

To the Leaving Certs of 2012, I’ll share with you a few tips that I would have found helpful starting Sixth Year. First of all, don’t go into the year planning to study every hour of the day. It doesn’t happen and by October you will find yourself slacking-I should know. Instead ease yourself into the work and then do a little bit a lot of the time. Secondly, get familiar with the marking schemes and timing from your first day back. Exam technique can be just as important, if not more, than the material itself. Again, I should know. Thirdly, enjoy Sixth Year. Yes, it’s possible! Between being the oldest in the school to getting a free pass from housework due to ‘Leaving Cert fatigue’, it actually is a nice year. Too bad the exams make you forget that. Appreciate the last few months with your year, it’s all too soon that you’ll be parting ways with some of your friends for college. With that in mind, don’t become a hermit because chances are you’ll only be at home procrastinating when you could be out having a well deserved break. And good luck! Even if you dossed in Fifth Year, I think anyone can change it around in the few months before June. Oh and before you ask, I don’t know what poets are going to be on Examcraft English Paper 2.

Thanks to anyone who read my posts, commented or helped me out in the forum. Best of luck to you all in the future. And with that I say (appropriately in French as I’m still on a high from my grade), au revoir!

The day of results I was unbelievably nervous. I had to wait for my brother to come back with his so I could go. He and a friend rang before I left with disappointment and all I could think was that a day that starts badly usually ends so.  I got to my school eventually and without looking anyone in the eyes I took my results and exited swiftly. By the time I reached the car I was shaking and dreading opening them, my Mam said just do it and startled by her voice I tore apart the envelope. Thankfully what I saw couldn’t have pleased me more.

Irish A2

Agricultural science A2

French B1

Chemistry B1

English B3

Physics B3

If I’m honest I was slightly disappointed by French, English and physics.  I really was aiming for an A in French and well to drop from an A1 to a B3 in English was disappointing, obviously I knew I was unlikely to get an A again but I didn’t expect the B3. Lastly physics remained the same grade but I did find thta paper really difficult. These small disappointments however were more than made up for with Irish and Ag. I knew I was good enough for an A in Irish but I find the orals so nerveracking that I didn’t think I’d make it. Finally, a B1 in chemistry?! The sciences and maths aren’t my strong points at all so really that was a surprise. In the end I totalled on 500 points. I think someone else remarked on how people just concentrated on points tally. Although I didn’t have anything to be ashamed of I was reluctant to tell people my points, that we ‘re happy should be enough. There are people who got 300 and that was their personal best and they should have as much reason to celebrate as the person who got 600.

While I’m still 45 points outside my first choice- primary teaching with psychology – I didn’t mind in the slightest. I was so happy. I went around all day with a silly smile on my face saying ‘I’m just soooo happy’ repeatedly….annoying yes!

I knew that I had enough for primary teaching, so when I saw my offer for Mary I at 6am this morning before work I accepted straight away before it had any chance of changing!!! Since I decided on primary I knew it was the right choice and now i can’t wait to settle  into college life:D

I hope everyone got what they wanted but if not a year of repeat is nothing! It went by so fast and honestly, it did me the world of good. At the time, I absolutely despised it but I can see now that last year I wasn’t ready for college, to live on my own, etc. Now I know it’s time to go!:D  There are alternative routes into everything so if you really want something then you can get it..

I’d like to say a big thankyou to Patrick Barry for giving us the chance to blog, it was a great experience!  Good luck to all of next years bloggers and leaving certs!

and I suppose this is goodbye! I hope I didn’t bore you all..! aaand I’m going to stop ranting!!

Byee everyone!:)